Fraternal Pluralism: How Catholics Approach Others

Abstract

Pope Francis has written about the need for human fraternity. This article calls his approach "fraternal pluralism." It goes beyond thinner forms of pluralism that merely accept diversity as a reality. 

Fraternal pluralism rejoices in encounter, sharing, and collaboration. It does not threaten the Catholic Church's particular beliefs, but sees variety as a basis for mutual discovery. Fraternal pluralism is not new to the Church. It grows out of historical roots as interpreted, refined, and sometimes radically reoriented by the Second Vatican Council. Catholics have been living it ever since. 

This article begins by situating fraternal pluralism among other understandings of pluralism, including earlier Catholic ones. It then turns to three different categories of "others" the Church approaches with fraternal pluralism: non-Christians, non-Catholic Christians, and dissenting Catholics. Fraternal pluralism shows these people appreciation, cooperation, and respect. Next, the article asks where fraternal pluralism might go. Retreat from it is unlikely, as is its translation into an internal governing model for the Church, but fraternal pluralism is already being developed into a way of thinking about non-humans. 

Keywords: Catholic, pluralism, fraternity, Pope Francis, interfaith, ecumenical, dissent, dialogue, religious liberty, religion, Vatican II, Second Vatican Council, Catholic Church, Catholicism, martyr, heresy, history, Cardinal Cushing, ecology, Fratelli Tutti, encyclical