Comparative Religion
The study of similarities and differences across religious traditions—revealing both universal patterns and unique claims.
Major Traditions
The world's great religious traditions. Each offers a comprehensive vision of reality, meaning, and salvation.
The Abrahamic religions share monotheism and revelation; Eastern religions offer diverse paths to enlightenment; indigenous religions connect people to land and ancestors.
- Abrahamic Religions: Judaism, Christianity, Islam—monotheistic, revelatory, historical. They share Abraham but differ on Christ and Muhammad.
- Eastern Religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism—diverse approaches to ultimate reality. Brahman, Nirvana, the Tao—different names for transcendence.
- Indigenous Religions: Traditional religions worldwide—often animistic, communal, place-based. They preserve ancient wisdom about the sacred in nature.
- New Religious Movements: Modern religions and spiritualities—from Mormonism to New Age. The religious impulse continues to generate new expressions.
Implications for Theism
What does religious diversity tell us? It is evidence both for and against theism—depending on how we interpret it.
The universality of religion suggests humans are oriented toward God—the sensus divinitatis at work. But diversity also raises questions: if God exists, why so many religions?
- Universal Orientation: The universality of religion suggests humans are oriented toward God. We are made for transcendence; atheism is unnatural.
- General Revelation: Common elements may reflect God's revelation to all peoples. The Logos enlightens everyone; truth is scattered among the nations.
- Unique Claims: Differences matter—not all religions can be equally true. Christianity makes unique claims about Christ that must be evaluated.
- Fulfillment: Christianity as the fulfillment of religious longing. Lewis and Tolkien: Christianity is the 'true myth'—the myth that became fact.