Pluralism Sunday A, 2011
A Liturgy is also available
PLURALISM IS NOT SOME RELIGIOUS ‘FRUIT SALAD’
“Every religious tradition on earth has… developed in interaction
with others; not in isolation, in some watertight compartment…
The Christian idea of God has been a part of the world history
of the idea of God on earth, Christians receiving from, contributing to
and participating in that total history… We have all along been participants
in the world history of religion; although we did not know it”
(W. C. Smith)
In an overseas poll about 10 years ago a cross section of citizens
were asked a series of questions to measure
the acceptance of religious pluralism (Borg 2003).
• To the question:
‘Should Christians seek to convert people of other faiths or leave them alone?’
22 per cent said ‘convert’;
71 per cent said ‘leave them alone’.
• To the statement:
‘All religions have elements of truth’.
78 per cent said ‘yes’.
• To the statement:
‘My religion is the only true religion’.
17 per cent said ‘yes’.
Today, in progressive church circles, is Pluralism Sunday.
A day to give thanks for religious diversity.
To commit ourselves to a deepened sense of and respect for
human diversity and pluralism. And to appreciate more fully
“the richness of meaning and value which these diverse forms of life have opened up for human beings” (Kaufman 1996: 132).
As has been pointed out by many, both biblical and theological scholars
have known for a long time that no religious idea or scripture text
can be properly or fully grasped simply by itself.
“Texts and ideas”, writes former Harvard theologian Gordon Kaufman,
“can be understood only if we… see them in the context of other ideas and texts to which they are related and with which they are interconnected” (Kaufman 1996: 133).
Despite these somewhat academic sounding words, we already know this.
We are a part of the ‘web of life’.
We live in a ‘global village’.
What happens in one part of the world,
be it economical, political, or to do with the environment,
has its effects on all of us.
“We breathe a common atmosphere”, writes Kaufman,
“and we all suffer from its growing pollution. We live together under the threat of nuclear and ecological disaster” (Kaufman 1996:133).
And again:
“Although culturally we are increasingly aware both of our diversity and of our interdependence, the meaning of this for our religious institutions and traditions, and for our religious self-understanding, has barely begun to dawn upon us” (Kaufman 1996: 133).
So how to respond?
Well, for one, we need new and more adequate ways to think both the diversity
and the interconnectedness of our human religiousness.
Especially if our religious traditions are to be a positive contributor
to building a world in which, with all our differences,
we can live productively and in peace.
Which is why, in progressive church circles around the world,
today is Pluralism Sunday.
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In 1788 when the First Fleet arrived on these shores from England,
Governor Arthur Phillip not only established a penal colony,
a gaol for the 736 convicts and to a certain extent,
the marines and officers who accompanied them,
it has also been said he won the land for ‘protestant’ Christianity (Breward 1988: 2).
However, instead of that experience being a search for a
feeling of reconnection to a healthy kind of wholeness, Phillip saw religion as a
“useful package of warnings and admonitions that supplemented the cell, chains, the lash, the gallows, or the rewards and remissions for good conduct” (Blainey 1987: 429).
Hence Christianity was in the main rejected by the convicts
and only slightly embraced by the free settlers in latter years.
Which has led some to conclude that in Australia,
Christianity has always been rather a casual affair.
And at best, the nation was only ever superficially christianised (Wilson 1982: 6).
But this hasn’t stopped many fundamentalists today
from claiming: ‘Jesus is the ONLY doorway’.
Indeed, one such tract – No. 151 it said, and free ‘as the Lord provides’ –
was placed in my letter box a few days ago.
The second in as many days.
I think ‘Pastor Peter’ from wherever, is trying to tell me something!
A far more honest and open response comes from
New Zealand theologian, Sir Lloyd Geering.
In one of his latest books, Coming back to earth, he writes:
“Humans show themselves to be religious whenever and wherever they take the questions of human existence seriously, and then create a common response to whatever they find to be of ultimate value to them… With but rare exceptions, people everywhere and at all times have made some kind of response to the demands of human existence. They have tried to make something of life. They have looked for meaning and purpose. They have hoped for some kind of fulfillment” (Geering 2008: 151).
And this is true even though an increasing number of us
have grown dissatisfied with the religious forms of the past.
‘Why weren’t we told?’ is a common lament.
We don't want our religion in the old way.
We cannot give up our minds for it.
We cannot become pre-modern people.
We are not interested in being saved from or saving others from hell in the afterlife.
We are not interested in converting people to our religion or in proving
that our book is of divine origin (JShuck. Shuck & Jive blog site, 2010).
Taking all this with radical seriousness, Geering suggests the characteristics
of a contemporary spirituality are likely to include:
• An attitude of awe towards this self-evolving universe.
• An appreciation of the living ecosphere of this planet.
• An appreciation of the capacity of the earth to regenerate itself.
• An appreciation of the total cultural legacy we have received from our human forbears.
• Responsibility for the care of one another.
• Responsibility for the kind of planet we pass on to our descendants.
• Its value to be found in life, in all of its diversity.
He goes on to say:
“In developing a spirituality for today's secular world we must not be primarily concerned with saving our individual selves... Rather we must be primarily concerned for the welfare of one another, for the future of the human species, and for the health of the planet” (Geering 2008: 201).
Sentiments also expressed in Susan Griffin’s ecofeminist poem Woman and nature:
This earth is my sister;
I love her daily grace,
her silent daring,
and how loved I am
How we admire this strength in each other,
all that we have lost,
all that we have suffered,
all that we know:
we are stunned by this beauty,
and I do not forget;
what she is to me,
what I am to her (Quoted in Christ 2003:239-40).
Which is why, in progressive church circles around the world,
today is Pluralism Sunday.
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First celebrated in 2007, Pluralism Sunday is now as then, sponsored by
The Center for Progressive Christianity, in the USA.
Indeed, as part of its Eight (8) Points detailing an understanding
of what it means to be ‘progressive’, TCPC has as its Second point:
Recognize the faithfulness of other people who have other names for the way to God's realm,
and acknowledge that their ways are true for them,
as our ways are true for us.
Pluralism is not some religious ‘fruit salad’ where anything goes.
It is about embracing other religions and honouring them
at a deep level of respect and openness.
And Pluralism Sunday is about letting the world of newspaper columnists and TV producers
and the neighbours with whom you chat over the back fence,
know there are Christian pluralistic churches out there
that challenge the exclusive dogmatism of the fundamentalist churches
who claim Christianity is religiously superior.
There is a way to be authentically and particularly religious,
involved and immersed in a religious culture, and
practice a specific religion and path, but…
“if you go all the way with that, you will discover that we all end up on the top of the same mountain [with]… brothers and sisters of other faiths who have done the same sort of thing” (Burklo, TCPC web site, 2007).
Notes:
Smith, W. C. Towards a world theology. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1981.
Kaufman, G. D. God, mystery, diversity. Christian theology in a pluralistic world. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1996.
Borg, M. J. The heart of Christianity. Rediscovering a life of faith. New York: HarperSanFrancisco, 2003.
Geering, L. G. Coming back to earth: From gods, to God, to Gaia. Santa Rosa: Polebridge Press, 2008.
Blainey, G. “Sydney 1877” in (ed) D. J. Mulvaney, J. P. White. Australians. To 1788. Broadway: Fairfax, Syme and Weldon Associates, 1987.
Breward, I. Australia. The most godless place under heaven. Mitcham: Beacon Hill Books, 1988.
Wilson, B. “The church in a secular society” in D. Harris, D Hynd, D Millikan. (ed) The shape of belief. Christianity in Australia today. Homebush: Lancer Books, 1982.
Christ, C. P. She who changes. Re-imagining the divine in the world. New York: Palgrave/Macmillan, 2003.