Philosophy 200
Religious Pluralism
This essay will cover John Hick's thoughts and views on Religious pluralism, which will include his interpretation of Religious Pluralism, the reasons why he feels it is the most plausible viewpoint to have toward religion, what he believes is at the core of all faiths, conflicts he has regarding descriptions of ultimacy, metaphysical beliefs, and religious history, how he dismisses and discards those conflicts, my opinion on his motives for promoting Religious pluralism; and lastly, Is Hick convincing in his argument? or not.
When John Hick describes his views of Religious pluralism, he advises us not to base our interpretation of other religions using different world views, our own religious beliefs, or lack thereof, but rather to see them from an equal, co-existing, and fair mindset. Those with religious beliefs may believe their religion is the only genuine and authentic religion. In contrast, those with no religious beliefs may look at all religions in the same invalid light. For either group to better understand, recognize, tolerate and justify all religions, one must look at them with an objective vision rather than a subject lens.
John Hick believes in a pluralistic view towards religions, and it should be the only plausible policy society should enclose to attain a religiously diverse and co-existing one. His belief doesn’t pertain to personal views but also includes governmental and cultural perspectives. The advancements in communication throughout the previous century and globalization have exposed virtually every person to various religious practices, beliefs, and traditions. And to live in harmony, individuals must have a pluralistic view.
At the core of all religions. John Hick believes all religions involve having a path to salvation, which he noted by saying, “In this broader sense, we can say that both Christianity and other faiths are paths to salvation” (Hick 55). While all regions have different ways of obtaining salvation, from Christianity, having us saved from our sins by God because of Jesus's sacrifice to Islam is attainable through worship, repentance, and forgiveness by God. The result is the same, we all need to reach salvation.
While working on the philosophy of Religious pluralism, John Hick encountered several conflicts. One conflict he describes is Religious ultimacy, where individuals have difficulty being objective, either perceive their religious ultimacy or perceive that other religions believe in it due to reading sacred texts or having personal observations of their doctrine. Another conflict Hick has, is with metaphysical beliefs or ultimate truths, which Hick referenced in his quote, “For to say, without explanation, that the historical Jesus of Nazareth was also...
