The Concept of Particularism in Religious Studies and Theology of Religions

Abstract

The article examines various interpretations of the concept of particularism in religious studies and theology of religions. In the religious context, particularism manifests in three primary domains: (1) The theme of the chosenness of the Jewish people; (2) The under­standing of salvation in Christianity, particularly in relation to Calvin’s soteriology and his doctrine of predestination (decretum particulare); (3) In a broader sense, as the belief held by certain religious groups regarding their own exclusivity and the notion that salvation is attainable only within their specific religious tradition or community. These interpretations represent the principal and most frequently encountered meanings of particularism in aca­demic literature. However, within theology of religions and studies of interreligious dia­logue, the term has acquired additional, specialized connotations: (4) As a position within the theology of religions, associated with George Lindbeck’s cultural‑linguistic approach; (5) As a methodological principle in the study of other religions, emphasizing their unique­ness and distinctiveness. Drawing on Gavin D’Costa’s survey article “Christian Theology of Religions” and other sources, the paper demonstrates that the term particularism in dis­cussions of the theology of religions has come to denote Lindbeck’s cultural‑linguistic
approach within postliberal theology. From this perspective, particularism – or postliberal particularism – is regarded either as the fourth major stance in the theology of religions (alongside exclusivism, inclusivism, and pluralism) or as a variant of exclusivism. Postlibe­ral particularism shifts the focus away from the salvific potential of other religions toward the exclusivity and distinctiveness of each religion, understood in terms of the incommensu­rability of meanings and the uniqueness of each religious tradition as a cultural‑linguistic system. The concluding section of the article explores the application of the postliberal par­ticularism concept in research on interreligious dialogue, including in comparative theology. Academic literature largely lacks comprehensive analyses of the diverse interpretations of particularism – both in the general religious context and within the theology of religions – which may lead to conceptual confusion. This article seeks to address this gap and may prove valuable for researchers interested in the theology of religions and interreligious dialogue.