Dreams and Visions as Welcoming Spaces for Interfaith Dialogue

Abstract

This essay argues for the missiological significance of dreams and visions (D/Vs) as mediators of new, welcoming spaces for engaging the religious other. The discussion suggests a correlation between two important conversations, that of the church envisioning the role of Christianity in the midst of religious plurality, and that of anthropologists and dream researchers who point to D/Vs as valued experiences in religions of the world. In light of the research on the value of dreams and visions in spirituality, how might D/V experiences, narrations, and interpretations provide bridges for interfaith dialogue? Keeping in view the value of D/Vs for spirituality, this paper offers a distinctly Pentecostal perspective with the following thesis: When D/V experiences are assessed for their spiritual value within a pneumatological re-envisioning of missiology and soteriology, the possibility of their significance for fostering welcoming spaces for interfaith dialogue becomes apparent.