Pluralism

Pluralism - a critical concept in a world where communication is increasing awareness and awareness is changing the religious landscape . . . but what is pluralism?

It is a concept we will be visiting frequently over the coming months. To get your thinking started, here is a portion of the definition found in the American Heritage Dictionary:

1. A condition in which numerous distinct ethnic, religious, or cultural groups are present and tolerated within a society.
2. The belief that such a condition is desirable or socially beneficial.
3. The doctrine that reality is composed of many ultimate substances.
4. The belief that no single explanatory system or view of reality can account for all the phenomena of life.

To our knowledge, there is no better source of information on the subject of pluralism in the United States than the Pluralism Project at Harvard University - they have been studying changes in America's religious landscape since 1991 - their site is an outstanding gathering place for information.

We will be returning to the subject of pluralism again and again. In the meantime, I encourage you to visit the Harvard site.