LESSON 3

Understanding religious Diversity

{ JAYNELLA ORQUIOLA}
 Religious Diversity is a basic fact. It is part of human existence.
The diversity of religious beliefs is not only limited to major
religions. Even on the personal or community level, religious
beliefs diversity is also a commonly experienced.

 In society, there are many religious beliefs and orientations. This is

why the diversity is not just based on fundamental doctrines but
also on the practices and observances based on these doctrine.

 In the personal and social or community level, religious diversity

poses certain problems and challenges to human existence and
relations. On many occasions, this religious diversity often causes
conflicts and misunderstanding among people and societies.
 Religious Pluralism – is an attitude of respecting the diversity of
religious.

 Religious freedom -is respecting the right of every individual to

follow his/her conscience with regard to his/her religious beliefs
and convictions and to express their beliefs.

 Interreligious dialogue - is an open relation and interaction

among religions or religious people based on respect and
tolerance.
RELIGIOUS PLURALISM
 We are not only a people of a certain locality or culture;
as human person, we belong to the world and we need to
understand how the world looks from a wider
perspective.
 The world today is highly diverse and pluralistic. The
diversity can be observe in many aspects of human life.
There are divers culture, lifestyle, religions,
philosophies, and beliefs system.
 However, despite this diversity, we also experience the
interconnections and the overlapping of cultures and
beliefs system.
 Religion, as mentioned, significally influences a person’s human
understanding and affairs. One attitude or position that is gaining
ground today in facing the challenges of religious diversity is
religious pluralism.

 Religious pluralism acknowledge the diversity of religious and

takes a gentler and more accommodating stance toward the
differences of one’s religious conviction. It proposes to look at
other religions with understanding, openness, and respect.

 The main point of religious pluralism is that religious traditions

are interconnected. As a people of different religious beliefs, we
have overlapping attempts to understand the different ways by
which we approach the sacred or divine.
 Pluralism does not believe that all religions are equally
and un equivocally true, but it recognizes the unique
identities of different faiths with their own doctrines.

 Indeed, the social experiences of a particular society and

the diverse religious groups that comprise it are big
factors that contribute to either the openness or the
isolation of different religions.
 Pluralism does not believe that all religions are equally and
unequivocally true, but it recognize the unique identities of
different faiths with their own doctrines.

 Indeed, the social experiences of a particular society ant the

diverse religious groups that comprise it are factors that
contribute to either the openness or the isolation of different
religions.