Introduction
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Abstract
The introduction to the Companion to Comparative Theology functions as a travel guide through the field of comparative theology, from its development in the beginning of the nineteenth century and its engagement in the context of modern theology and religious studies before 1985, to its unfolding as a separate field at the end of the twentieth and the beginning of the twenty-first centuries. We discuss the development of comparative theology in the context of theology and religious studies, and its specific engagement with Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Chinese religion. In each of the parts, we start with classical examples of Christian scholars, and continue with examples that build on these models yet at the same time use new approaches and methods from different religious perspectives. Finally, we sketch the outlines of future directions and perspectives in comparative theology, using new methods, new forms of awareness, and new partnerships with other fields of study.