Jeff Spinner‐Halev
- Published in print:
- 2000
- Published Online:
- October 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780198297703
- eISBN:
- 9780191602948
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/019829770X.003.0003
- Subject:
- Political Science, Political Theory
Arguments are presented for extending diversity in education, with specific reference to the issue of religion, and taking the example of the USA. The arguments advanced also work for other liberal ...
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Arguments are presented for extending diversity in education, with specific reference to the issue of religion, and taking the example of the USA. The arguments advanced also work for other liberal democracies that include immigrant societies and at least several religions, although they do not where religious identity is tied to national identities. The case is argued for religiously diverse public schools, and the growth and importance of the many parochial schools in the USA is acknowledged. The question of financing parochial schools is addressed. Three ways are discussed as a means of extending diversity: cooperation between public and parochial schools (but without direct funding of parochial schools); the achievement of multiculturalism in public schools by fairly including religious students and perspectives; and the accommodation of religious beliefs in public schools by such means as offering alternative assignments.Less
Arguments are presented for extending diversity in education, with specific reference to the issue of religion, and taking the example of the USA. The arguments advanced also work for other liberal democracies that include immigrant societies and at least several religions, although they do not where religious identity is tied to national identities. The case is argued for religiously diverse public schools, and the growth and importance of the many parochial schools in the USA is acknowledged. The question of financing parochial schools is addressed. Three ways are discussed as a means of extending diversity: cooperation between public and parochial schools (but without direct funding of parochial schools); the achievement of multiculturalism in public schools by fairly including religious students and perspectives; and the accommodation of religious beliefs in public schools by such means as offering alternative assignments.
Robert J. Flanagan
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- September 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780195306002
- eISBN:
- 9780199783564
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195306007.003.0003
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, International
This chapter reveals the influence of economic development, national economic and political institutions, and social diversity on labor conditions. Putting globalization aside, the foremost positive ...
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This chapter reveals the influence of economic development, national economic and political institutions, and social diversity on labor conditions. Putting globalization aside, the foremost positive influence on labor conditions is level of development (a country’s real per capita income). Policies that raise per capita income improve virtually all labor conditions. At any level of development, however, countries still differ in their labor conditions. The chapter shows how democratic government, protection of property rights, and the degree of ethnic and religious diversity influence this remaining international variation in labor conditions.Less
This chapter reveals the influence of economic development, national economic and political institutions, and social diversity on labor conditions. Putting globalization aside, the foremost positive influence on labor conditions is level of development (a country’s real per capita income). Policies that raise per capita income improve virtually all labor conditions. At any level of development, however, countries still differ in their labor conditions. The chapter shows how democratic government, protection of property rights, and the degree of ethnic and religious diversity influence this remaining international variation in labor conditions.
Paul D. Numrich
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- September 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195386219
- eISBN:
- 9780199866731
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195386219.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
Religious diversity in the United States has increased dramatically in recent decades. How are Christians relating to their Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, and other new religious neighbors? Using local ...
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Religious diversity in the United States has increased dramatically in recent decades. How are Christians relating to their Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, and other new religious neighbors? Using local examples, this book covers the gamut of Christian perspectives in a multireligious America, including debate over a new Hindu temple in town, an Episcopal church that has hosted a mosque since 1987, cooperative efforts between African American pastors and Muslim leaders, immigrant Christians seeking to save non-Christian fellow immigrants, evangelicals resettling immigrants and refugees through “friendship evangelism,” Catholics learning about other religions in the spirit of Vatican II, and Greek Orthodox Christians and Turkish Muslims gaining a new appreciation of their shared history. The effects of September 11, 2001, are also discussed from increased dialogue to missionary initiatives. Here Christian theology meets the multireligious real world, with multiple results suggestive of national trends.Less
Religious diversity in the United States has increased dramatically in recent decades. How are Christians relating to their Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, and other new religious neighbors? Using local examples, this book covers the gamut of Christian perspectives in a multireligious America, including debate over a new Hindu temple in town, an Episcopal church that has hosted a mosque since 1987, cooperative efforts between African American pastors and Muslim leaders, immigrant Christians seeking to save non-Christian fellow immigrants, evangelicals resettling immigrants and refugees through “friendship evangelism,” Catholics learning about other religions in the spirit of Vatican II, and Greek Orthodox Christians and Turkish Muslims gaining a new appreciation of their shared history. The effects of September 11, 2001, are also discussed from increased dialogue to missionary initiatives. Here Christian theology meets the multireligious real world, with multiple results suggestive of national trends.
Chris Beneke
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- September 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780195305555
- eISBN:
- 9780199784899
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195305558.003.0003
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
This chapter examines religious discourse in mid-century America, which was characterized by unprecedented ecumenism and surprisingly widespread praise for integration. Beginning in the mid-1740s, ...
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This chapter examines religious discourse in mid-century America, which was characterized by unprecedented ecumenism and surprisingly widespread praise for integration. Beginning in the mid-1740s, religious writers stressed the common principles that Protestants of all denominations shared. During the same period, colonial institutions of many types declared themselves “open to all parties” — by which they usually meant all religious parties. Extended accounts of the Free Mason movement, the legislative assemblies of New York and Philadelphia, and the fight for control of King’s College (Columbia University), demonstrate a growing consciousness of religious diversity and the increasing priority accorded to interdenominational cooperation.Less
This chapter examines religious discourse in mid-century America, which was characterized by unprecedented ecumenism and surprisingly widespread praise for integration. Beginning in the mid-1740s, religious writers stressed the common principles that Protestants of all denominations shared. During the same period, colonial institutions of many types declared themselves “open to all parties” — by which they usually meant all religious parties. Extended accounts of the Free Mason movement, the legislative assemblies of New York and Philadelphia, and the fight for control of King’s College (Columbia University), demonstrate a growing consciousness of religious diversity and the increasing priority accorded to interdenominational cooperation.
Will Kymlicka and Wayne Norman (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2000
- Published Online:
- October 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780198297703
- eISBN:
- 9780191602948
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/019829770X.001.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, Political Theory
Most modern democracies contain significant minority groups whose language, religion, or ethnicity differs from those of the majority. In this book, leading scholars of multicultural issues examine ...
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Most modern democracies contain significant minority groups whose language, religion, or ethnicity differs from those of the majority. In this book, leading scholars of multicultural issues examine questions related to multiculturalism and citizenship, specifically addressing the issue of whether it is possible in multicultural societies to accommodate these forms of diversity without weakening the bonds of common citizenship. The first chapter is introductory. The fourteen that follow are arranged in seven parts, each with two chapters, that address Citizenship Education and Religious Diversity; Political Participation and Group Representation; Immigration, Identity and Multiculturalism; Gender and Ethnic Diversity; Language Rights; The Rights of Indigenous Peoples; and Federalism and Nationalism. Less
Most modern democracies contain significant minority groups whose language, religion, or ethnicity differs from those of the majority. In this book, leading scholars of multicultural issues examine questions related to multiculturalism and citizenship, specifically addressing the issue of whether it is possible in multicultural societies to accommodate these forms of diversity without weakening the bonds of common citizenship. The first chapter is introductory. The fourteen that follow are arranged in seven parts, each with two chapters, that address Citizenship Education and Religious Diversity; Political Participation and Group Representation; Immigration, Identity and Multiculturalism; Gender and Ethnic Diversity; Language Rights; The Rights of Indigenous Peoples; and Federalism and Nationalism.
Mark Chaves
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691146850
- eISBN:
- 9781400839957
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691146850.003.0002
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
This chapter examines America's increasing religious diversity, including the increasing number of people with no religious affiliation. People often talk about religious tolerance, but the cultural ...
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This chapter examines America's increasing religious diversity, including the increasing number of people with no religious affiliation. People often talk about religious tolerance, but the cultural shift accompanying increased religious diversity goes beyond mere tolerance. With some qualifications, the chapter argues that Americans now have a greater appreciation of religion other than their own. Moreover, just as families and friendship circles are more religiously diverse than they once were, religious communities are more ethnically diverse than they were before. Indeed, increasing diversity is not just a distant fact about the society as a whole. Many people directly experience this trend in their everyday lives.Less
This chapter examines America's increasing religious diversity, including the increasing number of people with no religious affiliation. People often talk about religious tolerance, but the cultural shift accompanying increased religious diversity goes beyond mere tolerance. With some qualifications, the chapter argues that Americans now have a greater appreciation of religion other than their own. Moreover, just as families and friendship circles are more religiously diverse than they once were, religious communities are more ethnically diverse than they were before. Indeed, increasing diversity is not just a distant fact about the society as a whole. Many people directly experience this trend in their everyday lives.
Chris Beneke
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- September 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780195305555
- eISBN:
- 9780199784899
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195305558.003.0002
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
This chapter focuses on the disruptive religious revivals of the 1740s and 1750s, known as the First Great Awakening. It explores how the impressive mobility and astonishing popularity of itinerant ...
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This chapter focuses on the disruptive religious revivals of the 1740s and 1750s, known as the First Great Awakening. It explores how the impressive mobility and astonishing popularity of itinerant ministers gave new meaning to the right of private judgment. It also documents the rash of revival-inspired church separations, which broadened the range of religious alternatives and undermined traditional religious authority. The travails of a humble minister named Ebenezer Parkman dramatize the sometimes painful consequences of religious diversity, as well as its liberating possibilities.Less
This chapter focuses on the disruptive religious revivals of the 1740s and 1750s, known as the First Great Awakening. It explores how the impressive mobility and astonishing popularity of itinerant ministers gave new meaning to the right of private judgment. It also documents the rash of revival-inspired church separations, which broadened the range of religious alternatives and undermined traditional religious authority. The travails of a humble minister named Ebenezer Parkman dramatize the sometimes painful consequences of religious diversity, as well as its liberating possibilities.
Robert Wuthnow
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780195307221
- eISBN:
- 9780199785513
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195307221.003.0009
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
This chapter summarizes the most important descriptive results of the Religion and Diversity Survey and offers some conclusions about the distinctive ways in which religious diversity is being ...
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This chapter summarizes the most important descriptive results of the Religion and Diversity Survey and offers some conclusions about the distinctive ways in which religious diversity is being received in the United States, compared with other countries in which Christianity has historically been dominant, notably those in Western Europe. The discussion proceeds as follows: a description of the scope of influence of Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists in the United States; an overview of attitudes toward these groups among the adult population of the United States; an assessment of the extent to which Americans still perceive themselves to be living in a “Christian nation” and the impact of this perception on their attitudes toward non-Christian religions and other minority groups; and a discussion of the tensions within American culture surrounding religious diversity and the implications of these tensions for American democracy.Less
This chapter summarizes the most important descriptive results of the Religion and Diversity Survey and offers some conclusions about the distinctive ways in which religious diversity is being received in the United States, compared with other countries in which Christianity has historically been dominant, notably those in Western Europe. The discussion proceeds as follows: a description of the scope of influence of Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists in the United States; an overview of attitudes toward these groups among the adult population of the United States; an assessment of the extent to which Americans still perceive themselves to be living in a “Christian nation” and the impact of this perception on their attitudes toward non-Christian religions and other minority groups; and a discussion of the tensions within American culture surrounding religious diversity and the implications of these tensions for American democracy.
Mark Chaves and Shawna Anderson
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691133317
- eISBN:
- 9781400845569
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691133317.003.0008
- Subject:
- Sociology, Social Research and Statistics
This chapter describes eight trends evident in the General Social Survey (GSS) between 1972 and 2008: (i) increased religious diversity; (ii) increased affiliation among Protestants with conservative ...
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This chapter describes eight trends evident in the General Social Survey (GSS) between 1972 and 2008: (i) increased religious diversity; (ii) increased affiliation among Protestants with conservative and evangelical denominations; (iii) softening involvement with congregations; (iv) reduced belief in an inerrant Bible; (v) reduced confidence in the leaders of religious organizations; (vi) reduced tolerance of certain kinds of religious involvement in the public sphere; (vii) a tighter connection between religious service attendance and political, social, and religious conservatism; and (viii) the somewhat higher levels of diffusely spiritual attitudes. Some trends are indicated by a single repeated GSS item while others represent interpretations of a set of similarly trending items.Less
This chapter describes eight trends evident in the General Social Survey (GSS) between 1972 and 2008: (i) increased religious diversity; (ii) increased affiliation among Protestants with conservative and evangelical denominations; (iii) softening involvement with congregations; (iv) reduced belief in an inerrant Bible; (v) reduced confidence in the leaders of religious organizations; (vi) reduced tolerance of certain kinds of religious involvement in the public sphere; (vii) a tighter connection between religious service attendance and political, social, and religious conservatism; and (viii) the somewhat higher levels of diffusely spiritual attitudes. Some trends are indicated by a single repeated GSS item while others represent interpretations of a set of similarly trending items.
Diana L. Eck
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780195307221
- eISBN:
- 9780199785513
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195307221.003.0014
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
This chapter discusses religious pluralism in America. Topics covered include religious diversity in America; the difference between pluralism and diversity; theological and civic perspectives of ...
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This chapter discusses religious pluralism in America. Topics covered include religious diversity in America; the difference between pluralism and diversity; theological and civic perspectives of religious pluralism; and Ten Commandments cases. It argues that pluralism is the dynamic process by which we engage with one another in and through our deepest differences. For some, the engagement will be in the religious or theological register; for others it will be in the civic register; for many or most of us, it will be in both.Less
This chapter discusses religious pluralism in America. Topics covered include religious diversity in America; the difference between pluralism and diversity; theological and civic perspectives of religious pluralism; and Ten Commandments cases. It argues that pluralism is the dynamic process by which we engage with one another in and through our deepest differences. For some, the engagement will be in the religious or theological register; for others it will be in the civic register; for many or most of us, it will be in both.
Douglas A Hicks
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195337174
- eISBN:
- 9780199868407
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195337174.003.0006
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
The notion of convivencia, or cultures living alongside one another, arose from scholarship on religious diversity in medieval Spain. This concept can add to a vision of leadership in which diverse ...
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The notion of convivencia, or cultures living alongside one another, arose from scholarship on religious diversity in medieval Spain. This concept can add to a vision of leadership in which diverse groups live in mutual respect. It encourages a public life that is more colorful and even more cacophonous than that in the other visions. It promises a framework for a peaceable democratic society that embraces the rich variety of the U.S. population. Yet the challenge is not simply to create communalism or multiculturalism — if understood as “identity groups” remaining apart from each other — but to forge respectful, mutual interaction when Americans' paths cross in public life. The vision describes leadership as building social crossroads and connectors. It draws on Kwame Anthony Appiah, Howard Gardner, and James MacGregor Burns to offer a vision that views “crossing paths” with religiously diverse people not as a matter of fleeting transactions, but as an opportunity for transforming leadership.Less
The notion of convivencia, or cultures living alongside one another, arose from scholarship on religious diversity in medieval Spain. This concept can add to a vision of leadership in which diverse groups live in mutual respect. It encourages a public life that is more colorful and even more cacophonous than that in the other visions. It promises a framework for a peaceable democratic society that embraces the rich variety of the U.S. population. Yet the challenge is not simply to create communalism or multiculturalism — if understood as “identity groups” remaining apart from each other — but to forge respectful, mutual interaction when Americans' paths cross in public life. The vision describes leadership as building social crossroads and connectors. It draws on Kwame Anthony Appiah, Howard Gardner, and James MacGregor Burns to offer a vision that views “crossing paths” with religiously diverse people not as a matter of fleeting transactions, but as an opportunity for transforming leadership.
Paul D. Numrich
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- September 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195386219
- eISBN:
- 9780199866731
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195386219.003.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
The United States increasingly perceives itself as a multireligious society. The Introduction describes the changing American religious landscape and its implications for local Christians. Two major ...
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The United States increasingly perceives itself as a multireligious society. The Introduction describes the changing American religious landscape and its implications for local Christians. Two major social trends have contributed to this new religious diversity in the United States: increased immigration and interest in “alternative” or “new” religions. Individuals and groups featured in this book have responded to religious diversity in a variety of ways and out of deliberate Christian conviction. Their experiences can prompt readers to act with the same deliberate conviction. The Introduction includes the perspectives of the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions, the Southern Baptist Convention, and the Assemblies of God. The question of religious truth is broached here and recurs throughout the book.Less
The United States increasingly perceives itself as a multireligious society. The Introduction describes the changing American religious landscape and its implications for local Christians. Two major social trends have contributed to this new religious diversity in the United States: increased immigration and interest in “alternative” or “new” religions. Individuals and groups featured in this book have responded to religious diversity in a variety of ways and out of deliberate Christian conviction. Their experiences can prompt readers to act with the same deliberate conviction. The Introduction includes the perspectives of the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions, the Southern Baptist Convention, and the Assemblies of God. The question of religious truth is broached here and recurs throughout the book.
Korie L. Edwards
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- September 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195314243
- eISBN:
- 9780199871810
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195314243.003.0006
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
This chapter addresses why people attend an interracial church by exploring their past interracial and religious experiences as well as those qualities and practices they appreciate most about ...
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This chapter addresses why people attend an interracial church by exploring their past interracial and religious experiences as well as those qualities and practices they appreciate most about attending an interracial church. The chapter gives an understanding of how past experiences and religious preferences influence people's reasons for attending interracial churches.Less
This chapter addresses why people attend an interracial church by exploring their past interracial and religious experiences as well as those qualities and practices they appreciate most about attending an interracial church. The chapter gives an understanding of how past experiences and religious preferences influence people's reasons for attending interracial churches.
Mark Chaves
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691146850
- eISBN:
- 9781400839957
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691146850.003.0009
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
This concluding chapter argues that based on the religious trends documented in this book, no indicator of traditional religious belief or practice is going up. There is much continuity and some ...
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This concluding chapter argues that based on the religious trends documented in this book, no indicator of traditional religious belief or practice is going up. There is much continuity and some decline. There is more religious diversity, there are shifting fortunes for liberal and conservative Protestant denominations, and there are troubling signs about the state of religious leadership. Moreover, changes are occurring inside congregations, and there is a tighter connection between religious service attendance and political, social, and religious conservatism. There is also more diffuse spirituality, but this diffuse spirituality should not be mistaken for an increase in traditional religiosity. As such, if there is a trend, it is toward less religion.Less
This concluding chapter argues that based on the religious trends documented in this book, no indicator of traditional religious belief or practice is going up. There is much continuity and some decline. There is more religious diversity, there are shifting fortunes for liberal and conservative Protestant denominations, and there are troubling signs about the state of religious leadership. Moreover, changes are occurring inside congregations, and there is a tighter connection between religious service attendance and political, social, and religious conservatism. There is also more diffuse spirituality, but this diffuse spirituality should not be mistaken for an increase in traditional religiosity. As such, if there is a trend, it is toward less religion.
Douglas A Hicks
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195337174
- eISBN:
- 9780199868407
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195337174.003.0011
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
The epilogue is written in the form of a memo to the new president of the United States. It presents a vision for leadership in a devout and diverse America. It offers initiatives that a president ...
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The epilogue is written in the form of a memo to the new president of the United States. It presents a vision for leadership in a devout and diverse America. It offers initiatives that a president could take to understand religious diversity not as a problem to be avoided but as a resource for addressing public problems.Less
The epilogue is written in the form of a memo to the new president of the United States. It presents a vision for leadership in a devout and diverse America. It offers initiatives that a president could take to understand religious diversity not as a problem to be avoided but as a resource for addressing public problems.
Keith Ward
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- January 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780197263051
- eISBN:
- 9780191734090
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- British Academy
- DOI:
- 10.5871/bacad/9780197263051.003.0011
- Subject:
- Religion, Religious Studies
This chapter discusses the study of religions. The first section attempts to define the term ‘religion’, and shows that specific definitions of religion clearly express the inclinations of their ...
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This chapter discusses the study of religions. The first section attempts to define the term ‘religion’, and shows that specific definitions of religion clearly express the inclinations of their propagators. The patterns of religion are examined, followed by a discussion of the various anthropological approaches. The phenomenological approach and social theories of religion are studied, along with reasons and religious belief. The problem of religious diversity is discussed in the latter portion of the chapter.Less
This chapter discusses the study of religions. The first section attempts to define the term ‘religion’, and shows that specific definitions of religion clearly express the inclinations of their propagators. The patterns of religion are examined, followed by a discussion of the various anthropological approaches. The phenomenological approach and social theories of religion are studied, along with reasons and religious belief. The problem of religious diversity is discussed in the latter portion of the chapter.
Philip L. Quinn
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- April 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780195138092
- eISBN:
- 9780199835348
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195138090.003.0017
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Philosophy of Religion
This chapter surveys recent work on philosophical issues raised by religious diversity or pluralism. It focuses on four topics. The first is the epistemological challenge of religious diversity. ...
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This chapter surveys recent work on philosophical issues raised by religious diversity or pluralism. It focuses on four topics. The first is the epistemological challenge of religious diversity. The rationality of commitment to any particular religious tradition seems to be threatened by the existence of rival traditions. The second is the political problem of religious toleration. Religious conflict throughout the world suggests a need for better arguments against religious intolerance than those currently available. The third is the task of understanding the concept of religion. Religious pluralism fuels debate about whether the concept of religion can be defined in terms of necessary and sufficient conditions or, if it cannot, whether it must be analyzed in terms of family resemblances. And the fourth is the enterprise of making constructive comparisons in religious ethics. Similarities and differences between the virtue theories of diverse religious traditions illuminate strengths and weaknesses in the ethical thought of the religions subjected to comparison. The chapter argues from these examples to the conclusion that religious diversity gives rise to several exciting and important problems that ought to be high on the agenda of philosophy of religion.Less
This chapter surveys recent work on philosophical issues raised by religious diversity or pluralism. It focuses on four topics. The first is the epistemological challenge of religious diversity. The rationality of commitment to any particular religious tradition seems to be threatened by the existence of rival traditions. The second is the political problem of religious toleration. Religious conflict throughout the world suggests a need for better arguments against religious intolerance than those currently available. The third is the task of understanding the concept of religion. Religious pluralism fuels debate about whether the concept of religion can be defined in terms of necessary and sufficient conditions or, if it cannot, whether it must be analyzed in terms of family resemblances. And the fourth is the enterprise of making constructive comparisons in religious ethics. Similarities and differences between the virtue theories of diverse religious traditions illuminate strengths and weaknesses in the ethical thought of the religions subjected to comparison. The chapter argues from these examples to the conclusion that religious diversity gives rise to several exciting and important problems that ought to be high on the agenda of philosophy of religion.
Douglas A. Hicks
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195337174
- eISBN:
- 9780199868407
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195337174.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
Perhaps no other nation is as religiously diverse as the United States. For elected officials, school principals, and corporate leaders, this diversity poses challenges. How should leaders deal with ...
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Perhaps no other nation is as religiously diverse as the United States. For elected officials, school principals, and corporate leaders, this diversity poses challenges. How should leaders deal with menorahs and crosses, veils and turbans, prayers and holidays? How can they honor the religious convictions of all Americans? Although the devout possess moral and spiritual resources that can enrich civic life, leaders must also be prepared to cope with the inevitable conflicts that come with pluralism. This book considers six visions of American leadership for navigating the post-9/11 religious landscape. It proposes that the most compelling vision is one of building social crossroads and connectors among religiously diverse people. Individuals and groups follow different paths, but their paths inevitably cross in politics and civil society. How people interact at those places, and how the social crossroads and connectors are designed, are matters of leadership. The Spanish term convivencia, roughly translated as living alongside each other, is a helpful concept for developing this vision. The book incorporates stories of how diverse Americans have transformed public controversies into cases of cooperation. The key is to engage one another with a spirit of humility, build communication and trust, and offer an inclusive vision that is true to America’s principles. The book provides a guide to leadership — and citizenship — in a devout and diverse nation.Less
Perhaps no other nation is as religiously diverse as the United States. For elected officials, school principals, and corporate leaders, this diversity poses challenges. How should leaders deal with menorahs and crosses, veils and turbans, prayers and holidays? How can they honor the religious convictions of all Americans? Although the devout possess moral and spiritual resources that can enrich civic life, leaders must also be prepared to cope with the inevitable conflicts that come with pluralism. This book considers six visions of American leadership for navigating the post-9/11 religious landscape. It proposes that the most compelling vision is one of building social crossroads and connectors among religiously diverse people. Individuals and groups follow different paths, but their paths inevitably cross in politics and civil society. How people interact at those places, and how the social crossroads and connectors are designed, are matters of leadership. The Spanish term convivencia, roughly translated as living alongside each other, is a helpful concept for developing this vision. The book incorporates stories of how diverse Americans have transformed public controversies into cases of cooperation. The key is to engage one another with a spirit of humility, build communication and trust, and offer an inclusive vision that is true to America’s principles. The book provides a guide to leadership — and citizenship — in a devout and diverse nation.
Paul D. Numrich
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- September 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195386219
- eISBN:
- 9780199866731
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195386219.003.0013
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
This chapter sorts out the great variety of Christian perspectives in a multireligious America: Does a typology emerge from the case studies of this book that can offer a fresh way of looking at the ...
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This chapter sorts out the great variety of Christian perspectives in a multireligious America: Does a typology emerge from the case studies of this book that can offer a fresh way of looking at the important topic of Christian relations with other religions? However, this chapter goes beyond mere classification to ask a crucial question of all Christians, regardless of perspective: How would they wish adherents of other religions to think of them and the Christian faith? The chapter examines the well-known categories of exclusivism, inclusivism, and pluralism, which emphasize religious truth claims, and ends by advocating the attitude of Christian meekness and humility described in the New Testament.Less
This chapter sorts out the great variety of Christian perspectives in a multireligious America: Does a typology emerge from the case studies of this book that can offer a fresh way of looking at the important topic of Christian relations with other religions? However, this chapter goes beyond mere classification to ask a crucial question of all Christians, regardless of perspective: How would they wish adherents of other religions to think of them and the Christian faith? The chapter examines the well-known categories of exclusivism, inclusivism, and pluralism, which emphasize religious truth claims, and ends by advocating the attitude of Christian meekness and humility described in the New Testament.
Douglas A Hicks
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195337174
- eISBN:
- 9780199868407
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195337174.003.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
This chapter introduces the central questions involving leadership in a religiously diverse America. During the U.S. Civil War, religion fueled arguments on both sides of the conflict. Abraham ...
More
This chapter introduces the central questions involving leadership in a religiously diverse America. During the U.S. Civil War, religion fueled arguments on both sides of the conflict. Abraham Lincoln understood that people differed on religion and politics, and he called Americans to appeal in humility to the better angels of their nature rather than resorting to arms. Contemporary America is marked not by a Civil War but by culture wars, in which religious diversity is one key front. But religion does not follow easy battle lines. People of similar religious backgrounds hold divergent political commitments, and vice versa. Thomas Jefferson resisted talking about his personal faith, but he advocated for free expression of religious beliefs. Building on that foundational principle, the contemporary challenge is to help shape a culture of convivencia, or of living together peaceably and with mutual respect.Less
This chapter introduces the central questions involving leadership in a religiously diverse America. During the U.S. Civil War, religion fueled arguments on both sides of the conflict. Abraham Lincoln understood that people differed on religion and politics, and he called Americans to appeal in humility to the better angels of their nature rather than resorting to arms. Contemporary America is marked not by a Civil War but by culture wars, in which religious diversity is one key front. But religion does not follow easy battle lines. People of similar religious backgrounds hold divergent political commitments, and vice versa. Thomas Jefferson resisted talking about his personal faith, but he advocated for free expression of religious beliefs. Building on that foundational principle, the contemporary challenge is to help shape a culture of convivencia, or of living together peaceably and with mutual respect.
