RELIGIOUS PLURALISM: LIFE-SUSTAINING VISION
RELIGIOUS PLURALISM: LIFE-SUSTAINING VISION
Today
it is the conviction of all committed scholars of religion that plurality of
religion should be accepted as a reality.
Religions have to be tolerated and differences acknowledged. Madhukar writes, “in a world haunted by fear
and torn by strife what is the need of the moment is a spirit of tolerance and
understanding, not the mere grudging admission of other religious views but the
glad recognition of the variety of the human mind.”1
It
is to be accepted that, the present world situation has gone to a state where
every one is keen on maintaining his/her own identity on the one hand, and at
the same time co-mingling with people of other identity on the other. S. J.
Samartha goes to the extent of saying “the rejection of religious pluralism is
a more serious form of injustice than the merely economic.”2 Therefore, John Hick calls for the
recognition of the oneness of humanity and the diversity of revelation.3
In short, acceptance of religious pluralism demands the recognition of
many revelations and the oneness of humanity.
13.1 Religion on the Wrong Road
Another remarkable finding of the scholars is that in the course of
history, religions were used more for war than for peace. They had been used to disunite the people.
Paul F. Knitter writes, “still today the battle cries of Protestants and
Buddhists and Hindus in Sri Lanka ,
and Sikhs and Hindus and Muslims in India
13.2 Importance of Co-Operation
Wilfred Cantwell Smith writes “unless men can learn to understand and to
be loyal to each other across religious frontiers, unless we can build a world
in which people profoundly of different faiths can live together and work
together, then the prospects for our planet’s future are not bright.”7
S. J. Samartha states the need for cooperation among religions as “it is
agreed that the most helpful relationship between persons of different faiths
in the world today must be one of co-operation in pursuing common purposes like
justice, peace and human rights.”8 In the words of Paul F. Knitter “religions
must speak and act together because only so can they make their crucially
important contribution to removing the oppression that contaminates our globe.”9
He also highlights the necessity of union and enrichment of religions.10
13.3 Context for Co-Operation
Having said that religions should co-operate in order to play their
constructive role, it is important to examine the context for their
co-operation. Paul F. Knitter suggests
that, the “world of suffering, which provides the context or Kairos for
dialogue, is all around us.”11 In another place he says, “… peace can and
must become a common commitment and a common ground for conversation and
action.”12 Another insight he provides is that, as the
world faces suffering and want of peace, it needs salvation i.e. in its
comprehensive sense. For this he proposes a soterio-centric approach. But later he affirmed “working for eco-human
justice becomes a common context in which we find ourselves using our different
religious stories and symbols.”13 Therefore he suggestes the functioning
together of liberation theology and theology of religions. He writes, “their encounter, may be even
their marriage, can bear much fruit for the Christian Churches
In this context, Aloysius Pieris proposes a new paradigm for the Asian
context for the religions to work together.
It includes three aspects: “the first is the acknowledgement of a third
magisterium, namely, that of the poor; the second is the liberational thrust that defines our theology of religions; and
finally, the social location of this theology is the Basic Human Communities
(BHC).”16
13.4 Concern for Life
It is significant to note that in the on going debate on religious
pluralism, concern for life occupies the central role. This is in opposition to the traditional way
of placing church, Christ, God etc., at the centre. In this context, Herbert Jai Singh writes,
“it is however, perhaps not in rigid theological formula that we find the
secret of relating ourselves to men of other faiths but in the personal
awareness of our common humanity.”17 Further, “we are thrown together in the
common task of life and this is so whether we like it or not.”18
Taking this with seriousness he said, “what we need to learn is to live with one
another’s differences in religious matters.”19 A similar idea can be found in the writings
of Madhukar that “what we have in common is not religion but humanity.”20
S. J. Samartha goes deeper into the aspect of social responsibility of
the enlightened and writes, “unless the Hindu-Christian quest for truth is
related to the ongoing life of the community, to the life of people who are
struggling, suffering, and dying in the world today, it will remain isolated.”21
These ideas are shared by Paul F. Knitter too. He says all religions are concerned with the
welfare of all life. His repeated
emphasis is on the liberation of humanity from the sufferings of the
world. He writes that, “there is today a
growing awareness among religious persons that their religious identity must
somehow be related to those common experiences of suffering and global threat.”22
It is to be appreciated that the concern for the poor has been the key
thrust of almost all the committed pluralists.
13.5 Challenges to Christianity
The challenges awaiting Christianity are many. One of the challenges
pointed out by S. J. Samartha is that the “future of Christianity in India
Another challenge that the Church has to face is to redefine its
understanding of mission. Because the traditional, propagation-oriented
activities has been challenged by people of different faith-traditions. The
Church is also expected to re-evaluate the role of Christianity as a religion,
in the midst of other religions.
13.6 Life-Sustaining
Vision
It
was discussed earlier that the world is threatened by various disastrous
forces. These forces are to be tackled with the help of bringing together all
the spiritual resources of different faith- traditions. Many theologians of
religions have grappled with this issue in order to lay a sound religious and
theological foundation to this venture. In this context, the traditional
Church- centeredness of Christian approach to other faith-traditions was
challenged by the Christocentric approach. Later, even the Christocentric
perspective was challenged by the more comprehensive Theocentric- view. The inadequacy
of this approach too was identified and new perspectives have been proposed by
committed thinkers.
Now
the attention is shifted to humanity. The common humanity with its variety of challenges
at the global level has become the focus of attention. In short what is
required is a LIFE-SUSTAINING VISION. This life is not unique to selected
people, but common to all.
In
the life-sustaining vision of religious pluralism, spirituality is the source
of inspiration. Every individual must be rooted and filled with the Sakti or
spirit of that particular faith-tradition to which he/she belongs. This is what
called in the Indian tradition as the state of “Jivan Mukta”. The Jivan muktas consider the world as one
i.e. Vasudevakutumbam.
The
seed for promoting equality of religions, people, and concern for the cosmos
germinates from the womb of spiritual realization. This realization dawns on a
Christian because of his/her intensive commitment to the principles of Jesus.
Irrespective of the faith-traditions to which one belonged, every one may have
to ask oneself a question- what distinguishes me as a human being by adhering
to a particular faith-tradition? A close observation of life of the people of
different traditions can teach us that every human being is striving to live a
better life which is what every one is aspiring for. In this struggle for life,
no individual is better placed because of his/her religious identity.
Life
therefore is the central theme that is needed to be stressed in any
inter-religious encounters. Our endeavor in working for the friendliness of
religions is to strengthen life. Life-sustaining vision of religious pluralism
is the tangible solution for religious harmony in India
Every
religion is good. They were established for the sake of humanity. Their aims
were rewarding. God revealed himself in diverse forms so that no human being is
left without the guidance of the one Reality. Therefore, every one is entitled
for the spiritual realization.
The
Original vision of every religion was pure and genuine. Soon many human
elements entered in to those original and pure revelations to despoil its
vision, which are now used for political gain.
Just
as a ruler decides with his selfish motives whether a war is holy or not, a
politician decides when and where a temple for a god is to be constructed. Thus
the vote-banks and the power-equations decide the fate of gods.
In
this issue of religious pluralism, Christians have a great mission to perform.
They have to fight against the human-made religiosity and help the people to
realize the original revelation and the original relation between God and the
rest of creation. Christians cannot do this alone. They have to mobilize the
help of all fellow religious seekers.
A
Christian has to maintain his/her faith and conviction in the unique revelation
of Jesus Christ. At the same time he/she should help his/her neighbours to
realize the uniqueness of his/her own revelation. A strongly religious minded
people alone can work towards the Life-sustaining vision of religious
pluralism. A life- sustaining vision includes all humanity, the lives which
support and sustain human life, the planet earth, all the life-giving
resources, with a strong opposition to the inequalities and sufferings of the
world.
Jesus
came to do the will of God. He came to enrich human life. He wanted to
obliterate all the religious systems and practices which worked against the life
of the people. Jesus broke away many traditional laws to give life to the needy.
For him, if laws and practices were not in consonant with the lives of people,
they should be avoided. His main fight was against religions which functioned
at the cost of human life and suffering. He was always of the view that
religion is for man and man is not for religion.
All
efforts to solve the issue of religious pluralism should be focused upon the life-sustaining
vision: A life that enjoys peace and freedom. This is possible only with a
strong spiritual foundation. This foundation can be further strengthened by the
mutual co-operation between religions to work towards this life-sustaining
vision.
1
Madhukar, “The Role of Religions in Ensuring the Welfare of the People”, Religion and
Society, Vol. 42. No. 3 (September
1995), p. 13.
2
S. J. Samartha, One Christ Many Religions,
op. cit., p. 2.
3
John Hick ed., The Myth of God Incarnate
Seventh Impression (London
1985). p.
180.
4
Paul F. Knitter,” Inter-religious Dialogue and the Unity of Humanity”, Journal of Dharma Vol.
XVI, No. 4
(October – December 1992), p. 284.
5
S. J. Samartha, “Inter-religious Relationships in the secular State”, p. 62.
6
A. Pushparajan, Op. cit., p. 18.
7
Wilfred Cantwell Smith, “The Christian in a Religiously Plural World,” Christianity and other
Religions, Op. cit., p. 95.
8
S. J. Samartha, Courage for Dialogue:
Ecumenical Issues in Inter-religious Relationships
(Geneva:
World Council of Churches, 1981), p. 30.
9
Paul F. Knitter, “Toward a Liberation Theology of Religions,”The Myth of Christian
Uniqueness, op. cit., p. 181.
10 Paul F. Knitter, No other Name? op. cit.,
p. 6.
11 Paul F. Knitter, One Earth Many Religions, Mutlifatith Dialogue and Global
Responsibility
(New York:
ORBIS, 1996), p. 58.
12 Ibid.,
p. 66.
13 Ibid.,
p. 113.
14
Paul F. Knitter, “Religion and Liberation in Defense of a Pluralistic
Theology of Religions”,
NCC Review, Vol. CXII, No. 4 (April
1992), p. 229.
15 Paul F. Knitter, One Earth Many
Religions, op. cit., p. 11.
16 Aloysius Pieris, Fire and Water, Basic Issues in Asian Buddhism and Christianity
(New
17 Herbert Jai Singh, “The Christian
Approaches to the Sikhs,” Religions and Society, Vol. XI,
No. 1
(March, 1964), p. 103.
18 Ibid.,
p. 104.
19 Ibid.
20 Austin B. Creel, “Religion and the
Relation of Religion,” Religion and
Society, Vol. XXXI,
No. 3
(September 1984), p. 53.
21 S. J. Samartha, Courage for Dialogue, op. cit.,
p. 156.
22 Paul F. Knitter, One Earth Many Religions, op.
cit., p. 57.
23 S. J. Samartha, Between Two Cultures,oOp. cit.,
p. 160.
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