The main trends in Christianity Nurqobilov Shahzod

tology should communicate something about the future, without suspending hidden-

ness and mystery; it is about the ‘fulfilment of the whole man’. Finally, “Christ himself

is the hermeneutical principle of all eschatological assertions” (1974:342).

3 Engaging alterity

3 Engaging alterity

The twentieth-century intellectual ‘turn to the other’ has inevitably been reflected in

eschatological thinking. In this article, alterity is a convenient shorthand reference

to voices, perspectives and disciplines which have not been part of traditional and

conventional eschatological discourse. By including these in mainstream thinking,

the potential of new insights has been tremendously expanded and some of the

most exciting work is being undertaken in this regard. Six such innovative ap-

proaches can be mentioned.

Ecology and eschatology: A cosmic dimension has always been part of Christian