What can, or should we believe today? What is the truth in a pluralistic world? Pluralism is simply a state in which competing authorities exist. This has implications for politics, for society and for religion. One major implication is that in a pluralistic world there is competition for truth. What a uniform culture may believe universally to be good and right and true, might not be accepted by many in a pluralistic culture.
As cultural Christianity (at least in theory a uniform authority) has collapsed in the West, pluralism, especially religious pluralism, is reflected in the culture today. There are different social, religions, and atheistic philosophies competing for space in the marketplace of ideas in today’s Western nations. What does this mean on the ground?
Pluralism and Confusion
One of the great challenges in such a culture, where consensus is more difficult is seen in the fracturing and polarising of our political landscape. And when voluntary coordination becomes less promising, governments are left with a recourse to force. And so the state’s power increases to fill the cultural vacuum. This state begins to impinge on personal, financial, and religious freedom.
How should we respond to this? Christians have responded with deep concern, leading some to battle for the culture, while others give up in despair, and the rest fall somewhere in the middle, uncertain and unsure.
Fortunately, the Church has faced this very situation before. In this episode of the GoodFaith Podcast, we explore the rule of faith and its role in establishing Christian truth.
