Whereas "religious diversity" refers to the fact that there are many religious traditions, "religious pluralism" refers to beliefs and attitudes. Religious pluralists believe that other religions can provide positive values and truths, even salvation--however defined--to their adherents. The articulation of religious beliefs inevitably involves the use of philosophical ideas. Some philosophical positions discourage religious pluralism. Other positions encourage pluralism, but only superficial versions thereof. The present book is based on the conviction that the philosophy articulated by Alfred North Whitehead encourages not only religious pluralism in the generic sense but deep religious pluralism. As such it is offered as an alternative to the version of religious pluralism that has dominated the recent discussion, especially among Christian thinkers in the West--a version that has evoked a growing call to reject pluralism as such.
Renowned contributors of a diversity of faiths include: Steve Odin, John Shunji Yakota, Sandra Lubarsky, Jeffery Long, Mustafa Ruzgar, Christopher Ives, Michael Lodahl, Chung-ying Cheng, Wang Shik Jang, and John B. Cobb Jr.
