Religious Pluralism: A Rawlsian Approach

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to explore the extent to which the many difficult issues raised by religious pluralism, indeed by a newly intense religious pluralism, can be adequately addressed in terms of Rawlsian political philosophy. In this regard it is important to notice that liberalism arose historically as a response to the wars of religion between Catholics and Protestants. Its success in dealing with the conceptual problems in political philosophy associated with these wars is one of the greatest intellectual achievements in human history, hence it would be a mistake to ignore the resources of political liberalism when dealing with contemporary problems surrounding religious pluralism.