The Challenge of Pluralism: Articulating a Rationale for Religiously Diverse Urban Roman Catholic Schools in the United States
This essay explores the challenge of pluralism through an examination of religiously diverse urban Roman Catholic schools in the United States. Changes in student demographics have forced members of the sponsoring religious body to ask: Why should schools with a large number of non-Catholics be sponsored, often at great cost, by a church community with limited resources and expanding needs in other domains? Based on the belief that religious institutions must be seen in their particular historical, sociological and political context, the essay begins with a discussion of these issues. In that light, the author presents three rationales for continued support that emanate from the heart of contemporary Catholic thought: ecumenism, racial justice and solidarity. Finally, he offers reflections for a multi faith, international audience about the legitimation of religiously affiliated educational institutions.