Religious Pluralism
-- Martin E. Marty
"Pluralism" is a word with plural meanings. In America it
refers mainly to the way citizens live with a polity and with practices that recognize
diversity and assure civil peace in the face of it. However, in theology
in recent years there is also a different, international movement, which finds
significant support and impetus in the United States. These American
"theological pluralists" jetted to Birmingham, England in September
to compare notes with Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, and others.
John L. Allen Jr. reports on their conclave in the National Catholic Reporter (September
19). He defines their belligerent-sounding intent to be
"smashing what these thinkers regard as the 'idol' of claims to
superiority by one religion over others." Birmingham's John Hick,
who taught for decades in the United States, is the grand old man of the
movement; Allen mentions Paul Knitter of Xavier and Roger Haight, S.J. and
Chester Gillis of Georgetown as American Catholic leaders.
Needless to say, the orthodox theologians in all these traditions are nervous,
at best, and outraged at worst, since pluralist theology would undercut all
claims that a faith, e.g., the Christian, is not only a distinctive, but an
exclusive way to God. Pluralism, according to Allen, says that "all
the world's great religions are valid paths of salvation." It
contrasts itself both to "exclusivism" and even
"inclusivism," the view that only one religion saves and followers of
others can be included." (Post Vatican II Catholicism takes a
measured and guarded inclusivist position.)
Questions raised at Birmingham: "Is it important to persuade religious
institutions of the pluralist views, or it better to make the case from the
outside, assuming that institutions will catch up?" "Are the
pluralists on a frontier where the mainstream will eventually arrive, or is
pluralism destined to remain on the margins?" "How far is too
far?" Do pluralists want "dialogue" or do they want to
"evangelize" people into pluralist views?
Catholic backlash was apparent in Dominus
Iesus, a Vatican document of 2000, which warned against relativism
in a "gravely deficient situation." Critics fear that
relativism, skepticism about objective truth, and a rejection of some basic
creedal features of Christian faith will follow. Paul Knitter responds:
"pluralists accept universal but not absolute truth -- a doctrine can be
true for all, but it cannot be the only truth."
Hick thinks the pluralist view will win; that cultural and religious evolution
are on its side. Haight, however, says he has no expectation that pluralism
could become official Catholicism. He would "carve out space for it
to be accepted as an orthodox Catholic view, even if it's a
minority." A Jewish participant, Rabbi Michael Kogan, wrestled thus:
"I believe God chose the Jewish people. But who said God can only
make one choice?"
This column, necessarily brief and sketchy, cannot begin to begin to resolve
the pluralist-anti-pluralist debate. But we can say that it does not take
a telescope to sight it: it is becoming one of the most controverted and public
themes among world religions, especially where they interact.
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Sightings comes from the Martin Marty Center at the
University of Chicago Divinity School.
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