Stanley Hauerwas - Why Religious Diversity is a Bad Idea - Program 5015

Dr. Stanley Hauerwas, Professor of Theological Ethics at Duke Divinity School in Durham, North Carolina, challenges our ideas about pluralism and religious tolerance. "One of the things we have to do" he says, "is not ask, how are we going to understand other faiths, but how are other faiths going to understand us?"

[@Joeonline26]

It's baffling to me how many people have completely missed the point of what Hauerwas is saying here. He isn't try to 'rubbish' other religions or advocate for their eradication. On the contrary, he's criticizing the superficiality and total lack of real contact between faiths in the modern idea of 'tolerance' of other religions. More deeply, he's also criticizing the pluralism, relativization, and relegation of religion to a purely privative activity that modernity insists upon

[@MrAbcd467]

spot on!

[@nathanmcguire4687]

The video is badly titled might want to change it

[@brucecase362]

Y'all, the reason for the title is that Stanley- by nature- is provocative. I can assure you that he picked the title. Read "Dispatches from the Front" or Peaceable Kingdom" and you get very provocative titles of his chapters. It's how he communicates. I love this about Haurwas. In a world of boring pablum disguised as theology, he stands out, gets your attention and makes you think. My response to this presentation is that Jesus didn't say "Tolerate others as I have tolerated you." He said love others as I have loved you." Loving others demands much more work from us who claim Jesus as our Lord than tolerance can.

[@charliekurtz1895]

Thank you, Stanley for being a clear voice of reason and common sense. This is especially meaningful for someone who should be dead! In 2012 I suffered a brain aneurism that put me in a coma for 4 weeks. When I regained consciousness, I said about my wife of 17 years, "I'm not sure who she is, but I think I like her a lot." (I DON'T remember saying this!) To hear my story, search KZbin for my full name, "Charles Frank Kurtz," then spread word that miracles STILL happen! The fact that I'm still alive to say that is evidence of just how true the Gospel and the miraculous power of God really is!!!

[@WinsomeWinnower]

This video is terribly titled. The title does not represent what Stanley Hauerwas is discussing. In fact the title, as written, represents the opposite of what he is discussing. It should be more like "Hauerwas on the importance of interfaith dialogue" or "Importance of openness among different religions" or "Christians should be humble, not judgemental, in encountering other religions"

[@KrzysztofOstaszewski]

Oh, the title is exactly correct. You are just missing the point.

[@Joeonline26]

Precisely. Hauerwas is criticizing the superficial pluralism and 'tolerance' advocated by liberalism and it's continued attempt to reduce religion to a purely privative activity. He's advocating for genuine interfaith dialogue and a deep understanding of other traditions. It's nothing to do with religious diversity in itself being 'bad' in any way

[@smw99a]

This has to be the most inaccurate title for a video I've read in months.

[@DoktorAha]

I agree. Should be more like "Hauerwas on interfaith dialogue" or something. "30GoodMinutes" should consider renaming the clip.

[@KrzysztofOstaszewski]

Oh, the title is quite accurate. You are just missing the point.

[@SrNkolaidis]

what's the point?

[@smw99a]

That the idea of having to develop a type of method, or strategy, for engaging interreligious dialogue is not Christian, but a distinctively American anxiety.

[@SrNkolaidis]

Stephen Weathers no I was talking to the other guy who said we missed the point. It seems like in a sense what Hauerwas is worried about is not so much religious diversity and religious tolerance as he is with the idea that that's all we have to do. He's saying we have to be comfortable with constant religious dialogue. We have to have a society where people are comfortable enough to talk about religion to where you don't need some sort of formula for talking about it with someone you disagree with. Krysztof is suggesting that we don't get it and the title is right.

[@SaintSwithinsDay]

A very good video by a very great theologian indeed, but with a truly terrible title! (And, to be honest, he's wearing a very questionable tie.) I do giggle a bit when he says "'umble," though. Uriah Hauerwas!

[@nancyrandazzo7777]

Please listen to the video several times before commenting. This is a very clear view of what is happening today.

[@Joeonline26]

Yep. Time has vindicated Stanley's words in this video.

[@redskindan78]

Rather than a "theory" that lets us talk to Buddhists, we need to just talk to Buddhists. Ask them. Yes, Stanley, we need to do "close, hard, work" to get at what Islam and Buddhism and Hinduism and Judaism say. Then learn the difference among Jewish sects, whether from "second temple Judaism" or the differences among Maimonides, Buber, and Modern Orthodox. Plus: remember that, in the US up until about 1950, we were not sure that Anglicans, Presbyterians, Roman Catholics, Methodists, and Lutherans were all "christian". My neighborhood has Irish Catholics, Greek Orthodox, Dominican Catholics, ELCA Lutherans, Jordanian Muslims, Chinese Buddhists, Methodists (African-American and white-bread), Missouri Synod Lutherans from what was British Guiana, and several others. In the 17th century, Americans learned enough "tolerance" to hesitate before hanging someone who was different. (See Boston, 17th century: they hanged Quakers; Samuel Adams had to overcome suspicions that Bostonians were a bunch of crazed radical "puritans" dragging other colonies into rebellion). That was a good thing, on the whole.

[@SOC-sj8vr]

I would imagine, given Hauerwas’ rich investment in the Christian understanding of suffering, would create an excellent point of dialogue (not to be equated with agreement as it often falsely is) with Buddhism for the student. Clearly, the fault is his own lack of imagination.

[@Joeonline26]

He isn't try to 'rubbish' other religions or advocate for their eradication in the west. On the contrary, he's criticizing the superficiality and total lack of real contact between faiths in the modern idea of 'tolerance' of other religions. More deeply, he's also criticizing the pluralism, relativization, and relegation of religion to a purely privative activity that modernity insists upon. Religion is a social enterprise. It's anything but a private activity, but this is what modernity is insisting it must become

[@mahokhan9122]

GEO's The UNO Mareekh GOD Khuda SA Son ❤️ Love you maho maho BBC Sa ❤️

[@anti-monopolymorediversity]

Diversity? Create 30000 new religions Against the monopoly of the 5 major Religions

[@bayreuth79]

Why does Hauerwas belong to the Anglican Church given that they are the worst offenders when it comes to tolerance

[@talkingthapelo]

He doesn't. To my knowledge he is a methodist

[@allegoria07]

With this guy’s attitude I understand why particularly fundamental Christianity is losing it former status in the world...

[@bubsie44]

I can see why you’d say that, but Hauerwas is anything but a fundamentalist. In fact he’s extremely critical of fundamentalists.

[@Joeonline26]

1. Hauerwas is clearly not a fundamentalist. If that's the impression you got from this video you understand neither Hauerwas nor fundamentalism. 2. What kind of 'status' did fundamentalist Christianity ever really have in reality?

[@fiazmultani]

O FOLLOWERS of the Gospel! Do not overstep the bounds [of truth] in your religious beliefs, [180] and do not say of God anything but the truth. The Christ Jesus, son of Mary, was but God's Apostle - [the fulfillment of] His promise which He had conveyed unto Mary - and a soul created by Him. [181] Believe, then, in God and His apostles, and do not say, "[God is] a trinity". Desist [from this assertion] for your own good. God is but One God; utterly remote is He, in His glory, from having a son: unto Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth; and none is as worthy of trust as God. (Asad)

[@clairebennett7831]

I understand he is speaking on behalf of Christians (evangelicals?) but he seems to be unaware of how minority cultures experience the dominant religion in the US. While the US is becoming more secular, Christians still have the demographic edge, especially in certain geographic regions. For the most part, Christianity in the US doesn't have a reputation of either humility or tolerance. If Christians were taught their own history, maybe that would lead to humility. If as religious group believes it has the truth and the only reason for friendship with other groups is to convert them, they would not be capable of learning or gaining anything of value from others, as it would be viewed as false, worthless and even dangerous.

[@jamaicanification]

You have to understand Stanley Hauerwas is a bit of a contrarian in terms of his view. He is a Christian pacifist(and anarchist somewhat) who is critical of Liberal Democracy, Capitalism, Militarism and American Civil Religion. He is also critical of both Fundamentalism and Liberal Christianity. What he is saying here is that Christians should not think like Americans, but like Christians. You're nationality or culture should not come first in how you interact with others but your faith. For him his faith is a pacifist and non violent view of Christ. He thinks civic religion and civic culture and patriotism are idols that distort what faith is in all aspects of life. As for evangelicalism he's actually a big critic of the evangelical movement.

[@bigbenhebdomadarius6252]

+Claire Bennett Professor Hauerwas is precisely aware of how minority cultures experience the dominant religion in the U.S.--his point is that for the most part, Christianity in the U.S. is arrogant and intolerant and that needs to change. I don't know where on the religio-political spectrum the good professor falls, but the notion that we Christians have to relate to the people around us in love and humility makes a good deal of sense to me. One would think that it would make good sense to _all_ Christians, but alas . . . .

[@KrzysztofOstaszewski]

"If Christians were taught their own history, maybe that would lead to humility. If as religious group believes it has the truth and the only reason for friendship with other groups is to convert them ..." -- You were clearly taught very strange things about Christianity. But in case you want to reexamine what you were taught, I do suggest the presentation above, this time with understanding. Or to rephrase your statement: "If men were made aware of what they had done in the past to women, maybe that would lead them to become properly passive. If a gender believes that the only reason for courtship of women is to have sex with them ..." Or, to present to you my definition of the Western Civilization: Western Civilization is the Civilization of Individual Responsibility.

[@vecumex9466]

While the US is becoming more secular, Christians still have the demographic edge, especially in certain geographic regions?????? The US is becoming more non denominated when it comes to their Christian faith not more secular. This is only taking part in certain regions of the country. In other areas there has been an increase in attendance among traditional churches such as the Catholic, Episcopal and the United Church of Christ. By the way the man in the video is Mr. Stanley Hauerwas the most prominent Christian theologian in America.

[@SaintNektarios]

Did you even bother to watch the video? What a ridiculous response.

[@canwelook]

If you have any doubt that Christianity is a religion of absolute intolerance look at the very first commandment of the ten. Then read the bible... the rapes, the murders, the stonings, the genocides committed in the name of the biblical god.

[@clairebennett7831]

I found this video disturbing in a number of ways. Historically Christianity had the political, military and/or cultural power to force both conversion and compliance. Now that this has receded and its influence is continuing to recede, a large demographic is seeking to regain that political power. They are losing their youth and others, and while we see migration from one Christian faction to another, we rarely see adoption by seculars.

[@PFR1930]

Islam killed millions to spread. Christianity created the greatest civilization ever.

[@KrzysztofOstaszewski]

Wow, is your knowledge of history limited, severely limited.

[@PFR1930]

Krzysztof Ostaszewski Limited? Isn't Europe the greatest civilization? Are you impaired?