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Religious Pluralism and Society Summary for A-Level Christian Thought
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Religious pluralism and societyMulti-faith Societies where significant proportions of the population practice different faiths
societies
Encyclical An open letter sent to more than one recipient
Missionary work Activity that aims to convert people to a faith or set of beliefs, or works for social
justice in areas of poverty and deprivation
Synod The legislative body of the CofE
Social cohesion When a group is united by bonds that help them live together peacefully
The development of contemporary multi-faith societies
In past in the UK, most people lived in communities that were almost exclusively dominated by
Christianity. Big cities often had areas that hosted a small Chinese or Jewish or Muslim community. In
previous centuries, many people did not come into contact with someone who was from a different
ethnicity or religion. Schools educated children in Christianity, but not of the beliefs of other religions.
Laws and traditions were based on Christianity and people were usually baptised into the Christian
Church, had Christian marriages, funerals and were buried in the local churchyard.
Before the Romans came to Britain, local religious practices centred around agriculture, fertility and
ancestor worship. Christianity then coexisted alongside these practices until about the seventh
century when Christian missionaries established Christianity as the primary faith in Britain.
In the West, multi-faith societies began to develop as travel and communications developed. People
from rural areas sometimes moved to inner-city areas to find employment and came into contact with
new people. International migration became an option, with families moving to another country in
search for a better quality of life, or because their home in their old country was unsafe. Hindus,
Muslims and Sikhs arrived from Uganda in 1972 when it expelled the Asian population. Naturally,
when people move to a foreign country to start a new life, they often want to live among people who
are related to them or share a language and culture as well as somewhere where they can find
accommodation and work. As a result, communities often have larger populations of certain religions
than others. For example, there are large communities of Jews in Manchester, Leeds and Gateshead
and large communities of Sikhs in London and Birmingham.
In 2008, Prince Charles made a statement indicating that his wish, if he becomes king, would be that
he be known as ‘Defender of Faith’ instead of ‘Defender of the Faith’, which demonstrates that many
recognise Britain to be multi-faith.
Foreign travel for work and holidays often brings people into contact with new religions and many
often learn about them so they can respect the local etiquette. Methods of communication, such as
books, newspapers, TV and the internet have made it much easier for people to gain an insight into
the lives of others. For instance, when the sacred texts of Hinduism were translated, Britain saw a rise
in the popularity of practices such as meditation and an increased interest in reincarnation.
There are also many inter-faith marriages and partnerships now which join traditions together of
different religions. In schools, children learn about different cultures, supermarkets stock world food,
many public areas have multi-faith prayer areas and most people have friends and colleagues from
different religions than themselves. Atheism and agnosticism have also become accepted.
What challenges do encounters with different faiths present for Christianity?
Religious diversity can provide Christians positive opportunities for learning, sharing common values,
adopting new ways of thinking and developing relationships. Encounters with people whose religious
beliefs are non- Christian encourage many Christians to think more deeply about their own faith.
Some people find the responding to criticism very rewarding because it means that they cannot just
go through the routines of Christian practice unthinkingly but have to spend some time working out
what Christianity means to them.
However, some are concerned that a multi-faith environment might be damaging for Christianity,
undermining the uniqueness of its message by suggesting that salvation through Christ is only a way
to heaven amongst other means. Some also believe that it could encourage their children to adopt
, different beliefs and practices and some are uneasy about the popular insistence on tolerance and
respect for other faiths since sharing Christianity with others can be seen as ignorant, which comes to
the expense of the Christian mission.
The responses of Christian communities to inter-faith dialogue
What is inter-faith dialogue?
It is about communication between people of different beliefs in order to build a relationship, break
down stereotypes and prejudices, and promote peace and understanding. Inter-faith dialogue aims to
achieve mutual respect and co-operation where people get together to talk about beliefs they have in
common as well as their differences so they can identify points of tension and try to understanding
each other’s point of view, even if they do not agree with one another. It is not about trying to convert
people but about coming to a deeper understanding of one’s own faith while learning about the beliefs
of others.
Sometimes, inter-faith dialogue is understood to have four strands, as the Church of England’s
‘Sharing the Gospel of Salvation’ identifies:
1. ‘the dialogue of daily life’, in which people strike up informal conversations.
2. ‘the dialogue of the common good’ in which different faiths come together and work for the
community.
3. ‘the dialogue of mutual understanding’ in which people get together for formal debates.
4. ‘the dialogue of spiritual life’ in which people get together to prayer and worship
Inter-faith dialogue is not new but as societies have gotten more diverse, inter-faith dialogue is
something which religious communities have adopted more formally rather than just waiting for
conversations to happen naturally. Sometimes, particular trends have sparked renewal in inter-faith
dialogue, such as the changes in the ethnic population when immigrants arrive or when world events
happen such as 9/11.
David Ford identifies to historical events, the Holocaust and the rise in tensions between the West and
Islam, that have led to more inter-faith dialogue.
The events of the Holocaust forced many Christians to think about their relationship with Judaism;
Germany was traditionally a Christian country and their population had enthusiastically supported the
Nazis and their persecution of the Jews. Christians could not escape the fact that the Church held
some degree of responsibility in presenting Judaism as a ‘failed religion’ that Christianity had
superseded and fulfilled. Although there were some Christians who had resisted Nazism there were
also many others who did nothing and accepted anti-Semitism. The uneasy relationship between
Christianity and Judaism after the war led to an effort at inter-faith dialogue initiated by Jewish rabbis
and scholars from around the world. In ‘Dabru Emet’ (speak the truth), Jews invited Christians into
discussion. It highlighted that they share the same God and seek authority from the same scripture
and that they needed to work together for peace.
‘A Common World Between Us and You’ (2007) was from leading Muslim teachers to Christian
teachers and pointed out the passion Muslims and Christians share for worshipping one God and
putting agape love into practice. There was an attempt in the letter to pretend that the two had no
differences but it also asked the two to look into their own religions more deeply. The letter
concentrated on the scriptural demands of both religions and looked at the responsibilities both have
for working towards the common good and to live up to teachings. Just as Dabru Emet did, it called
for an ongoing dialogue between the two faiths.
The Catholic Church and inter-faith dialogue; ‘Redemptoris Missio’
In the Catholic Church, there is a tradition of Papal encyclicals, which are letters from the Pope to
leaders of the Church. These encyclicals address significant issues in the life of the Church and its
relationship with modern society. As they are formal letters from the Pope, they are believed to have
enough authority to be the final word on issues where there is some disagreement. Pope John Paul II
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