The book attempts to establish historically why it became important for Christian Churches in general and the Catholic Church in particular to reconsider their communicative practices. It shows how the Churches tried to change their mode of monological communication to adopt a dialogical one, including dialogue with non-Christian religions. The distinctive character of the book lies in showing that such parallel changes in communicative practices were witnessed in philosophical thinking as well as in the field of secular and religious broadcasting.Acknowledgements Foreword by Michael Traber Prologue PART I: HOW MONOLOGUE TURNS INTO DIALOGUE Ecumenism and Ecumenical Movement The Protestant Path to Ecumenism The Roman Catholic Path to Ecumenism Dialogical Communication: A Historical Breakthrough Developments Since the Second Vatican Council PART II: FROM ECUMENICAL DIALOGUE TO INTER-RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE The Historical Moment of Change Towards Other Religions The Catholic Understanding of Inter-Religious Dialogue Some Specific Cases of Inter-Religious Dialogue Inter-religious Dialogue in the Protestant Churches Conclusions PART III: THE NATURE OF CHRISTIAN COMMUNICATION Religion and Communication The Catholic Church's Interest in Communication Communio et Progressio Theology of Communication Theology of Communication in Conversation with Theory of Communicative Action Christian Communication and Church Communication PART IV: THE CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNICATION a) The Proclamations of Jesus b) The Communicative Actions of Jesus c) The Parabolic Style of Jesus' Communication Christian Principles of Communication Critique of the Catholic Church's Communicative Practices a) Hierarchical Communication in the Catholic Church b) Sermons as Communication c) Communication Through Excommunication Conclusions PART V: THE CONCEPT OF DIALOGUE: TOWARDS A DIALOGICAL THEORY I Origin and Use of the World Dialogue Dialogical Principle in Martin Buber Some Reflections on Blcå