The Quest of the Unique Jesus and Its Implications for Global Dialogue

In English A recurrent issue and to a considerable extent also a major obstacle in contemporary theology of religions are various claims of "uniqueness". This article critically considers one particular aspect, i.e., the quest of the unique Jesus in New Testament scholarship and its implications for global interreligious dialogue. It is argued that the quest of the unique Jesus be abandoned since it is neither historically fructiferous nor theologically judicious. It is more appropriate to follow the way once suggested by Leander E. Keck, "those who are interested in Jesus for religious reasons care less about his originiality than about whether Jesus makes sense and whether his work coheres."