Pluralism/ Society Flashcards
Derrida
Supports inter faith dialogue
Allows us to see how there are multiple interpretations of the world
Allow a deeper understanding of ones belief
Calls this open ended view of the world ‘Difference’
When the ‘other’ as difference is applied to the world dialogue becomes a creative process of mutual understanding
Redempto missio - convenrsion
1)Conversion
Pope John Paul II points out that in modern times the purpose and validity of conversion is increasingly ignored, questioned or seen negatively as “proselytizing”.
- Today, mission is increasingly reduced to helping people build communities of justice, freedom & peace
-Lesser focus on conversion in the world – seen as diseprectful to aim to convert
argues that religious freedom includes the freedom to try and convert others, so long as it is done respectfully and without coercion.
2nd vatican council - “no one should be forced to act against his conscience in religious matters, nor prevented from acting according to his conscience,
Redempto Missio - Inclusivsim
2) inclusvism
He is exclusivist about the truth of Christianity, but inclusivist in that he regards other religions as containing some of the Christian God’s revelation. This means there is Christian truth in other religions, though mixed with error. He quotes Paul VI’s explanation from a Vatican 2 address, that despite having value, other religions still contain ‘gaps, insufficiencies and errors’.
Since that truth was put there by the Christian God, this open-minded dialogue is compatible with maintaining the exclusively full truth of Christianity and attempting to convert others.
John Paul II concludes that inter-faith dialogue does not oppose the mission of conversion but is actually a part of it:
“Inter-religious dialogue is a part of the Church’s evangelizing mission … and is one of its expressions.” – Pope John Paul II.
Ford - scriptual reasoning
Is “postliberal” meaning it attempts to avoid the problems of both liberalism and fundamentalism.
Liberalism tries to bring different views together on a neutral-ground which bans intolerant or exclusivist elements of their ideologies, to enable seeing each other as equal.
The problem with liberalism is that it suppresses the exclusivist parts of faith,
This increasingly annihilates the tradition of the different groups it seeks to bring together
Scriptual reasoning aims
The aims:
*To listen to each other, Ask questions
*Discuss more deeply the different ways that apparently similar beliefs are understood in their own context.
*Be open and honest, Be respectful in disagreements
*Not be used as a context for missionary work
Fords 3 main aims
wisdom: members of the group are committed to a common quest for knowledge and wisdom, which will involve discussion and dispute.
collegiality: reading text is a shared enterprise, interpretations are presented and discussed equally in the groups.
hospitality: texts are read and interpreted without value judgements. there must be a spirit of openness and allow for views and opinions to be expressed and exchanged.
- logical to look to shared problems or theological ideas, like how to deal with fundamentalism, effectiveness of prayer, purpose of worship, dealing with secularism, peace, music, women and equality. the result is not a global theology but an ‘exchange of blessings;
Ratzinger
secular liberal culture had begun to view exclusivist belief in Jesus as a threat to tolerance and freedom.
“affirming that there is a binding and valid truth in history in the figure of Jesus Christ … is described as fundamentalism … as the fundamental threat emerging against … tolerance and freedom.” – Ratzinger
Micheal Barnes
Interfaith dialogue can be threatening to believers
Forces one to question teachings of the church’s past and present
Must have vision commited to ‘mediation and building bridges’
-Dangerous as Christian truth becomes relativized
Must draw a line between absolute truths and room for discussion
Paul Eddy
*In 2006 Paul Eddy (member of Church of England) put a question to the Synod of the Church of England asking them for clear guidance on whether or not Christians should convert others.
*He felt that Christians had become too fearful to offend, no longer proclaiming that Jesus was the way to salvation, instead keeping quiet.
*Eddy argued that a statement should be released claiming that salvation can only be found in Jesus.
a strategic, highly-politicised marginalisation of Christianity in the publica arena.” – Paul Eddy
‘Sharing the Gospel of Salvation’ (2010)
*This document reaffirmed the Christian message that God’s plan for salvation of the world comes uniquely through Jesus. This included living as a Christian disciple and sharing the faith with others.
Should hope that others come to faith and are also baptized
Should be proud Christian communities – not to ‘prop up ther social institutions’
Must look to common good of society not self-interested ideas
Should share what is good not aim to sell faith
‘Proclamation is not the same as selling a product as the marketplace’
4 main clarification
the dialogue of daily life – doorstep or checkout
the dialogue of common good – tasks for the community
the dialogue of mutual understanding – formal structures like the Sripitual reasoning
the dialogue of spiritual life – prayer and worship
Christopher Hitchens
Anti-theist Christopher Hitchens -
Relativistic social pressure on traditional Christians is justified because exclusivist attitudes often cause social problems.
Hitchens claims that ‘domesticating’ religion is essential for social cohesion. Religion’s traditional approach to conversion and dialogue deserves social pressure because its intolerance leads to social issues.
– Eddys exclusivism confuses criticism with marginilsation
In modern society people are free to view you intolerant
Eddy fails to accept free speech is not synonymous to marginalization
Eval on Scriptual reasoning
Response; A free society allows conversion & social pressure has unintended consequences. People should have the right to believe what they want, including exclusivism, without being pressured into relativism.
Evaluation;
Sacrificing liberal values for the sake of avoiding offending conservative Christians is a slippery slope back to theocrasy.
Must accept exclusivist view is subjective opinion
Exclusivism forms a totalitarian mindset which wants to control others and cannot accept the equality that comes from freedom.
‘ [religion] isn’t just a private belief. It is rather, and I think always has been … a threat to the idea of a peaceable community.” – Hitchens.
Wl craig
defense of the conservative approach to interfaith dialogue
Exclusivist approach can be compatible with interfaith dialogue
Theological pluralism caused by social pressures of diversity, relativism and post modernism
“Thus, we are led to the paradoxical result that in the name of religious diversity traditional Christianity is de-legitimated and marginalized.” – Craig.
Alan Bloom
Alan Bloom – opposes basis ‘relativism is necessary to openness’
Religious diversity forces openness of relativism
Incompatible with objective truth of Christianity
True religious diversity has to include traditional exclusivism, cannot deny freedoom to be exclusivist
Toleration and humility are sufficient to ensure cohesion
Paul Knitter
Liberationist pluralism criticizes craig
Tolerance isn’t enough for cohesion, only pluralism is sufficient
Puralism is actually essential for a cohesive multireligious society.
the true core in all religions is commitment to peace and justice.
Link between exclusivism and violence eg) Exclusivism has helped to justify western imperialism and colonialism.
Must radically interpret traditional exclusivist views
Need “axial shift” – a fundamental change in the nature of what religion is.
parallel between religious harmony and racial harmony.
“Christian supremacy is just as dangerous as white supremacy”. – Knitter.
