religion or belief. He switches to the term transcategorial, points out historical versions of this thesis, and urges that the Real simply is not in the domain of entities to which concepts like personal and non-personal apply. 1933) and English convert to Islam, Martin Lings (1909-2005) who was a biographer of Muhammad. But it is very rare for a scholar to go beyond merely assuming or asserting some sort of causal connection between the various theories about religious diversity and the above virtues and vices. 3 There are many ethnic groups in the United States, due in large part to its immigrant population; each of these groups contributes to America's cultural heritage. From African Americans to Russian Americans . Religious Diversity - World Atlas of Global Issues - Sciences Po Religion and religion diversity are expressed by believers to cause strong opinions and emotions in all environments. (Burton 2010). Although you may be nervous about broaching the subject, it is important to discuss religious diversity so . The context of this statement was not a discussion of the fate of non-Christians, but rather a political struggle between the pope and the king of France. While this is compatible with some religion being the best in some other respect(s), the theorists using this label have in mind that many religions are equal regarding the central value(s) of religion. Hick doesnt argue for the salvific or cure-delivering equality of all religions. It is far from clear that Heim is correct that this stance will be consistent with the claims of the home religion. This diversity is increasing, even in communities that have previously been relatively homogeneous. (Dupuis 2001, 127-9) Whether these non-Catholics are thought to be in the church by a non-standard means, or whether they are said to be not in the church in reality but only in desire, it was held that they were saved by Gods grace. All Christians believe that some were saved before Christianity, through Judaism. Buddhism has long been very doctrinally diverse, and many schools of Buddhism argue that theirs is the truest teaching or the best practice, while other versions of the dharma are less true or less conducive to getting the cure, and have now been superseded. The tradition now called Hinduism is and always has been very internally diverse. What Exactly is Meant by "Religious Diversity"? In contrast, exclusivist approaches say that only one religion is uniquely valuable. Religion Diversity in the Workplace In today's workplace, there are many rules and regulations to ensure the wellbeing of the employee. Religious Diversity and Change in American Social Networks: How Our Religion and Sexual Behaviors: Understanding the Influence of Islamic A typical Rabbinic view is that although non-Jews may be reconciled to God, and thus gain life in the world to come, by keeping a lesser covenant which God has made with them, still Jews enjoy a better covenant with God. Later theologians added a baptism of desire, which was either a desire to be baptized or the inclination to form such a desire, either way enough to secure saving membership in the church. Exclusivism, Pluralism, and Anarchy.. marriage and civil partnership. A vast diversity of religious and spiritual traditions exists, and your clients may be affiliated with any of them. "Exploring the Impact of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion - LinkedIn The Characteristics of Religious Education Teachers and Respecting The 7 Main Characteristics of Religion | Life Persona No Wasted Journey: A Theological Autobiography., Stenmark, Mikael. Religious Diversity, Theories of | Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Mawson 2005), Historically, Buddhist thought about other religions has almost never been pluralistic. Of adult Americans, 89% believe in God, down slightly from 2007. All such religious mystics really perceive a personal, supreme God, understood panentheistically, as being in the cosmos, akin to how a soul is in a body. The Many Gods of Hick and Mavrodes,, Hick, John. Although many traditional Protestant Christians hold some form of exclusivism, others favor an inclusivism much like Rahners. This seems incompatible with Heims agnosticism about which, if any, of the diagnosed problems is the fundamental one. Letters by Pius XII (r. 1939-58) declared that a by an unconscious desire and longing non-Catholics may enjoy a saving relationship with the church. OConnor, Timothy. Legenhausen, Hajj Muhammad [Gary Carl]. They hypothesize that some religious mystics really do perceive (without using ordinary sense organs) some ultimate (that is, something regarded as ultimate). Characteristically Religious Feelings Awe, a sense of mystery, a sense of guilt, and adoration are "religious feelings" which tend to be aroused in religious believers when they come in the presence of sacred objects, in sacred places, and during the practice of sacred rituals. Such theologians, prominently Hans Kng (b. We should respect freedom of religion by rejecting the kinds of false and damaging claims that are sometimes made about religion, especially Islam. (Prothero 2010). (Yandell 2013), Again, it has been objected that Hick, contrary to many religions, downgrades religious practice and belief as inessential to a religion, the only important features of a religion being that it is a response to the Ultimate Reality and that it fosters the ethical transformation noted above. Another way in which pluralism can be naive is the common assumption that absolutely all religions are good in significant ways, for example, by improving their adherents lives, facilitating interaction with God, or leading to eternal salvation. What values are at issue? The Religious Diversity Index is divided into four ranges: very high (the top 5% of scores), high (the next highest 15% of scores, which works out to 16% because of tie scores), moderate (the next 20% of scores) and low (the bottom 59% of scores). It is more real than all that comes from it. 1939), have formulated various pluralist theories. An informed Christian must concede that Jews and Muslims too believe this, and that they teach it as a central doctrine. Nineteenth century popes condemned Enlightenment-inspired theories of religion pluralism about truth and salvation, then called indifferentism, it being, allegedly, indifferent which major religion one chose, since all were of equal value. Diversity Guide - Religion and Belief - Equality and Diversity Local variations in Protestant practices and ethnic differences among the white settlers did foster a religious diversity. Recent Islamic thinkers have independently come to conclusions parallel to those of Rahner, while critiquing various pluralist theories as entailing the sin of unbelief (kufr), the rejection of Islam. While some characteristics of diversity include age, gender, the color of the skin. If the core is veridical experiences, all religions will enable ways to perceive whatever the objects of religious experience are. Many religious claims will be logically incompatible with the accepted diagnosis, and many religious practices will be useless or counter-productive when it comes to getting what one believes to be the cure. Recently called restrictivism, this position insists that explicit knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ is necessary for salvation, and there is no hope for those who die without having heard the gospel. 1950) proposes what he calls a true religious pluralism, which is nonetheless best understood as a version of inclusivism, as it allows its proponent to maintain the superiority of her own religion. (Hick 2000, 2004), As to Hicks idea that the correlation of birthplace and religious belief somehow undermines the rationality of religious belief, it has been pointed out that religious pluralism too is correlated with birthplace. This unified consistency may be hoped for in terms of truth, or in terms of practice. (Sharma 1999, ch. One prominent scholar argues that the neo-Hindu position on religious diversity (that is, modern Hindu pluralism) is not the view that all religions are equal, one, true, or the same. Why Diversity in Religion is Important - SelfGrowth.com This naive pluralism is refuted by accurate information on religious differences. Or what sense would it make for an Orthodox Jew, whose religion teaches him to be fruitful and multiply, to employ the Buddhist practice of viewing corpses at a burial ground so as to expunge the unwanted liability of sexual desire? While elements within it have been sectarian and exclusivistic, modern Hindu thought is usually pluralistic. The following are the characteristics of diversity: Linguistic Diversity Regional Diversity Religious Diversity Linguistic Diversity Later on, Hick firmly settled on the view that this Real should be thought of as ineffable. One goes so far as to say that the Holy Spirit offers to all [humans] the possibility of being associated, in a way known to God, with the Paschal Mystery [that is, the saving death and resurrection of Jesus]. (Gaudium et Spes 22, quoted in Dupuis 2001, 162) Some Catholic theologians see the groundwork or beginning in these documents for an inclusivist theory, on which other religions have saving value. For example, all non-Christians go to hell, or all non-Buddhists fail to gain Nirvana, or to make progress towards it. In Mahayana Buddhism, the ultimate reality, a formless but active non-thing, is Emptiness, or the Truth Body (Dharmakaya). Diversity definition: what do we mean by diversity in the workplace? (Sharma 1979) But if there is no one clear modern Hindu pluralism, it remains that various modern Indian thinkers have held to versions of core or identist pluralism. A theory of religious pluralism says that all religions of some kind are the same in some valuable respect(s). (Legenhausen 2009), The term religious pluralism is almost always used for a theory asserting positive value for many or most religions. Some have urged that it be replaced by the more neutral terms particularism or restrictivism. (Netland 2001, 46; Krkkinen 2003, 80-1) This article retains the common term because it is widespread and many have adopted the label for their own theory of religious diversity. We could loosely paraphrase Hicks view as being that all religions are false, not that all their teachings are false (for there is much ethical and practical agreement among them), but rather that their core claims about the main object of religious experience and pursuit equally contain falsehoods. It is a mistake, Abe holds, to regard any god as ultimate, and monotheists must revise their understanding as above, if true inter-religious dialogue and peace are to be achievable. (Netland 2001), Others object that Hicks pluralism requires arbitrarily reinterpreting religious language non-literally, and usually as having to do with morality, contrary to what most proponents of those religions believe. RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY. Carefully worked out theories of religious pluralism often sound all-inclusive. So too at least some other religions must still be means for salvation, though not necessarily to the same degree, for God wills the salvation of all humankind. The traditional Islamic perspective is that while in one sense Islam was initiated by Muhammad (570-632 CE), Islam in the sense of submission to God was taught by all prior prophets, and so their followers were truly Muslims, that is, truly submitted to God. All religions are equal? Legenhausen, Hajj Muhammad [Gary Carl] Why I am not a Traditionalist. 2002. Water baptism, from the beginning, had been the initiation rite into Christianity, but it was still unclear what church membership strictly required. Race Race is a protected characteristic that refers to an individual's race, colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins. Judaism and Other Faiths., Datta, Narendra [Swami Vivekananda]. Nor can he be fruitful and multiply while living as a celibate Buddhist monk. (Smart 1996) Religious traditions differ along all these dimensions. On this view, all the religions are right to the same degree, that is, all versions of monotheism (or perhaps, ethical monotheisms, or Abrahamic monotheisms). Attending a culturally diverse institute of education will prepare students for their future in a workplace. 2013, 333-40) Theologically liberal Protestants most often hold on to some form of religious pluralism. Hicks claim that no human concept applies to the Ultimate Reality has been criticized by many, whove pointed out that Hick applies these concepts to it: being one, being ultimate, being a partial cause of the impersonae and personae, and being ineffable. Such an outlook is commonly perceived as meaningless, hopeless, and devoid of value.