religious pluralism and society Flashcards
what is a multi faith society
- a society of different cultures, race, religious beliefs etc
- this has happened as a result of eduction, technology, immigration, globalisation, trade etc
how have Christians responses to a multi faith society
- they can learn about other religions but a problem of this is conflicting ideas. E.g. Christians think that Jesus is the son of God whereas Muslims think Jesus is a prophet
- missionary work
- makes us more accepting of marginalised groups - following the role of Jesus. E.g. the Good Samaritan
what issues are raised by this topic ?
- should Christians seek to convert those of other faiths
- should Christians try to convert those of no faith
what is inter-faith dialogue ?
- a formal conversation between different religious groups on matters on belief and actions. Organised by authority members
- or, people of different religious beliefs coming together to develop a deeper understanding of each other’s faith
what is social cohesion
when there is a strong sense of belonging and feeling valued with common aims to promote a peaceful society
according to Redemptoris Missio, how should Christians response to multi faith society ?
- ‘be open to understanding those of other party without presence of close mindedness’
- ‘dialogue leads to inner purification and conversion ‘
- ‘followers of other religions can receive gods grace and be saved by Christ ‘
what main ideas are in Redemptoris missio
- missionary work
- within all religions there is a truth. Should respect all religions
- supports communication with other faiths
- each side can learn from each other, makes religions stronger
- everyone should be involved in inter faith dialogue
- ultimately wants to convert people to Christianity
explain the ideas of the uniqueness of Jesus from Sharing the Gospel of Salvation
- the divine word and reason we’re incarnate in Jesus . Those who wanted to have knowledge of this needed to live as disciples of Christ
- all humans could have access to some knowledge of God through the universe presence of gods word.
- Jesus is unique as needed for salvation
according to Sharing the Gospel of Salvation , how should a Christian live act and share the gospel ?
- missionary acts
- act in a way that Jesus did. His morals and love are the ultimate example of how a Christian should act. E.g. Jesus mixed with sinners and people of the land so Christians should also interact with different types of people
- Archbishop of Canterbury said ‘ Walk in and welcome’ . Christians should encourage people to come to church
- to be loving and ethical in the way Christians evangelise
- ‘always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope you have . But do this will gentleness and respect’ 1 Peter
from Sharing the Gospel of Salvation, explain how Christians should have dialogue with other religions
- to work together for the common good - not undermining other religions
- The Church of England seeks to have good relations with other faiths
- doesn’t want conflicts. All people can come to faith in Jesus
- 4 types of dialogue : the dialogue of daily life, the dialogue of the common good, the dialogue of mutual understanding and the dialogue of spirt ulna life ( encountering with each other at prayer and worship )
real life examples of dialogue with other religions
- Birmingham City Councils’ ‘seedlings project’ - a multi faith play school run to encourage children to accept other religions
- Building Bridges Burnley was founded in the year following the 2001 riots. The group runs regular inter faith events including shared meals which includes over 400 people attending
quote from Sharing the Gospel of Salvation
Christians should be ‘motivated by a holistic concern for the wellbeing of the other and the wider community rather than by a personalised desire for the conversion of the other ‘
define scriptural reasoning
a tool for inter faith dialogue where people of different religions come together to read and reflect on their scriptures
explain the process of scriptural reasoning
- it isn’t about seeking agreement but rather exploring the texts and their positive interpretations across faiths
- participants identify a theme. Each faith selects a passage from their scripture and reads them aloud so participants can discuss the passages one at a time
- you can’t come into the discussion saying ‘you’re wrong’ as you’ll just be asked to leave the group
- you can’t say ‘Christians believe this…’ because this is a broad statement. Instead you must say ‘ I think this means…’
- promotes social cohesion
what are the three aims of scriptural reasoning as suggest by David Ford
wisdom = discussion and dispute about interpretations on each religion, seeking knowledge and wisdom
collegiality = shared and equal treatment of each interpretation
Hospitality = no value judgments are made. Openness to all
