Pluralistic Society

Research papers on a pluralistic society discuss pluralism and the elements of this philosophic concept that make a society diverse. Have Paper Masters explain pluralism and its social elements in a custom written research paper that you design and we write.

When a society is very diverse - that is, when it contains a variety of the following elements it is deemed a pluralistic society:

1. Religions
2. Belief systems
3. Political opinions

For example, in religious pluralism, a society wherein citizens are free to practice any religion they want, or no religion whatsoever, if they so choose, must work within itself to promote toleration for these different belief systems. The practice of these various faiths is the first step to a truly pluralistic society; when those various faiths are universally tolerated or, ideally, accepted by all members of that society, it has successfully transitioned to a fully pluralistic culture.

To achieve this sense of stereotypes, a number of steps must be taken and transitions made. For toleration or acceptance, individuals should be educated about the variety of faiths that are present. When individuals know the truth behind different belief systems, they can move beyond stereotypes or falsehoods that can prevent understanding. It is also imperative that there be open lines of communication between members of different faiths. If a member of one faith has a question about the practices of another, there should be methods by which that question can be answered; these open lines of communication allow individuals to continuously educate themselves and promote the idea of tolerance and acceptance. Finally, it is essential that everyone understand their dual role as speaker and listener in the promotion of a pluralistic society. When there is a clarification that needs to be made, one can serve as a speaker; when there is a concern that needs to be addressed, one can serve as a listener. This not only helps to promote the open lines of communication that are required for success, but allows for the development of an open, honest pluralistic society.

Example of Pluralism in Society - Religion

One example of a pluralistic society is one that has religious tolerance. At the heart of religious pluralism is the belief that all religions are equal. While this is the conservative Christian definition, for many individuals religious pluralism has evolved into simply "the existence within a, or society of, religiously distinct groups." In short, the definition has mutated into a form of religious tolerance. What many people fail to realize is that while the Christian view equates all religion and provides for moral relativism, pluralism in the sense of tolerance embraces biblical truth "allowing for freedom of conscience." Because such a dichotomy exists in the postmodern era, it is important to distinguish between what is truly pluralist and what is purely tolerance.

Taking religious pluralism and putting it back into the context of postmodern realities, Christian faith is now confronted with the pragmatist who wants physical proof that other religions are as viable as Christianity. "Truth is empirical for pragmatism because claims must be put to the test of experience and be confirmed by experience before they can qualify as true." The questions at this point become confounded and complicated. Can people of other religions attain salvation? If other religions provide a pathway to higher existence, what is the correct method of achieving this goal? These questions, among others, are what many Christians see as the barrier to accepting pluralism.