Paul F. Knitter is the Paul Tillich Professor of Theology, World Religions and Culture at Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York

Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York

Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York is a preeminent independent graduate school of theology, located in Manhattan between Claremont Avenue and Broadway, 120th to 122nd Streets. The seminary was founded in 1836 under the Presbyterian Church, and is affiliated with nearby Columbia...

. He was formerly Emeritus Professor of Theology at Xavier University

Xavier University (Cincinnati)

Xavier University is a co-educational Jesuit university in the United States located in Cincinnati, Ohio. The University is the sixth-oldest Catholic university in the nation and has an undergraduate enrollment of about 4,000 students and graduate enrollment of 2,600 students. Xavier is primarily...

 in Cincinnati, Ohio

Cincinnati, Ohio

Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...

. Since publishing his acclaimed book, No Other Name? (1985), Knitter has been widely known for his religious pluralism

Religious pluralism

Religious pluralism is a loosely defined expression concerning acceptance of various religions, and is used in a number of related ways:* As the name of the worldview according to which one's religion is not the sole and exclusive source of truth, and thus that at least some truths and true values...

. Along with his friend and colleague, the Protestant philosopher of religion John Hick

John Hick

Professor John Harwood Hick is a philosopher of religion and theologian. In philosophical theology, he has made contributions in the areas of theodicy, eschatology, and Christology, and in the philosophy of religion he has contributed to the areas of epistemology of religion and religious...

, Knitter has come under harsh criticism from Cardinal Ratzinger (presently the Pope

Pope

The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...

 of the Roman Catholic Church

Roman Catholic Church

The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...

).

In 1984 he was one of 97 theologians and religious persons who signed A Catholic Statement on Pluralism and Abortion

A Catholic Statement on Pluralism and Abortion

A Catholic Statement on Pluralism and Abortion, alternatively referred to by its pull quote "A Diversity of Opinions Regarding Abortion Exists Among Committed Catholics" or simply "The New York Times ad", was a full-page advertisement placed on October 7, 1984 in The New York Times by Catholics for...

, calling for pluralism and discussion within the Catholic Church regarding the Church's position on abortion

Abortion

Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...

.

Education

Knitter holds a licentiate from the Pontifical Gregorian University

Pontifical Gregorian University

The Pontifical Gregorian University is a pontifical university located in Rome, Italy.Heir of the Roman College founded by Saint Ignatius of Loyola over 460 years ago, the Gregorian University was the first university founded by the Jesuits...

 in Rome (1966), as well as a doctorate from the University of Marburg, Germany (1972).

Book Publications

• Towards a Protestant Theology of Religions, 1974.

• No Other Name? A Critical Survey of Christian Attitudes toward World Religions, 1985.

• The Myth of Christian Uniqueness: Toward a Pluralistic Theology of Religions. Co-edited with John Hick
  John Hick
  Professor John Harwood Hick is a philosopher of religion and theologian. In philosophical theology, he has made contributions in the areas of theodicy, eschatology, and Christology, and in the philosophy of religion he has contributed to the areas of epistemology of religion and religious...
  
  , 1987.

• Faith, Religion, and Theology: A Contemporary Introduction, 1989. Co-authored with Brennan Hill and William Madges.

• Buddhist Emptiness and Christian Trinity Essays and Explorations, 1990. Co-edited with Roger Corless
  Roger Corless
  Roger Corless made significant contributions to interfaith dialogue, particularly on the subject Buddhist-Christian dual belonging ....
  
  .

• Death or Dialogue: From the Age of Monologue to the Age of Dialogue, 1990. Co-authored with John B. Cobb, Jr., Monika Hellwig, and Leonard Swidler
  Leonard Swidler
  Leonard J. Swidler is Professor of Catholic Thought and Interreligious Dialogue at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA where he has taught since 1966. He is the co-founder and Editor of the Journal of Ecumenical Studies...
  
  .

• Pluralism and Oppression: Theology in World Perspective, 1990. Edited.

• One Earth Many Religions: Multifaith Dialogue and Global Responsibility, 1995.

• Jesus and the Other Names: Christian Mission and Global Responsibility, 1996.

• The Uniqueness of Jesus: A Dialogue with Paul Knitter, 1997. Edited by Leonard Swidler
  Leonard Swidler
  Leonard J. Swidler is Professor of Catholic Thought and Interreligious Dialogue at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA where he has taught since 1966. He is the co-founder and Editor of the Journal of Ecumenical Studies...
  
  and Paul Mojzes.

• Faith, Religion and Theology: A Contemporary Introduction, 1997. Co-authored by Brennan Hill and Williams Madges.

• Introducing Theologies of Religions, 2002.

• Subverting Greed: Religious Perspectives on the Global Economy, 2002. Edited with Chandra Muzaffar.

• Without Buddha I Could Not Be a Christian, 2009.