Abstract
M.A.
This study is an attempt at developing the most viable approach towards religious
diversity. It aims at evaluating some of the existing approaches towards the problem
of religious diversity, in order to be able to suggest a specific approach towards
religious plurality in the South African context. John Hick's suggestion of religious
pluralism is evaluated critically both in terms of its theoretical viability, as well
as its practical implications for interreligious dialogue. This study considers John
Hick's religious pluralism to be a typically modernist project and therefore not ideal
for the handling of a post-modern phenomenon such as religious diversity. A
post-modern, anti-subjectivist approach is used as a critical tool in analysing Hick's
position as well as developing a new approach to religious diversity. This
post-modern, anti-subjectivist approach also offers a new perspective on the
possibilities of interreligious dialogue. Finally the conclusion is drawn that mankind
should resist constructing comprehensive modernist theories regarding the Transcendent
Reality, and rather engage in interreligious dialogue within a post-modernist
framework. The advantage of this approach to interreligious dialogue is that mankind
once again becomes open to the experience of truth as revelation.