Beyond Pluralism: Esoteric Unity of Religions and the Ontological Reframing of Comparative Theology

The article argues that modern religious pluralism in comparative theology has epistemological limits because it often avoids questions about the nature of ultimate reality, reducing religious diversity to mere symbolic or moral variation. Drawing on the perennial philosophy of Frithjof Schuon and Seyyed Hossein Nasr, it proposes that religious plurality is not epistemic relativism but a differentiated manifestation of a single transcendent reality. Doctrinal, ritual, and symbolic differences express the same metaphysical principle rather than contradicting ultimate truth. This framework reintroduces metaphysical reflection, offering an alternative to both exclusivism and relativistic pluralism that preserves theological distinctiveness while integrating religious diversity.

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Abstract

This article examines the epistemological limitations of modern religious pluralism in comparative theology and proposes perennial philosophy as a metaphysical alternative. While pluralism has contributed to reducing interreligious conflict through ethical convergence and epistemic egalitarianism, it often suspends ontological questions concerning the nature of ultimate reality. This study argues that such an approach risks reducing religious diversity to symbolic or moral variations, thereby neglecting the metaphysical depth of religious traditions. By employing a qualitative conceptual analysis, this research engages the perennial framework articulated by Frithjof Schuon and Seyyed Hossein Nasr, particularly the distinction between esoteric unity and exoteric diversity. It demonstrates that religious plurality can be understood not as epistemic relativism, but as a differentiated manifestation of a single transcendent reality. In this view, doctrinal, ritual, and symbolic differences reflect necessary expressions of the same metaphysical principle rather than contradictions in ultimate truth. The findings suggest that perennial philosophy offers a critical intervention in contemporary comparative theology by reintroducing metaphysical reflection into the study of religious diversity. It provides a conceptual framework that transcends both exclusivism and relativistic pluralism, enabling a more integrative understanding of religious plurality while preserving theological distinctiveness.