On the contrary, a plurality of diverse religions is positive and valuable.

On the contrary, a plurality of diverse religions is positive and valuable. The variety around the world of different ways of being human is something to celebrate and understand, not something to try to iron out. In the words of Diana Eck, “…the encounter of a pluralistic society is not premised on achieving agreement, but achieving relationship.” Pluralism will always demand that we share our particular understanding of religion with one another.

If done in sympathy and respect for the integrity of the other, such sharing, as past and present examples demonstrate, can result in spiritual growth and enrichment for all. Harold Coward believes that there is a basic prerequisite for religious dialogue: all participants should have accurate information about each other’s religions. Fulfilling this task is probably the single largest obstacle to the success of this dialogue.

He therefore perceives that the academic discipline of religious studies has a major role to play in fulfilling this prerequisite. He also acknowledges that the intellectual knowledge of the facts of all religions is needed, but alone that will not be sufficient. So we might urgently need a more sophisticated concept of dialogue than the one prevailing today. Our shared human values remind us that it is vital to recognise the humanity of the other in order to affirm our own humanity.

In that sense, dialogue must be linked practically and meaningfully with political dialogue. It must be a parallel process rather than a pleasant afterthought. This is how we can restore the peaceful role of our pluralism when it is needed most. Jonathan Sacks developed a notion of languets to address the challenges of nurturing commitments in parochial communities, characterized by race, religion, and ethnicity as well as the broader society.

To achieve this, Sacks claims that we have to learn two languages. He writes, “…there is a public language of citizenship that we have to learn if we are to learn to live together. And there is a variety of second languages which connect us to our local framework of relationships.” We need to talk to each other not only talk at each other.

“I have always believed,” the Dalai Lama once commented, “that people can change their hearts and minds through education, and turn away from violence.” In the past, the “three Rs” (Reading, Writing and [A]rithmetic) were considered the essential basic skills needed by children at the early stages of their learning experiences.