Summary religion and diversity survey, 20022003 data. The selections are interdisciplinary, meeker and quinn noting that religious diversity is of interest not only to philosophers, but also to scholars in religious studies and theology. Diversity of this sort is pervasive, existing not only across basic theistic systems but also within these theistic systems themselves. Contains a glossary that defines the booka s key technical terms and how they are related to one another. Philosophy of religion internet encyclopedia of philosophy. Clooney, religious diversity and comparative theology, chapter 1 from deep learning across religious borders. If philosophy has any role to play in that project, it is, or should be, the role of exemplifying how a deepened understanding of diverse religious. America and the challenges of religious diversitylooks not only at how we have adapted to diversity in the past, but at the ways rankandfile americans, clergy, and other community leaders are responding today. But religious diversity does provide a problem for certain religions, like christianity. The philosophical challenge of religious diversity article in teaching philosophy 24 3. Aug 05, 2015 religious diversity is the coexistence of two or more religious communities in a specific geopolitical setting. Religion, philosophy and culture are three elements of the human reality. The key reason is the nature of god and his creation.
Upon analysis of wilfred cantwell smiths discussion of religious diversity, maritains position on the relation between religion and the secular world, and hegels presupposition about abstract rights, this common question arises. Problems of religious diversity philosophy of religion. The philosophical challenge of religious diversity in. Both those just becoming acquainted with the issues and those already quite familiar with the debates will benefit from careful study of paul griffiths clear and stimulating treatment of the subject. Religious diversity exists in a striking way between religions that are theistic and those that are not. Dialogues in the philosophy of religion pp 179194 cite as. See philip quinn and kevin meeker, the philosophical challenge of religious diversity new york. For example, environmentalists can have a feeling of absolute dependence upon the natural world without thereby holding. The survey was designed by robert wuthnow at princeton university in conjunction with the responding to diversity project sponsored by the lilly endowment. In wilfred cantwell smiths book the faith of other men he starts by describing his challenge as.
The is a good book by one of the best sociologists of religion working today. Living with religious diversity, religion and diversity. Prior to taking up the challenges, two comments are in order. Problems of religious diversity is a very helpful introduction to the cluster of questions arising from religious diversity in the west. America and the challenges of religious diversity on jstor. Could lessons from asia, oceania and the middle east help europe overcome the challenge of religious diversity.
The worlds religious landscape is marked by similarly credible but conflicting truth claims. He is the author or coauthor of several books, includingencountering religious pluralism. The recognition of this inconclusiveness suggests a logical basis for religious pluralism alongside the more familiar ethical and theological grounds for religious pluralism that motivated some of the onetime exclusivists and inclusivists featured in this book, such as john hick 12428, hiromasa mase 2, and shusaku endo 1284, to set. Religious diversity poses a challenge to the view that exclusive religious beliefs can be justified and warranted. Unity in diversity philosophy and the meaning of dialogue. Sigmund freud 18561939, one of the great psychologists of the twentieth century, wrote that religion is comparable to a childhood neurosis. Religious diversity exists whenever seemingly sincere, knowledgeable individuals hold incompatible beliefs on the same religious issue. Religious diversity pluralism stanford encyclopedia of. America and the challenges of religious diversity by. One or two class periods depending on your choices. Religious diversity and its challenges to religious belief.
Quinn, the philosophical challenge of religious diversity david hume, of miracles william lane craig, no other way a middle knowledge perspective on the exclusivity of salvation through christ john hick, religious pluralism and salvation the philosophy of religious pluralism a critical appraisal. In what ways is religious diversity a challenge, and in what ways is. Keith ward truth and the diversity of religions in philip l. Pdf theorising religious diversity in a multicultural world. Featuring contributors from philosophy, religious studies, and theology, it is unified by the way in which many of the authors engage in sustained critical examination of one anothers position. Finally, a fourth conception of religious pluralism refers to a political.
This survey includes questions about the publics views about religious diversity, such as attitudes toward and contact with muslims, hindus, and buddhists. Religious diversity, theories of internet encyclopedia of philosophy. The world is teeming with hundreds of religions, all making different claims and demanding different lifestyles. A number of philosophers have recently turned their attention to the relationship between religious diversity and religious tolerance, with the main focus on whether acknowledgement of, and subsequent reflection on, religious diversity might lead to greater religious tolerance. Managing religious diversity in the workplace is a toolkit that aims to support employ ers to identify the main challenges and barriers of accommodating religious minorities in european workplaces and how to practically respond to those challenges. Religious diversity and the secular university crassh.
It will place the dialogic dynamics of religious interaction at the heart of a series of interlinked workshops, summer schools and seminars, to explore how the university can explore the issue of religious diversity in the most sophisticated, historically grounded and productive manner. Religious diversity in contemporary philosophy of religion. Mar 22, 2018 how do you know that christianity is the one true worldview. Exploring religious diversity analyzes the philosophical questions raised by the fact that many religions in the world often appear to contradict each other in doctrine and practice. Religious diversity is one of the toughest challenges that todays european societies face in their search for identity, equality and cohesion in. John holusha, the spirit of japan, 20 miles from detroit, new york times, may 30, 1985.
Religious pluralism presupposes religious diversity but religious diversity does not guarantee religious pluralism. Religious diversity and perceptual knowledge of god. The philosophical challenge of religious diversity 9780195121551. Presented here are brief lists of points for health care providers to keep in mind when caring for patients from a number of different religious traditions. There are six basic responses to religious diversity. But since early modern times, increasing information from travel, publishing, and emigration have forced thoughtful people to reflect more deeply on. Philosophy of religion, fictionalism, and religious diversity. This unique volume collects some of the best recent work on the philosophical challenge the religious diversity poses for religious belief. Religious diversity, theories of internet encyclopedia of.
We must see that biblical diversity is not a consequence of sin. Exploring religious pluralism unesco digital library. The philosophical challenge of religious diversity 1st edition. Drawing from a new national survey and hundreds of indepth qualitative interviews, this book is the first systematic effort to assess. With so much religious diversity among groups of people could government politics function without any religious affiliation and still represent the will of the people as a whole. Philosophy of religion is the philosophical study of the meaning and nature of religion. For instance, the monotheistic religions judaism, christianity, and islam agree that there is a sole god. The problem of religious diversity arises when we notice that religious diversityconfusion is not surprising on the hypothesis of metaphysical naturalism. The topic of the thesis is the challenge that religious diversity poses to religious belief.
Hard pluralism, advocated by among others the religious philosopher john hick, means accepting that all religions are true except for those that claim exclusive truth, because they contradict the fundamental principle of pluralism. Thats because nature is indifferent, and there is no god to care about us getting to god. Gottesbeweise, the classical philosophical arguments for the existence of god, only relates to the phenomenal empirical realm, but does not exclude another, genuine, access to the. Religious freedom democracy facing history and ourselves. Netland phd, claremont graduate university is professor of philosophy of religion and intercultural studies at trinity evangelical divinity school, where he also directs the phd in intercultural studies program. Hard pluralism, advocated by among others the religious philosopher john hick, means accepting that all religions are true except for those that claim exclusive truth, because they contradict the.
First, i have framed the question in terms of the challenge that moral diversity and relativism put to soldiering. The volume distinguishes the differences between religious and nonreligious responses to these questions, and evaluates the fundamental philosophical. The introduction offers a helpful discussion of exclusivism, inclusivism, and pluralism. Religious pluralism is a value, a cultural or religious ideology which positively welcomes the encounter of religions. Volume 5, issue 4, october 1988 religious pluralism. In what ways is religious diversity a challenge, and in what ways is it an. Oxford university press, 2000, for an important collection of articles on religious diversity. Theres a lot of talk about diversity in the academic arena, in public policy, and in the marketplace. The theological challenge of religious pluralism springerlink. Religious pluralism is an attitude or policy regarding the diversity of religious belief systems.
Faced by the challenge of religious plurality, most philosophers of re ligion view pluralism and exclusivism as the most accepted and fully developed positions. If the first could be compared to the feet with which man journeys towards his destiny, philosophy could represent the eyes that scrutinize that journey, and culture, the earth on which man is walking during his concrete pilgrimage. A key issue to be resolved is whether a reasonable person may believe in the epistemic superiority of any one religious ideology in the light of religious diversity. Religious diversity may be making america less religious. Cultural diversity, religious syncretism and people of. Living with religious diversity was a two day seminar cosponsored and funded by the social sciences and humanities research council of canada and the university of ottawa and hosted by the india international centre in delhi. The term itself suggests only the presence of religious difference, for example typical urban diversity, and infers nothing about equal representation in the context. It is arguably the doctrinal and philosophical aspects of a religion which are. In this lesson students will be familiarized with the basic history, beliefs, and practices of the worlds major religious traditions. It is often characterized as an attitude of openness between affiliates of different religions. Introduction to religious diversity by mitch bogen lesson in brief. Evaluates the fundamental philosophical underpinnings of the debates between religious and nonreligious approaches to religious diversity. This unique volume collects some of the best recent work on the philosophical challenge that religious diversity poses for religious belief. Unity in diversity philosophy and the meaning of dialogue between religions.
Quinn, the philosophical challenge of religious diversity david hume, of miracles william lane craig, no other way a middle knowledge perspective on the exclusivity of salvation through christ john hick, religious pluralism and salvation the philosophy of religious pluralism a critical. Religious diversity is one of the toughest challenges that todays european societies face in their search for identity, equality and cohesion. An internalist pluralist solution to the problem of religious and ethical diversity. The survey also includes questions regarding religious. German philosophers of religion ludwig feuerbach and ernst troeltsch concluded. There is expanding research on teachers perspectives of the validity and challenges of religious education in the uk, sweden, norway, australia and germany, where such courses are mandatory. The philosophical challenge of religious diversity, p. The pragmatics of defining religion in a multicultural world. The difference between religious diversity and religious. Why should christian educators be thinking about this. Alstons epistemology of religious belief and the problem of. Cultural diversity, religious syncretism and people of india. It has always been recognized by people outside the smallest and most isolated communities. Hinduism, by contrast, typically recognizes many gods and goddesses, although some varieties of hinduism, which count these many.
On a realist conception one religions claim to ultimate truth necessarily conflicts with that of another if these claims diverge. Drawing from a new national survey and hundreds of indepth qualitative interviews, this book is the first systematic effort to. For some americans the solution is to remove all religious affiliation from the state. Ravi zacharias international ministries 3,706,164 views. In our own time a new challenge to the structure of christian belief has come from our awareness. Religious diversity is the fact that there are significant differences in religious belief and practice. Presented here are brief lists of points for health care providers to keep in mind when caring for. Problems of religious diversity analyzes the philosophical questions raised by the fact that many religions in the world often appear to contradict each other in doctrine and practice. It includes the analyses of religious concepts, beliefs, terms, arguments, and practices of religious adherents. The philosophical challenge of religious diversity. A comparative theological perspective table of contents. How do you know that christianity is the one true worldview. However, it is important that we at least acknowledge one way in which relativism serves not as a. Alstons epistemology of religious belief and the problem.
This lead is in list format, but may read better as prose. Pcrd is a compilation of fourteen important papers on the challenge of religious diversity. The philosophical challenge of religious diversity paperback. America and the challenges of religious diversity looks not only at how we have adapted to diversity in the past, but at the ways rankandfile americans, clergy, and other community leaders are responding today. The church, in its unity and in its diversity, is gods strategic vehicle for bringing into being the new creation.
America and the challenges of religious diversity by robert. Philosophy of religion, fictionalism, and religious diversity article in international journal for philosophy of religion 681. The church is the visible expression of gods kingdom. Evaluates the fundamental philosophical underpinnings of the. While the specific questions raised by religious plurality differ across traditions, the more. For example, environmentalists can have a feeling of absolute dependence upon the natural world without thereby holding a religious attitude although some do hold one. The challenges and opportunities of americas religious diversity the aspen institute. This thesis neither engages in theological philosophical debates concerning the encounter between religions, nor concentrates on theoretical conceptual discussions. Religious diversity could even subvert our initial exposure to religion.
Project muse america and the challenges of religious diversity. In the third, pluralism is a philosophical school, what is known as valuepluralism in which values are irreducibly plural. Religious diversity explores the breadth and significance of such conflict. Equally upright and thoughtful people who appear to possess similarly well. The problem of religious diversity edinburgh university press. Analyzes the philosophical questions raised by the fact that many religions in the world often appear to contradict each other in doctrine and practice. The focus is on the issues raised by the recent increase in american religious diversity, especially due to the influx of followers of nonchristian religions, including muslims, hindus, buddhists, and others. The problem of religious diversity edinburgh university. Christianity and religious diversity reading religion. Evaluates the fundamental philosophical underpinnings of the debates between religious and non religious approaches to religious diversity. Posted april 30, 20 december 12, 2018 esteban lugo.
Furthermore, one can easily explain religious diversityconfusion in terms of naturalistic causes. Featuring contributors from philosophy, religious studies, and theology, it is unified by the way in which many of the authors engage in sustained critical examination of one anothers positions. Christianity teaches that god is allloving and allpowerful, and yet he chose to reveal his saving truth by way of a human sacrifice in a remote corner of the roman empire 2000 years ago, and will forever torture everyone who hasnt heard of this or can. The challenge of relativism and moral diversity to soldiering.