Overview
Religious Pluralism stems from a series of Gifford Research Fellowship lectures. A stipulation of these lectures is that they be "public and popular," addressed to the intelligent lay person, not just the specialist. Religious Pluralism is not written from the stance of any particular faith. It addresses issues that might concern anyone who thinks about religion, particularly the individual in search of, or interested in choosing, a faith.We live in a religiously plural world, one in which Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Sikhism, Taoism, etc., variously picture the nature and purpose of human existence. Which religious account, if any, should we accept, and on what grounds? Is it legitimate to construct a world-view using material from several faiths? Using the image of a hall of mirrors to symbolize our new multi-religious consciousness, Religious Pluralism: A Metaphorical Approach considers how the individual might answer such challenging questions.
Author Biography: Chris Arthur received a PhD from the University of Edinburgh where he took a First Class Honours degree in Religious Studies. In 1984 he was awarded the Gifford Research Fellowship at the University of St. Andrews. At the University of Wales he teaches courses in Buddhism, Religion and the Media, and Methodology.
Synopsis
Religious Pluralism stems from a series of Gifford Research Fellowship lectures. A stipulation of these lectures is that they be "public and popular," addressed to the intelligent lay person, not just the specialist. Religious Pluralism is not written from the stance of any particular faith. It addresses issues that might concern anyone who thinks about religion, particularly the individual in search of, or interested in choosing, a faith.
We live in a religiously plural world, one in which Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Sikhism, Taoism, etc., variously picture the nature and purpose of human existence. Which religious account, if any, should we accept, and on what grounds? Is it legitimate to construct a world-view using material from several faiths? Using the image of a hall of mirrors to symbolize our new multi-religious consciousness, Religious Pluralism: A Metaphorical Approach considers how the individual might answer such challenging questions.
Author Biography: Chris Arthur received a PhD from the University of Edinburgh where he took a First Class Honours degree in Religious Studies. In 1984 he was awarded the Gifford Research Fellowship at the University of St. Andrews. At the University of Wales he teaches courses in Buddhism, Religion and the Media, and Methodology.
Library Journal
Technological advancement has brought the world to our doorsteps, but it has also contributed to a revolution in religious consciousness. Religious diversity--or religious pluralism--has always been around, but our awareness of it radically increases as we approach the millennium. True, this heightened awareness could exacerbate inter-religious conflict, but Arthur (Univ. of Wales) emphasizes here its enormous potential for positive influence. Writing for the intelligent, unzealous lay reader, he considers how we might answer the difficult, important sorts of questions that arise out of diversity. A good resource for those seeking common ground in interfaith dialog; recommended for academic libraries.--Michael W. Ellis, Ellenville P.L., NY Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.