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Religious Pluralism in the Contemporary Transformation Society
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Religious Pluralism in the Contemporary Transformation Society

A special issue of Religions (ISSN 2077-1444).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (5 November 2022) | Viewed by 35613

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Marinus Iwuchukwu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts Theology, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA 15282, USA
Interests: the theological/religious value of inclusive religious pluralism; inter-religious dialogue from an inclusive religious and cultural pluralism perspectives; interreligious encounter between Christians and Muslims in Nigeria, Africa, and Globally; theology of religions; religion and media

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This special edition of the journal focuses on “Religious Pluralism in contemporary transformation society”. As a major component in the theology of religions, the religious pluralism evident in our contemporary society is theologically appreciated not just as a de facto of human existence, but also as a de jure reality. There is growing scholarship from different theologians and scholars of diverse world religions examining the need for and value of religious pluralism in society. This Special Issue of the journal would appreciate the contributions of variety of scholars with diverse interests, focuses, and arguments for or against religious pluralism in society at present.

To achieve this goal, manuscripts that focus on history, theology, philosophy, pastoral implications, mission and evangelization, social implications, and interreligious dialogue components of religious pluralism are welcome. The scope of focus can be global, continental, regional, or the local imperatives of existing religious diversity.

The collection of essays that this edition will publish will contribute to the growing literature on the subject of religious pluralism in pastoral and systematic theologies, as well as significantly help in providing the necessary paradigm shift in the approach to and understanding of mission and evangelization in contemporary society. Furthermore, it will contribute to the growing literature on sustainable interreligious dialogue and multireligious projects that are ongoing in different parts of the world at present.

We request that, prior to submitting a manuscript, interested authors initially submit a proposed title and an abstract of 400–600 words summarizing their intended contribution. Please send it to the guest editor () or to Religions assistant editor (Ms. Melody.Shi: ). Abstracts will be reviewed by the guest editor to ensure a proper fit within the scope of the Special Issue. Full manuscripts will undergo double-blind peer-review.

Dr. Marinus Iwuchukwu
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Religions is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • inclusive religious pluralism
  • religious pluralism and dialogue
  • postmodernism and theologies of pluralism
  • interreligious dialogue and mission/evangelization
  • theology of religions

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Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 268 KiB  
Article
A Deconstruction of the Cross and the Crescent for Inclusive Religious Pluralism between Muslims and Christians in Nigeria
by Ilesanmi G. Ajibola
Religions 2023, 14(6), 782; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14060782 - 13 Jun 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2095
Abstract
The Crescent and the Cross as religious symbols are beyond the mere signification of religious affiliations. They are symbols on which over two hundred years of wars were sustained and are indicative of the religious dichotomy between modern Christianity and Islam across the [...] Read more.
The Crescent and the Cross as religious symbols are beyond the mere signification of religious affiliations. They are symbols on which over two hundred years of wars were sustained and are indicative of the religious dichotomy between modern Christianity and Islam across the globe. However, the tangential relationship between the usage of the symbols and the Jihad or the Crusade reeks of memories of fierce competition and unhealed historical memories. The collective memory of the wars fought under the symbols has remained a moniker for conquests and forceful submission. The exclusive propensities of the experiences are evident in the interreligious relation of the adherents of both religions in Nigeria. This article attempts to answer the question of how the exclusive religious disposition underlining most instances of religious crises in the country may be addressed. This article uses deconstructive analysis to strip the symbols and their exclusive religious dispositions for an inclusive religious pluralism model. It argues for the need for a critical rethinking of the exclusive interreligious model operative in the country to facilitate social development and the peaceful co-existence of the adherents of both religions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religious Pluralism in the Contemporary Transformation Society)
14 pages, 260 KiB  
Article
Where/How/For What Purpose Is Christ Being Proclaimed Today: Rethinking Proclamation in the World of Peripheries
by SimonMary Asese Aihiokhai
Religions 2023, 14(3), 382; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14030382 - 13 Mar 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1746
Abstract
The content of proclamation cannot go unqueried if the much-needed work of addressing the structures of marginalities that play out in Christianity is to be completed. This task is urgent in order to address the role of Christianity in contemporary societies. To think [...] Read more.
The content of proclamation cannot go unqueried if the much-needed work of addressing the structures of marginalities that play out in Christianity is to be completed. This task is urgent in order to address the role of Christianity in contemporary societies. To think that the proclamation of Christ is itself neutral, is to refuse to address how the structures that Christianity creates decide the fate of many in the world. A close study of the peripheries that Christian ecclesial structures create reveals the emergence of a form of a decolonial response to the agenda inherent in the embrace of a hegemonic approach to proclamation that plays out at the center of Christianity, and Christianity’s ecclesial institutions. These peripheries are a reminder that the center itself is in need of reform to allow for all who experience erasures to become visible. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religious Pluralism in the Contemporary Transformation Society)
12 pages, 260 KiB  
Article
Religious Pluralism: Transforming Society Using New Concepts of Evangelization and Dialogue
by Joyce Ann Konigsburg
Religions 2023, 14(1), 80; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14010080 - 6 Jan 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 4282
Abstract
For more than half a century, the Catholic Church has deliberated the effects of religious pluralism on its evangelizing mission and rapport in the contemporary world. The Second Vatican Council, after examining theological tradition and scrutinizing the signs of the times, produced many [...] Read more.
For more than half a century, the Catholic Church has deliberated the effects of religious pluralism on its evangelizing mission and rapport in the contemporary world. The Second Vatican Council, after examining theological tradition and scrutinizing the signs of the times, produced many noteworthy documents that modernize the Catholic Church and prudently integrate ideas of religious pluralism into its functions of mission, evangelization, and interreligious dialogue. Yet, tensions remain between the Catholic Church’s mission as the universal sacrament of salvation and its recognition of religious pluralism. Pope John Paul II strived for balance while Pope Benedict XVI expressed concern that justifying multiple religions might lead to relativism. For Pope Francis, the combination of mission, evangelization, and interreligious dialogue is a form of engagement, a means of being in solidarity with the poor and remedying social issues, such as global climate change, poverty, and systematic injustice. Religious pluralism consequently transforms society, serving as an impetus for the Catholic Church’s evolving use of interreligious dialogue to develop mutually respectful relationships and inspire a new evangelization of multifaith collaboration for the global common good. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religious Pluralism in the Contemporary Transformation Society)
15 pages, 559 KiB  
Article
Islamic Religious Education Textbooks in a Pluralist Nigeria
by Patricia Enedudu Idoko
Religions 2023, 14(1), 42; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14010042 - 27 Dec 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2555
Abstract
Pluralism and religious diversity offer opportunities for deep learning across cultures and religions. However, in some cases, religious diversity also results in tensions and conflicts in communities because religious differences polarize people of different faith traditions. This article analyzes how religious instruction textbooks [...] Read more.
Pluralism and religious diversity offer opportunities for deep learning across cultures and religions. However, in some cases, religious diversity also results in tensions and conflicts in communities because religious differences polarize people of different faith traditions. This article analyzes how religious instruction textbooks used in public junior high schools in Nigeria promote integration and inclusion. In particular, the paper will examine the approved texts used in teaching Islamic Religious Studies (IRS). In analyzing the IRS textbooks, the article focuses on two major points: how the texts present Islam to the students, and how students are equipped to deal with the question of contrasting truth claims within and outside their faith traditions. This article argues that the IRS textbooks used in high school in Nigeria should expand their discussion on Islam to include open interaction about the religious differences within and across religious traditions. I argue that IRS textbooks need to prepare students to deal with different theological truth claims in a way that is both self- and other-respecting. To compose a text that engages religious pluralism, I propose that the approach of teaching religious education in junior secondary schools in Ghana should be used as a model, as it could offer Nigeria some insights on how to teach religious knowledge from a pluralistic approach. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religious Pluralism in the Contemporary Transformation Society)
12 pages, 250 KiB  
Article
Principles of Religious Pluralism
by Neelam Bano, Humaira Ahmad, Javaria Hassan and Rafia Razaq
Religions 2023, 14(1), 20; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14010020 - 22 Dec 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 7938
Abstract
Religious pluralism is growing in significance because of increasing religious diversity and increasing religious conflicts, which cause unrest in contemporary society. Muslim perennialists represent one of many groups advocating for the common goals of religious pluralism and the reaffirmation of perennial wisdom, which [...] Read more.
Religious pluralism is growing in significance because of increasing religious diversity and increasing religious conflicts, which cause unrest in contemporary society. Muslim perennialists represent one of many groups advocating for the common goals of religious pluralism and the reaffirmation of perennial wisdom, which lies at the heart of all primordial religious traditions. The purpose of the study is to explore the principles of religious pluralism advocated by Muslim perennialist philosophers. Using the discourse analysis methodology, this study analyzed the theological validity of the Muslim perennialist perspective for articulating interfaith dialogue and co-existence in multicultural societies. By conducting this critical analysis, the study concludes that the principles of religious pluralism advocated by Muslim perennialists are the means of bringing interfaith peaceful co-existence to society. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religious Pluralism in the Contemporary Transformation Society)
12 pages, 267 KiB  
Article
Transformational Dialogue and Christian Identity in a Multi-Religious Context: Nigeria in Focus
by Ikenna Paschal Okpaleke
Religions 2022, 13(12), 1166; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13121166 - 1 Dec 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2224
Abstract
Dialogue within a multi-religious context presupposes the recognition of the many identities that are involved in mutual encounter and exchange. The understanding, shape or interpretation of each identity plays a critical role in the nature of the dialogical process as well as the [...] Read more.
Dialogue within a multi-religious context presupposes the recognition of the many identities that are involved in mutual encounter and exchange. The understanding, shape or interpretation of each identity plays a critical role in the nature of the dialogical process as well as the outcome of the dialogue itself. This article re-assesses the Christian identity in the dialogue between Christians and Muslims, with a focus on how this plays out in the Nigerian context. It explores how a distinctive African worldview can shape the Christian identity towards an increased relationality, solidarity, and interdependence. Furthermore, the article critically investigates fundamentalist tendencies within Nigerian Christianity, and finally addresses how ‘a personalist approach’ could foster better intra- and inter-religious encounters in Nigeria in a manner that preserves identity while remaining open towards the other (Christian or religious). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religious Pluralism in the Contemporary Transformation Society)
16 pages, 269 KiB  
Article
Video Gaming Faith: Playing Out Theologies of Religions
by Gregory D. Jones, Jr.
Religions 2022, 13(10), 944; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13100944 - 10 Oct 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 8812
Abstract
Modern religious plurality invites religious and non-religious people to navigate four interreligious dialogical problems: (1) the inability to fully articulate faith, (2) the lack of persuasive religious language, (3) the reality of violence among the religions, and (4) the liquescent “truth” of modern [...] Read more.
Modern religious plurality invites religious and non-religious people to navigate four interreligious dialogical problems: (1) the inability to fully articulate faith, (2) the lack of persuasive religious language, (3) the reality of violence among the religions, and (4) the liquescent “truth” of modern times. How can plurality be framed for people whose sense of relationality is shaped by their participation in virtual worlds? One answer emerges in this autoethnographic consideration of how video gaming “plays out” fresh understandings of the interreligious encounter and relationality. Adopting a Christian perspective, the first section summarizes the major theologies of religions. These theologies correspond with video-game experiences of interreligious cooperation and contest found in playing out the enrichment and diminishment of (1) Christian spirit in Spiritual Warfare (NES), (2) human connection in Final Fantasy VI (Super NES), (3) sense of salvation in Final Fantasy X (PS2), and (4) symbiotic sacredness in Journey (iOS). These play experiences clarify a concept of expansive relationality among religions that is termed shared contest. The conclusion advances a contestant theology of religions; God removes every obstacle to including all in the company of God’s people, and God provides a playground of cooperation and contest for each religious tradition. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religious Pluralism in the Contemporary Transformation Society)
18 pages, 640 KiB  
Article
Safeguarding Places of Worship during the Prophetic Era: Assessment of Early Islamic Covenants and Their Impacts on Early Muslim Polities
by Musferah Mehfooz
Religions 2022, 13(9), 799; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13090799 - 30 Aug 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3161
Abstract
Treaties and covenants have been the most important instruments of international relations in both ancient and modem times, playing a significant role in the promotion of religious freedom, peaceful coexistence, and interfaith harmony. The rapid spread and broad appeal of early Islam brought [...] Read more.
Treaties and covenants have been the most important instruments of international relations in both ancient and modem times, playing a significant role in the promotion of religious freedom, peaceful coexistence, and interfaith harmony. The rapid spread and broad appeal of early Islam brought matters of international relations and cosmopolitan state governance to a cadre of Muslim leaders whose main political experience had been with parochial Arabian tribalism. The foremost issue was the position, rights, and responsibilities of non-Muslim religious communities within the Arab-Islamic empire. Consequently, numerous covenants and treaties were devised with subjects and with foreign states during the expansion of the Muslim world. This study examines the protection of non-Muslim places of worship under the rule of the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ and his successors, including future caliphs and generals. It explores the practical application of the covenants by the successors of the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ during early Islamic history, exploring the extent to which these covenants and treaties were effective in maintaining peaceful co-existence in a multi-faith society. In sum, for the sake of concision, only specific segments of the covenants and treaties are examined, which were devised with the non-Muslims for the protection of their worship places during the early Muslim Conquests. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religious Pluralism in the Contemporary Transformation Society)
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