Archive for June 30th, 2004

2004.06.30

Religion and Plurality

I’m not sure plurality is the correct word to use. Rather, call it splintering of a single thing. This thing is religion, specifically Christianity.

One of the interesting things about Christianity, and one of its weaknesses, is that there is no “one way” about it. You’ve got every flavour of Christian like Born Again, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Evangelical, Unitarian, Methodist, Quaker, Mormon, Baptist, etc ad nauseum. Which one is right? Not a single Christian would probably agree.

Compare this to many other religions like Islam. “There is only one God, Allah, and Muhammed is his messenger.” Muslims have a few variations in practice, but overall they are far more unified than Christians in their worship. Buddhism seems much the same.

This splintering makes it seem like there is no right answer. It makes it seem to an outsider like there is no authority. There is the Bible, but how you interpret it is open to any particular churches discretion. This is great in that you can shop around and find a church that appeals to you, but for a religion to claim it is Right and The Answer to have hundreds of counter claims weakens your case. Compare this to Catholicism: you have the Pope and you have the Bible and there is no variation. The Catholic Church speaks as one voice. This is appealing in many ways, and certainly gives credence to thier “claim” to be Right and The Answer.

I wonder what Christ would say to the Christians upon seeing his splintered Church?

To me the fact that there are so many religions is indicative that there is no true universal religion. I am not saying that we are not a religious species; we obviously are and I believe I am rather more religious than I care to admit, but there is a clear difference to me between Religion which is splintered and religion which is my own and only as fractured as my own soul.