The Developmental Religious Pluralism Initiative (DRPI) uses a trans-disciplinary approach to analyze and solve problems within our global religious landscape. Current research and consultation projects unlock the wisdom at the nexus of Developmental Psychology, Religious Studies, and International Relations/Diplomacy as a launching point. When these three areas of academic inquiry come together, novel solutions emerge.
What is Developmental Pluralism?
Developmental pluralism offers a new lens through which humanity can view the dynamic flux of religious activities rampant throughout the globe. True to its roots, developmental pluralism includes all of the fundamental notions of religious pluralism yet adds a new level of complexity that allows it to transcend the limitations into an entirely new form of analysis and embrace.
Including Pluralism
First and foremost developmental pluralism honors all religious traditions as valuable orientations toward Ultimate Reality. Second, developmental pluralism acknowledges the richness that arises when religions are viewed from a vantage point that embraces the commonalities between traditions as well as their significant irreducible differences.
Transcending Pluralism
Religious pluralism is the current mainstay of governmental and educational institutions. Thus far explained, our pluralistic approach is surely familiar to the reader. Developmental pluralism, however, adds a second component making it stand out as a novel model.
In addition to embracing pluralistic ideals, developmental pluralism incorporates the great insight of modern developmental psychology. Developmental psychology reminds us that all human being move through various levels of of psychological maturity - a link directly relevant to the way our global religious landscape unfolds.
Ultimately, the influence of global religion is determined by the choices individuals make when they endorse, interpret, and practice their religious tradition. If we take the evidence provided by developmental psychologists (all human beings grow through specific stages of psychological growth), it becomes clear that there exist varying levels of interpretation and practice within each tradition that directly correlate to each stage of psychological maturity.
To be clear, developmental pluralism recognizes that each religions tradition itself cannot be placed on a spectrum of more and less developed (this was the mistake of the modernist that postmodern waves in academia strived so hard to correct). We can say however, that the individuals themselves who interpret and eventually act out in the world can be placed on a a distinct ladder of Religious Orientation.
Developmental Religious Pluralism
In short, our emergent model includes all the elements of pluralism but adds to it significant insight regarding human psychological development. Hence, we call it: Developmental Pluralism.
Purpose
