Abstract
This chapter begins with a brief overview of the multifaith movement from the 1893 Parliament of the World’s Religions (PWR) until the Second World War (WWII). It then examines the causes and motives behind the rise of multifaith engagement from the 1960s until the early 1990s, by drawing on previously published material and actor perspectives gathered specifically for this study. Finally, building upon Patrice Brodeur’s (Cross Currents 55(1):42–54, 2005) analysis, it identifies four principal aims of the ultramodern multifaith movement.
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Notes
- 1.
This section draws on Barrows’ 1983 account of the PWR, alongside discussions and critiques of his description, notably Braybrooke’s (1992), Eck’s (2001) and Snodgrass’s (2003). The PWR representatives’ names are spelled differently in each of these monographs. Braybrooke’s and Eck’s spelling has been used for consistency, as this section is based primarily on their research interpreting the first PWR and its effects on the contemporary multifaith movement, while recognising that the accuracy of this spelling might be debatable.
- 2.
For a detailed account of the ecumenical movement see Pratt, Douglas (2010) The church and other faiths: The World Council of Churches, the Vatican, and interreligious dialogue. Bern: Peter Lang.
- 3.
Eboo Patel <2007, US> stressed the importance of ‘normalising pluralism’ when interviewed for this study.
- 4.
For a detailed account of the WCC and its effect on dialogue between diverse faiths see Pratt, Douglas (2010). The church and other faiths: The World Council of Churches, the Vatican, and interreligious dialogue. Bern: Peter Lang.
- 5.
For a detailed account of Vatican II and its effect on dialogue between diverse faiths see Pratt, Douglas (2010). The church and other faiths: The World Council of Churches, the Vatican, and interreligious dialogue. Bern: Peter Lang.
- 6.
As this is a sociological rather than a theological study, while there is some mention of theological theories in this chapter, a detailed theological exploration of multifaith relations is beyond the scope of this inquiry.
- 7.
For a detailed account of Race’s Christian Theology of Religions see Race, Alan (1983). Christians and religious pluralism: Patterns in the Christian theology of religions. London: SCM Press Ltd.
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Halafoff, A. (2013). The Rise of the Multifaith Movement: 1893–1992. In: The Multifaith Movement: Global Risks and Cosmopolitan Solutions. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5210-8_3
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