Dialogue Derailed

"With painstaking research, impeccable scholarship, penetrating analysis, and exemplary fair-mindedness, Mong digs deep into Ratzinger's . . . background to reveal his Eurocentric bias. . . . His work is the first analysis and assessment of the Bavarian theologian's work from the perspective of Asian realities."

--From the preface by Peter C. Phan



"Mong's analysis of Joseph Ratzinger's fight against the 'dictatorship of relativism' is comprehensive and penetrating, enough to recommend the book to anyone who cares about the contours of contemporary Catholic theology. But the book's greatest contribution lies in showing how Ratzinger's remedy for European relativism becomes toxic when forced upon Asians who do not suffer from this disease--an example of how even the best ideas can damage us when applied inappropriately."

--Scott Steinkerchner, Blessed Sacrament Priory, Madison, WI



"If theologians, like Ratzinger, begin from a perspective of the priority of the universal church over the local; if they emphasize the vast cultural riches of the West and have a Western aesthetic, they will end up at odds with theologians--particularly those from Asia--who work from a conviction of the local church's autonomy and cultural validity. Mong carefully and respectfully presents Ratzinger's entire theological system and argues that as brilliant as it is, it is unable to dialogue with the cultural and religious context of Asia, or anyplace except the developed West."

--Stephen B. Bevans, Catholic Theological Union, Chicago, IL