Dynamics in the History of Religions16 Secrets Contact

This collection challenges traditional views on religious secrecy, demonstrating how concealment and secrets paradoxically facilitate intra- and inter-religious dialogue and exchange. An essential volume for religious studies, comparative religion and the social sciences. Secrets in Contact presents a revolutionary perspective on religious secrecy—revealing how the concealed becomes a bridge between faiths rather than a barrier. This ground-breaking collection of essays challenges conventional wisdom by demonstrating how secrets function as powerful catalysts for religious contact and exchange. From Paul's "Unknown God" to Daoist-Buddhist exchanges, this volume unveils the sophisticated strategies through which religious traditions use secrecy to communicate, influence, and transform one another. Essential reading for scholars seeking fresh insights into the hidden mechanisms that shape inter-religious encounters across cultures and centuries.