How many of kumara in the kete? How many kinds of kumara in the kete? Living with Religious Diversity Douglas Pratt New Zealand Associate UNESCO Chair in Interreligious and Intercultural Relations Asia – Pacific

Comprehending Religious Diversity: Plurality vs. Pluralism Religious Plurality – what is it? Religious Plurality – what is it? Religious Pluralism – what is it? Religious Pluralism – what is it?

Responding to Religious Diversity Rejection=Exclusivism Rejection=Exclusivism Incorporation=Inclusivism Incorporation=Inclusivism Plurality Affirmation=Pluralism Plurality Affirmation=Pluralism

Exclusivism – Paradigms of Rejection The material identification of a particular religion (or form of that religion) with the essence and substance of true universal religion as such The material identification of a particular religion (or form of that religion) with the essence and substance of true universal religion as such ‘Only Right One’ ‘Only Right One’

Classical Christian Exclusivism: Salvific-eschatological exclusivism Salvific-eschatological exclusivism Militant & triumphant… Militant & triumphant… Only one way to God… Only one way to God… Extra ecclesiam nulla salus Extra ecclesiam nulla salus Eternal damnation without gospel salvation Eternal damnation without gospel salvation

Exclusivism - Three contemporary variants Open – contextual-relativist Open – contextual-relativist Closed – withdrawn; dismissive Closed – withdrawn; dismissive Extreme – hard-line rejectionist Extreme – hard-line rejectionist

Inclusivism Paradigms of Incorporation The effective identity of a particular religion with the universal, with some allowance made for others The effective identity of a particular religion with the universal, with some allowance made for others Only Fully Right One Only Fully Right One

Inclusivism Contemporary Variants Gatekeeper – Guardian Gatekeeper – Guardian Imperialist – Paternalist Imperialist – Paternalist Incognito – Participatory Incognito – Participatory

Pluralism – Paradigms of Diversity Affirmation Multiplicity of particular expressions of that which is deemed to be universal Multiplicity of particular expressions of that which is deemed to be universal Issues: Issues: Value Equivalence? Value Equivalence? Relativist Reduction? Relativist Reduction? Indifferent Alternatives? Indifferent Alternatives? Commitment Neutral? Commitment Neutral?

Standard Pluralism (John Hick) Common Ground Pluralism = Common Ground Pluralism = Contextualised Variable Expressions of/from a Universal Source Contextualised Variable Expressions of/from a Universal Source Common Goal Pluralism = Common Goal Pluralism = Variety of Salvific Paths leading, or drawn to, the Universal Goal Variety of Salvific Paths leading, or drawn to, the Universal Goal

Radical Pluralism Irreconcilable Differentiation of Religious Identities (John Cobb) Irreconcilable Differentiation of Religious Identities (John Cobb) Relative value equivalence of distinctive religious ends / goals (Mark Heim) Relative value equivalence of distinctive religious ends / goals (Mark Heim)

Interdependent Pluralism (Various) Complementarity Holistic Pluralism = Complementarity Holistic Pluralism = Complementary Particular Expressions which Together Comprise the Universal Whole Complementary Particular Expressions which Together Comprise the Universal Whole Dynamic Parallel Pluralism = Dynamic Parallel Pluralism = Parallelism of religious phenomena Parallelism of religious phenomena

Ethical Pluralism (Hans Küng) Future of humanity requires global ethic and universal action Future of humanity requires global ethic and universal action Meaning - Meaning - ‘No world peace without peace between the religions’ ‘No world peace without peace between the religions’ ‘No peace between the religions without dialogue between the religions’ ‘No peace between the religions without dialogue between the religions’

Toward a Comprehensive Integrated Pluralism? Commitment and Identity … Commitment and Identity … Critical Openness … Critical Openness … New Meta-narrative … New Meta-narrative … Philosophy of the Religious Other … Philosophy of the Religious Other …

Conclusion From Exclusivism to Inclusivism to Pluralism Religious Diversity = an imperative to inter- faith engagement Religious Diversity = an imperative to inter- faith engagement

Conclusion Modalities of inter-faith engagement: Dialogue of life Dialogue of life Dialogue of action Dialogue of action Dialogue of experience Dialogue of experience Dialogue of discourse Dialogue of discourse