The Ground We Share
By Robert Aitken
By David Steindl-Rast
"This is a lovely, engaging, insightful conversation between two important contemporary spiritual teachers and practitioners, one (Aitken) an American-born Zen master and the other (Steindl-Rast) a Benedictine monk. The conversation is drawn from a week-long retreat that Aitkin and Steindl-Rast shared in Hawaii in 1991. They agree quickly to focus on 'everyday practice' rather than on abstract conceptions of Buddhism and Christianity. The result is not a formal contribution to the growing body of Buddhist-Christian dialogue so much as an illuminating and multifaceted exploration of common ground—the sacred heart that beats at the center of a world shared by Christians and Buddhists. This volume offers a rare opportunity to eavesdrop on a conversation between compassionate believers comfortable with their differences, fully engaged with each other, and fully engaged in the world." —Steve Schroeder, Booklist
"This book is important, not because it advances any broad ecumenical agendas, but because Buddhism has become an important element in the American intellectual landscpae, and most 'New World' Buddhist practitioners have their roots in either the Jewish or the Christian tradition. The Ground We Share is valuable proof that equanimity and honesty must form the common ground of dialogue." —Scott Whitney, Parabola