""Dialogue" is one of American religion's shopworn terms. Although we hear much talk about dialogue, very little of it actually takes place. Religious discourse - especially about politics and public affairs - is increasingly polarized, involving much contestation but little conversation. If truths are to be tested, however, there is no substitute for dialogue." "Arising out of conferences sponsored by the Center on Religion and Society in New York City, the Encounter Series presents a diverse group of people - theologians, ethicists, philosophers, and public-policy experts from across the political and religious spectrum - in dialogue on a variety of controversial issues. Each Encounter Series volume includes not only the essays presented at the conference but also a lively narrative of the subsequent discussion, allowing the reader to experience more fully the actual give-and-take of genuine dialogue."--Jacket.