Exploring Religious Diversity and Covenantal Pluralism in Asia

<p>This book examines the growing diversity of religions and worldviews across South & Central Asia and the factors affecting prospects for 'covenantal pluralism' in these regions. Going beyond banal appeals for mere 'tolerance' the theory of covenantal pluralism calls for a constitutional order of religious freedom and equal treatment combined with a culture of practical religious literacy and everyday virtues of engagement across lines of religious difference.</p><p>According to the Pew Religious Diversity Index half of the world’s most religiously diverse countries are in Asia. The presence of deep religious/worldview difference is often seen as a potential threat to socio-political cohesion or even as a source of violent conflict. Yet in Asia (as elsewhere) the degree of this diversity is not consistently associated with socio-political problems. Indeed while religious difference is implicated in some social challenges there are also many instances of respectful multi-faith engagement practical collaboration and peaceful debate.</p><p>Volume II offers a pioneering exploration of the prospects for this robust and non-relativistic type of pluralism in South & Central Asia. (Volume I examined East & Southeast Asia.) The chapters in these volumes originally appeared as research articles in a series on covenantal pluralism published by <i>The Review of Faith & International Affairs</i>.</p>