This dissertation project is an ethnographic analysis of multi-leveled interactions taking place in the process of deliberation about plural coexistence in Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia. The focus of the dissertation is on how youth are socialized into ethical perspectives, and how they negotiate, implement, and circulate frameworks for approaching religious difference. As Indonesian society is becoming increasingly divided along religious lines, the pressing need for a viable consensus for national cohesion has heightened the importance attributed to civic and religious education in schools. The particular field site is a majority-Protestant region with a national reputation for success in modeling tolerance and inter-religious relations. Starting by mapping relevant institutions and organizations that shape the public conversation on questions of plurality and citizenship, I demonstrate how schools channel ethical dispositions toward difference through the curriculum and the everyday realities of the schools. I continually consider how these ethical perspectives articulate with the broader public sphere. I provide case studies in three educational institutions in North Sulawesi, Indonesia: a public high school, a private Catholic high school, and a public madrasah (Islamic high school). My theoretical perspective on ethical socialization links education as “deliberation” (Varenne 2007) with the concept of “reflective freedom” (Laidlaw 2014) as intrinsic to ethics in order to demonstrate how educational institutions channel ethics and act as arenas for individual and public deliberation. Furthermore, I consider how the ethical deliberations about difference at these schools are negotiated by youth. As young Indonesians navigate institutional policies and take classes in religious and civic education, they also make daily decisions, including whom to befriend, how to wear the school uniform, and what to eat for lunch. In doing so, they engage in ethical deliberation about difference. I argue that this ongoing and dynamic process is significant because of the consequences for how these actors understand the conditions of inclusion and exclusion in the national context, and in turn, shape the broader political context with which the analysis begins.

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The present study intends to contribute to the work undertaken in Quebec and in France on religious pluralism in the public sphere. The first section examines the common approach adopted by both States which allowed students to wear religious symbols in public schools. We then highlight the divergent approaches that emerged in 2004 when the French legislature prohibited almost entirely this practice. / The second section assesses the capacity of Quebec's and France's legal and political approaches to ensure social cohesion, to protect freedom of religion, the right to equality as well as the rights of the internal minorities who are pressured and constrained by their surroundings. Some considerations related to French universalism might be used to counterbalance the negative effects of the differentialist approach. Nevertheless, this comparative study leads us to conclude that, in Quebec, differentialism remains the path to be followed.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 202-226). / Also available by subscription via World Wide Web / x, 226 leaves, bound 29 cm

Religious freedoms in the countries which were once part of the Soviet Union have gradually been on the decline since the mid 1990s. Reflective of de-democratisation trends in many states, religious market liberalisation has lost momentum. Governments have increasingly used methods to restrict non-traditional religious organizations similar to those used in protecting national industries. These range from subsidies for traditional churches to regulatory barriers and even outright bans on non-traditional groups. This drift towards a restrictive religious playing field has coincided with traditional dominant churches being more vocal in the debate over religious institutional design. In this thesis I examine the motives of traditionally dominant churches in either advocating legal restrictions on non-traditional religious entities or promoting a religious free market. Variation in attitudes and policies across traditional churches suggests explanatory variables are at play. A multi-methodological approach is used to understand policy formulation within the hierarchical establishments of traditional churches on religious liberties and religious pluralism. In addition to utilising path-dependent modelling to account for churches' Soviet existence, assumptions drawn from recent scholarship in applying rational choice methodology to the study of religion is used to conceptualise present-day market features. Findings from three churches suggest that a church'€™s agenda on religious liberalisation and plurality stems from hierarchical perceptions of the direction of change of their church'€™s relative influence in society. That perception is heavily rooted in the intersection of Soviet experience and transitional market place dynamics. This thesis adds a case-study contribution to the growing academic discourse on institutional change in transitional societies. In particular, it identifies the mechanisms by which institutional transformation and the creation of a vibrant civil society can stagnate in transitional societies.

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Thesis (DTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Due to the consciousness of religious pluralism and the need for peace amongst the religious communities of the world, the researcher considered, and herewith presents, the arguments for and against each of three traditional theological models for evaluating the relation between Christianity and other religions. Although this theological debate about the truth and salvific value of non- Christian views of life is important, and although the three approaches discussed each brings out important aspects that have to be considered in this debate, they were found to be limited in an important respect, namely, that they do not suggest practical strategic solutions for how Christians should relate to people who hold beliefs that differ from their own. With reference to the notion of an “ethic of embrace,” drawing on a number of New Testament texts as interpreted by theologians like Hans Küng, Miroslav Volf, Harold Nethland, Sam Storms, and Robert H. Stein, to name but a few, a strong case could be made for the necessity of such an ethic as a guideline for how the churches should interact with those who do not share their faith. It could be concluded that each of the three theoretical models, Particularism, Inclusivism and Pluralism, needs to be reconsidered from the perspective of an ethic of embrace. The researcher therefore inquired into the extent to which each of the theoretical models can be reconciled, and can indeed support and undergird, an ethic of embrace. Since, at least at face value, Particularism seems to raise most questions in this regard, it received particular attention. It was concluded that, also when applied in the context of the Particularist model, the ethics of embrace is the missing link that can help influence religiously motivated conflicts in a positive way. This allows for a more peaceable praxis as it not only addresses religious conflict in the world, but can also enable the Particularistic model to foster peace among religions and therefore, indirectly, peace among the nations of the world. The themes of reconciliation, tolerance, forgiveness and hospitality, which are interconnected with an ethic of embrace form an important part of chapter 5, with its focus on the truth and salvific significance of Jesus Christ reflected in his life as portrayed by Biblical witnesses. It is argued that He is not only the truth, or the one who spoke about the truth and his salvific significance, which is of central importance to the Particularistic model, but was able to demonstrate its practical application through the life He lived among humans. He demonstrated practically how the neighbour can be embraced in accordance with a particular understanding of the will of God. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis ondersoek die potensiaal van ’n etiek van omhelsing (“embrace”) aangesien drie tradisionele modelle in die teologie van die godsdienste, naamlik Partikularisme, Inklusivisme en Pluralisme, nie voldoende is om vrede tussen die verskillende gelowe van die wêreld te bevorder nie. Argumente ten gunste van en teen elke model, sowel as hulle sterk en swak punte, word behandel om duidelik aan te toon dat nie een van die drie modelle genoegsame praktiese strategiese metodes oplewer nie. Nadenke oor die waarheidsgehalte en moontlike verlossingskrag van nie-Christelike godsdienste, en oor Christene se wyse van interaksie met mense van ander gelowe, verskaf opsigself nie die nodige vrugbare praktiese riglyne nie. Met betrekking tot die idee van ’n etiek van omhelsing, het verskeie teoloë, waaronder Hans Küng, Miroslav Volf, Harold Nethland, Sam Storms, en Robert H. Stein, om net ’n paar te noem, sterk konstruktiewe argumente ontwikkel wat die idee van ’n etiek van omhelsing ondersteun en bevorder in verband met Christene se verhouding met mense van ander gelowe. Hierdie studie argumenteer ten slotte dat die drie teologiese modelle wat ondersoek is ’n etiek moet heroorweeg van ’n verhouding van omhelsing teenoor mense van ander gelowe, indien hulle tot vrede tussen mense van verskillende gelowe wil bydra. Die navorser ondersoek ook tot watter mate die drie modelle met ’n etiek van omhelsing versoen kan word. Aangesien Partikularisme skynbaar meer vrae in hierdie verband oproep, word dit veral deurdink. Die navorser kom dan tot die gevolgtrekking dat die etiek van omhelsing, in die konteks van Partikularisme, dalk die verlore skakel is wat, ook vir die Partikulariste, geweld onder die verskillende gelowe kan teenwerk. Dit kan moontlik nie slegs vreedsame verhoudings tussen die verskillende gelowe teweegbring nie, maar ook daartoe bydra dat Partikularisme in die teologiese debat tot geloofsvrede kan bydrae. Versoening, vergifnis, gasvryheid en toleransie is temas wat in verband met ’n etiek van omhelsing ter sprake kom, en vorm belangrike aspekte van hoofstuk 5, aangesien dit nie net in abstrakte sin die waarheidsgehalte en verlossingskrag van Christus sterk beklemtoon nie, maar ook die wyse waarop dit in sy lewe, soos die Bybelse getuies dit narratief skets, in ’n praktyk van omhelsing van die medemens gestalte gevind het.

This dissertation evaluates the historiography, methodology, exegesis, and theological conclusions of pneumatological inclusivists and their doctrine of salvation, and then offers a biblical and theological defense of soteriological exclusivism based on the relationship between the Son and the Spirit. Chapter 1 defines the categories of exclusivism, inclusivism, and pluralism. Attention is given to those inclusivists who ground their inclusivist proposals in a work of the Holy Spirit in world religions apart from Gospel proclamation. Chapter 2 summarizes the work of non-evangelical inclusivists in the area of theology of religions, with particular attention given to those theologians who focus their work on the person and ministry of the Holy Spirit. Chapter 3 summarizes the work of evangelical pneumatological inclusivists, focusing on the efforts of Clark Pinnock and Amos Yong. Chapter 4 evaluates the historiography of pneumatological inclusivists. The chapter contends that any appeals to the theology of Irenaeus or a rejection of the Fifoque clause to bolster support for pneumatological inclusivism are tendentious. Chapter 5 evaluates the theological method of pneumatological inclusivists. The chapter argues that systematic theological conclusions must be based upon solid exegesis and biblical theology. The Bible presents the Spirit as working to glorify the Son. Theological method ought to reflect this priority, that is, it must be Christocentric. Chapter 6 presents a theology of the Son and the Spirit. It is demonstrated that from the beginning of redemptive history, prior to and during the incarnation, the Spirit worked toward and for the glorification of the Son. During the present church age, the Spirit works to glorify Christ. Chapter 7 summarizes the dissertation and highlights areas of contribution and significance. / This item is only available to students and faculty of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. If you are not associated with SBTS, this dissertation may be purchased from <a href="http://disexpress.umi.com/dxweb">http://disexpress.umi.com/dxweb</a> or downloaded through ProQuest's Dissertation and Theses database if your institution subscribes to that service.