On Oct. 3, Dr. Catherine Cornille gave a talk entitled “Religious Hybridity and Christian Identity,” sponsored by the School of Theology and Ministry and Department of Theology. Cornille is the Newton College Alumnae Chair of Western Culture and a professor of comparative theology at BC.
Cornille clearly stated that she has “serious reservations” about the phenomenon of “multiple religious belonging,” which has become very popular in our modern age. She argued “when people are exposed to different religious traditions, it seems irresistible for them” to mix these beliefs, especially in a multicultural society. She acknowledged this process can be sometimes involuntary, citing cultures such as Japan and China who have adopted a pluralistic framework.
On the other hand, individuals can practice multiple belongings voluntarily, and even in temporary ways. For example, in India, mingled religious beliefs “only last as long as [a specific] problem is there,” since citizens might visit a particular temple or shrine for particular needs. For those who identify with several traditions for a longer period of time, it is possible to either split affiliations evenly, or to maintain a primary religious identification and integrate elements from another tradition.
For Cornille, the most common example of identification with multiple traditions is among Christians who also identify as Buddhists. Cornille acknowledged that the appeal of Buddhism is a “highly personal matter,” but suggested the tradition is “very clear and straightforward in its analysis of human suffering and dissatisfaction,” a trait many Westerners find relatable. Additionally, Buddhism’s “sophisticated and subtle understanding of the human mind” leads to readily accessible spiritual therapies that don’t require conversion.
Cornille questioned how individuals might defend their dual practices of Buddhism and Christianity. Monocentric pluralism, the argument that all religions aim towards the same transcendent experience, is one potential avenue. Both traditions emphasize that the origin of evil is caused by our selfish desires, and the idea of a Creator God has a lot in common with the idea of Buddhism’s dependent origination. The two religions can also be seen as complementary: while Christianity has an emphasis on social justice, Buddhism focuses on inner transformation.
Although Cornille’s scholarship argues that religious belonging requires complete and exclusive surrender, similar to a spousal relationship, critics have argued that loving two religions is more like loving two parents or children.
Cornille also elaborated on the “problem and promise of duo-religious belonging.” She argued that there are always conflicting claims to truth between different traditions. In the particular case of Christianity and Buddhism, she posited, “Is there a personal Creator God who continues to exist in a relationship with our eternal soul, or is there no eternal self, and is the self just a continually changing reality that ultimately disappears once nirvana has been reached?”
She concluded that it is impossible to be fully Christian and Buddhist at the same time, since the two traditions cannot be reconciled. In Dr. Cornille’s eyes, “Every religious tradition ultimately expects a moment of complete surrender from believers.” This division also has institutional ramifications. If belonging is understood “purely in a spiritual sense,” individuals cannot fully invest themselves in the continuity of a particular religious tradition.
Despite Dr. Cornille’s arguments against multiple religious belonging, she recognized that these practices “represent an important critical mirror for Christianity,” and it is the Church’s responsibility to identify the compelling aspects of other traditions not offered by Catholicism. She conceded that every religion “neglects some aspects of its own potential that other religions have developed more fully,” emphasizing that Catholicism’s “spiritual development is so incredibly rich, but mostly developed behind the walls of monasteries.” Advocating deeper reflection within the Church, she left participants to consider how Christians might create a more welcoming community.
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