Religious pluralism and the challenge of relativism

Abstract

This article deals with the various challenges of relativism when engaging with the reality of religious diversity in teaching and research. The richness of the teachings and practices of various religious traditions, combined with an acute awareness of the contingency of one’s own religious identity have made it more than ever difficult to argue for the importance or relevance of commitment to a particular religious tradition. I argue that an open and honest engagement with other religious traditions from a confessional perspective offers the most promising alternative to either a classical theological engagement with the resources of only one religious tradition on the one hand, or a neutral comparison of religions on the other. The field of comparative theology offers such middle ground which allows for a genuine openness toward other religious traditions while remaining grounded in the normative teachings of a particular religion. This field offers new approaches to both teaching and research in the area of religious diversity.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 This lecture was delivered at the occasion of the reception of the degree of Doctor Honoris Causa at the University of Oslo on September 2, 2022.

2 Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, “Dominus Iesus,” 4.

3 Baghramian, “Brief History of Relativism,” 35.

4 Krausz, “Mapping Relativisms,” 13.

5 Cobb, Transforming Christianity, 111.

6 Krausz, “Mapping Relativisms,” 22.

7 Ibid., 20.

8 Byrne, Prolegomena to Religious Pluralism, 110.

9 Hunter, “Fundamentalism and Relativism together,” 25. The Heretical Imperative, 19.

10 Joseph Ratzinger, “Homily,” 453.

11 Halik, Touch the Wounds, 15.

12 Newbigin, “Religion for the Marketplace,” 135.

13 Geertz, in his anti-relativism adds to this Machiavellianism, ethical idiocy, and esthetic blindness.

14 Cornille, Meaning and Method, 25–30.

15 Wildman, “Theology Without Walls,” 247.

16 It has organized panels at the AAR since 2014.

17 Martin, “Theology Without Walls,” 1.

18 Song, “Introduction,” 6.