ABSTRACT
This introduction to the volume explores the research question of whether it is possible to be religiously exclusive and at the same time socially inclusive. It analyses the different meanings of exclusivism and inclusivism in different contexts and outlines the problem of how religious exclusivism can and does sometimes collide with social inclusion, especially in the context of absolute truth claims of monotheistic religions. The heart of the research is the reading of exclusive texts, starting with the issue of the death penalty for apostasy. This is the most exclusive form of religious and social exclusion, which is required by all Abrahamic religions. How do religious traditions interpret such exclusive texts, and do they necessarily exclude social inclusion?
