In a spontaneously wide-ranging conversation over dinner one winter evening in Japan, sociologist of religion Bryan Wilson and Buddhist philosopher Daisaku Ikeda recognised the importance of explaining and learning about their worldviews.
“Global Civilization” emerged from a series of conversations between two peace advocates of Japanese and Iranian origin. It covers the encounters between Buddhist and Islamic civilisations from the 7th century to the present.
Who is Daisaku Ikeda? At one level, he is the leader of a religious movement – Soka Gakkai – which began in Japan, where it still has its headquarters, but which now claims 12 million adherents around the world.