Secular State Pluralism - Christianity, Migration & Religious Pluralism

Characteristics of religiously pluralist society

- Exploring one another's traditions

- Helping one another & respecting differences

What type of state is Britain?

Secular

Secular State

A country where the government, legal system and society are independent of the teachings of a religion.

Social Cohesion

A situation where different cultures work together, forging a national identity.

Assimilated

One culture / religious system is totally absorbed by another, losing its distinctive identity.

Criticisms of Multiculturalism & Religious Pluralism

- Threatens social cohesion

- Immigrant cultures

- Certain practices

- Assumptions of multiculturalism

- Differing beliefs

Threatens social cohesion

- Multiculturalism does this

- Means there is no sense of a common identity

Immigrant cultures

- Might flourish without being assimilated

- Can lead to a sense of isolation / discrimination

Certain practices

- Carried out by some communities, may be illegal under British law & cause tensions

- E.g. FGM & forced marriages

Assumptions of multiculturalism

- Assumes no culture can claim to be the best

- However, a major reason for belonging to a particular religion is the belief that it offers the best way of life

Differing beliefs

- Problem of religious pluralism

- Statements of belief may make it impossible for someone to accept that the teachings of two or more religions are true at the same time