Religious pluralism and dialogue

Abstract

There are two basic ways of understanding religious diversity: pluralism and exclusivism. According to the first, all religions are equally valid ways of approaching god, while the second holds that there is only one way of getting to know god; namely, through religious truth and salvation. This paper analyzes these two ways of understanding religious diversity in order to understand what conceptions of disagreement and dialogue can be inferred from each one. I argue that any dialogue on substantive issues is likely to be unsuccessful if it seeks to end disagreement over such issues, but that dialogue may fulfill other functions (social, getting to know one another, etc.). Finally, I maintain that the most fruitful dialogue could be one that concerns the conditions of the possibility of interreligious dialogue itself, particularly those that have to do with toleration and political secularism.