The Dawn of Religious Pluralism
Voices from the World's Parliament of
Religions, 1893

Edited by Richard Hughes Seager

Nothing like the 1893 World's Parliament of Religions had been seen in the history of the world, and nothing like it was to be seen for again for many years: a gathering of representatives of numerous world religions for an exchange of views.

It was a turning point in American life, presaging the multiculturalism of a century later. This volume contains a selection of 60 representative and revealing addresses given to the Parliament, with authoritative introductions and notes. The addresses include contributions by Protestant mainstream ministers, African-Americans, Roman Catholics, Orthodox Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, and representatives of other Asian religions. Also included are various "points of contact and contention," in which religious leaders attempted to analyze or reach out to their counterparts in other traditions.