Pluralism
Oxford University Press eBooks June 24, 2023 DOI: 10.1093/oso/9780197609606.003.0017 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that religious pluralism, understood through William James's discussion in The Pragmatic Method, is a defining characteristic of the seven dream journalists, who each displayed strong interest in alternative perspectives, new ideas, and different voices rather than a monistic religiosity centered on one God and one way of relating to the divine. |
Abstract
Abstract This is the third of three chapters that look at the religious and spiritual qualities of the seven dream journalists. Here the quality of religious pluralism is considered as a defining characteristic of the seven dream journalists. In contrast to monistic religiosity, which emphasizes the supreme unity and authority of one God and one way of relating to the divine, each of the dream journalists displayed a strong interest in alternative perspectives, new ideas, and different voices. In this way, they can be considered in light of William James’s discussion of pluralism in The Pragmatic Method. The chapter ends with reflections on how the absence of any substantive treatment of dreams in James’s The Varieties of Religious Experience gave the author an early inspiration and opportunity to pursue an unexplored path of research.