A Phenomenological Study of Personal Spiritual Experiences in Navigating Religious Pluralism within Interfaith Communities

Abstract

This study explores how personal spiritual experiences shape perceptions of religious pluralism through a phenomenological lens. Drawing from semi-structured interviews with 20 participants of diverse religious backgrounds, we examine how subjective spiritual encounters influence interfaith understanding. Religious pluralism is a growing area of interest in the field of religious studies, particularly as societies become increasingly interconnected. However, there remains limited understanding of how individual spiritual experiences shape perceptions of religious diversity. This research addresses this gap by exploring the subjective experiences of individuals from diverse religious backgrounds and their impact on interfaith understanding. We employ a phenomenological approach to investigate how personal spiritual experiences influence perceptions of religious pluralism, with a focus on lived experiences rather than theoretical or doctrinal perspectives. Using semi-structured interviews, data were analyzed through thematic analysis to identify key themes in participants’ experiences, revealing that personal spiritual encounters foster empathy and respect across faiths. The findings suggest that spiritual experiences are a transformative factor in promoting interfaith understanding, offering a deeper, experiential perspective on religious pluralism. These results contribute to our understanding of how personal religious experiences shape social interactions and offer valuable insights for future research on religious diversity and interfaith dialogue.