Pluralism and Peace - The Religions in Global Civil Society
John D'Arcy May
This headline goes to the heart of religiously fuelled conflict. At a time when democracies are under pressure and authoritarian regimes are on the rise, the world’s religions find themselves challenged in new and unfamiliar ways, with opportunities to co-operate in new ways.
This book considers the half-century of debate about interreligious dialogue and pluralism in this new context. Are the religions with their exclusive beliefs part of the problem, or are they able to contribute – together – to maintaining human rights, overcoming economic inequality and
The book examines these issues using case studies from the Asia-Pacific, showing how the ‘great’ traditions of Buddhism, Christianity and Islam and the ‘little’ traditions of the Pacific Islands – including Australia – interact with very different social and political situations, and with one another. It attempts to advance the new field of comparative theology to become a form of collaborative theology, jointly elaborated by the religions themselves. It interrogates pluralism – political and religious – as a potential for peace.