Pluralism - You Be You, Unless You’re a Hobbit - 139

Jeff, Allen, Casey and Raj embark on a heart and head heavy journey towards pluralism as guided by Diana Eck’s markers of pluralism:

"First, pluralism is not diversity alone, but the energetic engagement with diversity. Diversity can and has meant the creation of religious ghettoes with little traffic between or among them. Today, religious diversity is a given, but pluralism is not a given; it is an achievement. Mere diversity without real encounter and relationship will yield increasing tensions in our societies.

Second, pluralism is not just tolerance, but the active seeking of understanding across lines of difference.Tolerance is a necessary public virtue, but it does not require Christians and Muslims, Hindus, Jews, and ardent secularists to know anything about one another. Tolerance is too thin a foundation for a world of religious difference and proximity. It does nothing to remove our ignorance of one another, and leaves in place the stereotypes, the half-truths, the fears that underlie old patterns of division and violence. In the world in which we live today, our ignorance of one another will be increasingly costly.

Third, pluralism is not relativism, but the encounter of commitments. The new paradigm of pluralism does not require us to leave our identities and our commitments behind, for pluralism is the encounter of commitments. It means holding our deepest differences, even our religious differences, not in isolation, but in relationship to one another.

Fourth, pluralism is based on dialogue. The language of pluralism is that of dialogue and encounter, give and take, criticism and self-criticism. Dialogue means both speaking and listening, and that process reveals both common understandings and real differences. Dialogue does not mean everyone at the “table” will agree with one another. Pluralism involves the commitment to being at the table — with one’s commitments."

—Diana L. Eck, 2006, http://pluralism.org/

The co hosts discuss past teachings on the “evils of pluralism,” acknowledge the difficulties of being in relationship with people who are different,  reveal past hurts and present fears around being in relationship across boundaries, and express hope for a more pluralistic world.

Conversation on Pluralism (00:47)

Appledash Segment (56:24)

RELEVANT LINKS 

From Our Conversation on Pluralism

Diana L. Eck (Harvard Scholar) Pluralism Relativism Hobbits The Evolution of Satan – Details in the Devil – 086 (Irenicast Episode) Dante’s Inferno PURE: Inside the Evangelical Movement That Shamed a Generation of Young Women and How I Broke Free by Linda Kay Klein (Book – Amazon Affiliate Link) Queer as Folk (Television Series) The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures by Anne Fadiman (Book – Amazon Affiliate Link) Our Religions: The Seven World Religions Introduced by Preeminent Scholars from Each Tradition by Arvind Sharma (Book – Amazon Affiliate Link)

From Our Segment Appledash (This segment is also on episodes #024 & #081)

Mogwai Gremlins (1984 Film) Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018 Film)

YOUR SUPPORT

Thank you for listening to Irenicast.  If you appreciate the show please consider sharing your appreciation by rating, reviewing and/or subscribing to the podcast on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, or whatever platform you’re listening on.

You can also help support the show financially by going to irenicast.com/amazon to do your Amazon shopping.  This will cost you nothing, but Amazon will give a portion of the proceeds to the show.

 

IRENCAST HOSTS

Jeff Manildi | producer & co-host | jeff@irenicast.com

Jeff is co-founder of Irenicast and loves all things that tell a story: people, movies, tv, music, comics, etc.

Follow Jeff (@JeffManildi) on facebook, instagram & twitter.  You can also listen to Jeff’s other podcast Divine Cinema.

 

Rev. Allen Marshall O’Brien | co-host | allen@irenicast.com

Allen is the pastor of a UCC church in Northern California, resident chaplain at an area hospital, and co-founder of Irenicast. He believes in the importance of education, peace, and ecology and writes for multiple platforms.

You can follow Allen (@RevAllenOB) on Facebook,Twitter, Instagram, & Good Reads.  Also if you are in the Sacramento, CA area check out Allen’s brick and mortar version of this podcast called Intersections.

 

Rev. Bonnie Rambob | co-host | bonnie@irenicast.com

Bonnie is the co-pastor at Parkside Community Church. Bonnie has also served the Congregational Church of San Mateo as Transitional Minister for Intergenerational Education.  As a graduate of Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, she offers expertise in multi-faith leadership, the spirituality of children, process theology and church organizational structure.  Drawing from her fundamentalist Christian background, she co-leads several outreach ministries to those spiritual travelers who are migrating out of fundamentalist Christianity.

 

Rev. Raj Rambob | co-host | raj@irenicast.com

Rajeev Rambob (Raj) is spouse, of 26 years, to Bonnie Rambob. Both Bonnie and Raj are ordained ministers in the United Church of Christ. They have two adult children who are intelligent, creative, hilarious and kind. Raj has been a K-12 educator and principal.  Raj transitioned from K-12 leadership to executive leadership in the nonprofit sector. Raj's non-profit experience is largely in homelessness. Currently Raj is Executive Director of Amador Tuolumne Community Action Agency (ATCAA). ATCAA is a multi-service, anti-poverty, agency that serves two counties.  Raj loves thoughtful and irreverent conversation over food and drink with family and trusted friends.

You can follow Raj on Facebook and at www.christianprocess.blogspot.com

 

Pastor Casey Tinnin | co-host | casey@irenicast.com

Casey is the pastor of Loomis Basin Congregational Church in Loomis California.  He is one of the co-creators of Intersections which is a support group that meets once a month to deconstruct their evangelical past. Casey also created a non-religious LGBT teen group, The Landing Spot, that meets once a month. When Casey isn’t preaching, protesting, or providing pastoral care he enjoys spending his time reading comic books, talking about theology, politics and sex, baking, cooking, kayaking and spending time with his partner Jose of six years and walking their dog Kole.

You can follow Casey on Twitter and Facebook, or you can check out his blog The Queerly Faithful Pastor or Gutter Theology

ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE CONVERSATION

Join our progressive Christian conversations on faith and culture by interacting with us through the following links:

Read Us on our blog Irenicon

Email Us at podcast@irenicast.com

Follow Us on Twitter and Google+

Like Us on Facebook

Listen & Subscribe to Us on iTunes, Google Play, Android, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, iHeart Radio, Spreaker and SoundCloud

Speak to Us on our Feedback Page and the Post Evangelical Facebook Group

See Us on Instagram

Support Us on Amazon

Love Us?

CREDITS

Intro and Outro music created by Mike Golin.

This post may contain affiliate links.  An Irenicon is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com