Pluralism is a concept that recognizes and respects the diversity of beliefs, values, and practices across different religions. Despite the vast array of doctrines and rituals, several commonalities underscore the essence of pluralism in religion. These commonalities include the emphasis on ethical living, the pursuit of transcendence, the importance of community, and the quest for understanding and tolerance.
I was born in Old Delhi, one of the most religiously pluralistic places in the world. As a child, I was exposed to the living traditions of many religions. In our family temple, we had the picture of Prophets from all religions, along with a copy of the Holy Quran. My dad would read from various scriptures and say that God has incarnated as Krishna, Christ, Mohammed, Buddha, and so on. He would quote the Rig Veda (1.64.46): “Ekam sat vipra bahuda vadanti” (truth is one, but called differently by many). I am a child of religious pluralism and have valued it throughout my life.
Pluralism fosters interfaith dialogue and understanding. By engaging with different faiths, traditions can learn from each other’s practices and philosophies. This exchange can enrich individual spiritual journeys and promote peaceful coexistence in a religiously diverse world. Buddhist teachings on compassion and mindfulness, for instance, can inform Christian practices of charity and forgiveness.
A cornerstone of pluralism is the respect for the inherent dignity of all people, regardless of their religious affiliation. The Quran, the holy book of Islam, emphasizes treating others with kindness, even those who differ in faith. Likewise, the concept of ahimsa (non-violence) in Hinduism extends to respecting the beliefs and practices of others.
Diversity is a necessary and beautiful part of all biological life. Evolution depends on and is driven by variations preserved through natural selection. Populations and communities of animals with diverse gene pools last only a short time because organisms are more well-suited for survival if they have a mix of genes that perform different functions; this is why inbreeding results in so many health problems for offspring. Human society functions similarly: a society composed entirely of farmers or entirely of lawyers or any other single profession would not last long because many key features of society would be missing. All human progress—scientific, social, and otherwise—has come through the cooperation between diverse individuals.
Religious pluralism has its challenges. Doctrinal differences and historical conflicts can create tension. However, religious communities can navigate these challenges and build bridges of understanding by focusing on the commonalities of seeking the divine, living ethically, and treating others with respect. In an increasingly interconnected world, religious pluralism offers a path towards a more inclusive and harmonious future.
We should see diversity not as a source of conflict and division but as an expression of human love, with its diverse manifestations in temples, churches, and universities (our greatest temples of human knowledge) worldwide.
This expression of love is where religion’s actual value is gleaned. Of course, we are all unique, but in a complementary rather than a competitive way. If we all respected and embraced plurality and one another’s differences, humanity could realise its collective potential.
Christianity
“In our time, when day by day mankind is being drawn closer together, and the ties between different peoples are becoming stronger, the Church examines more closely her relationship to non-Christian religions […] The Catholic Church rejects nothing that is true and holy in these religions. She regards with sincere reverence those ways of conduct and of life, those precepts and teachings which, though differing in many aspects from the ones she holds and sets forth, nonetheless often reflect a ray of that Truth which enlightens all.”
– Pope Paul VI
Islam
“Therefore, be completely and utterly receptive to all doctrinal forms, for God, Most High, is too All-embracing and Great to be confined within one creed rather than another, for He has said, Wheresoever you turn, there is the face of God, without mentioning any particular direction.”
– Ibn Al ‘Arabi, Muslim scholar and mystic
Judaism
“‘And all the host of them’ (Gen. 2 : 1 ). Even those creatures that you may look upon as superfluous in the world, such as flies, fleas, or gnats—they too are part of the entirety of creation. The Holy One effects His purpose through all creatures, even through a frog or a flea.”
– Sefer Ha-Aggadah, collection of Jewish writings
Baha’i
“Unity in diversity stands in contrast to uniformity. It cherishes the natural diversity of temperament and talents among individuals as well as humanity’s variegated experiences, cultures and viewpoints, inasmuch as they contribute to the human family’s progress and well-being. Much like the role played by the gene pool in the biological life of humankind and its environment, the immense wealth of cultural diversity achieved over thousands of years is vital to the development of the human race which is experiencing its collective coming-of-age.”
– Bahá’í International Community
Hinduism
“The seed is put in the ground, and earth and air and water are placed around it. Does the seed become the earth, or the air, or the water? No. It becomes a plant, it develops after the law of its own growth, assimilates the air, the earth and the water, converts them into plant substance, and grows into a plant. Similar is the case with religion. The Christian is not to become a Hindu or a Buddhist, nor a Hindu or a Buddhist to become a Christian. But each must assimilate the spirit of the others and yet preserve his individuality and grow according to his own law of growth.”
– Swami Vivekananda, Hindu monk and philosopher
Buddhism
“Concord is meritorious, (i.e.) that [different religions] should both hear and obey each other’s morals. For this is the desire of Devanampriya, (viz.) that all sects should be both full of learning and pure in doctrine.”
– Ashoka, Indian emperor and promoter of Buddhism
Daoism
“All things have their place in the universe, whether it is active or passive, moving or not moving. They fulfil their function in the world simply by being what they are. Everything plays a part in the process of creating, nourishing, transforming, and destroying.”
– Lieh-tzu, Daoist text
Sikhism
“There is no Hindu, there is no Muslim”
– Guru Nanak, Sikh prophet
Modern Psychology and Theology
“We should feel enlarged by the people who are different.”
– Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, Jewish philosopher and theologian
