Non-theistic religions are not doctrinally compatible with theistic ones. The Buddhist concept of nirvana is not the same as the Christian idea of the kingdom of heaven. The third position argues that the religious pluralism seen in the world is not a tragic, hellish mistake, but part of the evident will of God for humankind, writes Ingham. The truth is that God intended people to use many paths to reach the divine. Thus, all world religions possess a piece of the greater mystery that humans have called God, or the gods.
All religions contain errors as well as truths.
Yet the bishop insists that pluralism does not have to lead to relativism, or the loss of belief in truth. It also need not lead to syncretistic attempts to blend the many world religions into a single system. In the end, he believes it is best if believers in the various religions remain unconditionally committed to their own faiths yet accept the validity of other religious viewpoints. The mature pluralist merely becomes adept at mentally adding the phrase for us at the end of doctrinal statements. But there is a problem.