Pluralism in the World
Senior 6 · General and Religious Studies
Pluralism in the World
Lesson 1 of 3
24 min
In August 2022, census officers visited every household in Rwanda and asked each person, among other things, "What is your religion?". The answers, published by the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR), show a country where almost everyone belongs to a faith community, but not to the same one. Walk through Nyamirambo in Kigali on a Friday and you hear the call to prayer from the Green Mosque; on Saturday, Adventist congregations gather; on Sunday, Catholic, Anglican and Pentecostal churches fill. The same streets hold all of them.
Living side by side is one thing. Knowing, respecting and working with one another is another. The difference between the two is the subject of this unit: pluralism.
Definition
Diversity: the fact that people differ, in religion, culture, language, opinion, origin and way of life.
Pluralism: a way of living with diversity in which different groups keep their identities, are treated as equals, and actively engage with one another through dialogue and cooperation within a shared society.
Tolerance: accepting the existence of beliefs and practices one does not share, without trying to suppress them.
Relativism: the view that no belief or value is truer or better than another, so that every claim is equally valid.
Assimilation: the process, sometimes forced, by which a minority gives up its own identity and takes on that of the majority.
Interfaith dialogue: respectful conversation and cooperation between people of different religions.
Important
Source B: four principles of pluralism, after Diana L. Eck, founder of the Pluralism Project at Harvard University (1991)
Source A shows diversity: many religious communities, with no single one holding a majority. Catholics are the largest group at 39.9%, but more than half of Rwandans belong to other churches or faiths. Diversity is a fact about a population. Source B explains that pluralism is something more: a response to that fact. A town where Catholics, Adventists and Muslims never speak to one another is diverse but not pluralist. A town where their leaders meet to plan a health campaign, and where their young people play on the same teams, is pluralist.
Eck's third principle matters most for students of religion. Pluralism does not ask a Christian to stop believing that Christ is Lord, or a Muslim to stop believing that Muhammad is the Messenger of God. It asks each to hold his or her commitment while meeting others who hold theirs, honestly and respectfully. That is why pluralism is not relativism.
| Form | What differs | Example in Rwanda | Example elsewhere |
|---|---|---|---|
| Religious | Faith and worship | Constitution, Article 37: freedom of thought, conscience, religion and worship is guaranteed | India, where Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs and others share one State |
| Linguistic | Languages used | Kinyarwanda, English and French (Constitution, Article 8), and Kiswahili, made official by Organic Law N° 02 of 2017 | Switzerland, with four national languages |
| Political | Parties and opinions | A multi-party system in which parties may not be based on race, ethnic group, region, sex or religion (Article 57) | Competitive multi-party elections in Ghana |
| Cultural | Customs, food, dress, arts | Rwandans of the diaspora who returned from many countries, bringing different languages and customs | Canada's official policy of multiculturalism |
| Media and opinion | Sources of news and views | Many radio stations, newspapers and online outlets | Public and private broadcasters in South Africa |
Important
Source C: what the scriptures say about living with others
| Christian scripture (World English Bible) | Islamic scripture (Pickthall, 1930) |
|---|---|
| "Truly I perceive that God doesn't show favoritism; but in every nation he who fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him." (Acts 10:34–35) | "O mankind! Lo! We have created you male and female, and have made you nations and tribes that ye may know one another. Lo! the noblest of you, in the sight of Allah, is the best in conduct." (Qur'an 49:13) |
| "If it is possible, as much as it is up to you, be at peace with all men." (Romans 12:18) | "There is no compulsion in religion." (Qur'an 2:256) |
Both traditions teach that human difference is not a reason for contempt: God judges by conduct and righteousness, not by nation or tribe, and believers are called to live at peace with all. The Qur'an adds that faith cannot be forced.
Warning
Three words that students confuse. Diversity is the fact of difference. Tolerance is putting up with difference. Pluralism is engaging with difference to build a shared life. And pluralism is not relativism: you may believe your faith is true and still respect the person who disagrees.
Tip
Define by contrast. A strong definition of pluralism says what it is not: "Pluralism is not diversity alone, nor mere tolerance, nor relativism; it is..." Examiners reward the distinction more than a memorised sentence.
Important
Discuss. In 2022, about 92% of Rwandans were Christians. Does that make Rwanda less religiously pluralist than a country where no religion has a majority? Consider the many Christian churches in Source A as well as the Muslim minority.
Practice
Sources and credits
Written by Ganzaa: Figure 1, the tables, the analysis and the exercises.
This lesson adapts CC BY-SA material and is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.
