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Chris Arthur, Religious Pluralism: A Metaphorical
Approach
Philosophical and Cultural Studies in Religion
We live in a religiously plural world, one in which Buddhism,
Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Sikhism, Taoism, etc.,
variously picture the nature and purpose of human existence. Which
religious account, if any, should we accept, and on what grounds? Is
it legitimate to construct a worldview using material from several
faiths? Using the image of a hall of mirrors to symbolize our new
multi-religious consciousness, Religious Pluralism: A
Metaphorical Approach considers how the individual might answer
such challenging questions.
Religious Pluralism stems from a series of Gifford Research Fellowship
lectures. A stipulation of these is that they be “public and
popular,” addressed to the intelligent lay person, not just the
specialist. Religious Pluralism is not written from any
particular faith stance. It addresses issues that might concern
anyone who thinks about religion, particularly the individual in
search of, or interested in choosing, a faith.
Contents
1. A Revolution in Religious Consciousness
2. Religious Pluralism as an Aspect of Globalization
3. Introducing Cipher and the Hall of Mirrors
4. Information as an Inimical Force
5. The Slap and the Salamander
6. Same House, Different Worlds
7. A Return to Beginnings
8. The Skull on the Mantel and the Burden of Goodness
9. Lessons from Three Elephants
10. A Sense of Timing.
End Notes.
Appendices:
A. The Shri Yantra
B. An Earnest Inquirer After Truth: Lord Gifford and the Gifford
Bequest
C. Acknowledgments
D. Bibliography.
Name Index.
Subject Index
Reviews
“This is a brilliantly imaginative introduction to the issues of
religious pluralism, using metaphors — the central metaphor of the
hall of mirrors, and others — to express our natural puzzlement in
face of the world religions as vast, impressive, and yet very
different, pointers to transcendence. Chris Arthur writes in a
clear, engaging way which makes the book a pleasure to read.” —
John Hick
“Chris Arthur is a pioneer in the serious exploration of religious
pluralism and its effect on anyone wishing to find ultimate
reality…. His is a rich account of how our perplexities can be
guided towards spiritual experience.” — Ninian Smart
Author
Chris
Arthur, Senior Lecturer at the University of Wales, Lampeter,
received a PhD from the University of Edinburgh where he took a
First Class Honors degree in Religious Studies. In 1984 he was
awarded the Gifford Research Fellowship at the University of St.
Andrews. At the University of Wales he teaches courses in Buddhism,
Religion and the Media, and Methodology.
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