Introduction
The modern world, though religiously diverse, is built upon deep axiological structures that shape our understanding of ethics and social order. This article analyzes how great traditions—from Abrahamic to Dharmic—define the sacred and chart paths to salvation. Readers will discover why religions include "good non-believers," how the concept of natural law influences politics, and how interreligious dialogue stabilizes world peace. Understanding these mechanisms allows us to perceive a shared core of values hidden beneath the various languages of dogma.
Eliade: The Sacred as a Manifestation of Absolute Reality
Religious studies, following Mircea Eliade, points to a rupture in reality between the sacred and the profane. The sacred is not merely an addition, but a primary quality manifesting in an act of hierophany, which establishes the centers of the world even in a secularized society. On this level, distinct soteriological models emerge: Abrahamic traditions focus on the responsibility of the individual before God, while Indian religions (Hinduism, Buddhism) describe the process of liberation from the cycle of rebirth.
Despite these differences, the concept of "neighboring heavens" suggests that the fate of "good non-believers" is not predetermined. Catholicism and Orthodoxy allow for the possibility of salvation beyond the visible boundaries of the Church, emphasizing theosis (deification). Islam teaches that Allah judges according to intention and primordial nature (fitra), while Dharmic religions view atheists as capable of liberation as long as they practice ethics and wisdom. In every case, the entirety of one's life matters more than a mere confessional declaration.
Soteriology: Abrahamic Grace vs. Dharmic Liberation
Different paths to salvation share a common foundation: natural law. In Catholicism, this is the participation of reason in eternal law; in Judaism, the Seven Noahide Laws; and in Islam, the maqāṣid—the objectives of Sharia that protect life and reason. Eastern dharma constitutes a cosmic moral order, which in Buddhism operates impersonally as the law of karma. These systems, though differing in their source of authority, consistently prohibit murder, theft, and lying, while promoting care for the vulnerable.
Religious dogmatics build specific social models. Catholic social teaching is based on personalism, solidarity, and subsidiarity. Islam emphasizes the community (ummah) and social justice, while Judaism combines a dense network of Halakhic laws with ethical minimalism toward the rest of the world. Buddhism, in turn, envisions a state based on compassion, where the ruler serves as the moral guardian of the common good.
Neighboring Heavens: Salvation for "Good Non-believers"
Changes in religious axiology drive the development of civilization, as seen in the transition from polytheism to monotheism, which simplified the legitimization of power and the universalization of law. When religions lose influence, deities enter a state of "cultural hibernation," becoming part of literature. However, apostasy remains a gesture of exclusion from the community, often entailing social ostracism. Today, interreligious dialogue serves as a diplomacy of values, seeking peace by translating ethical systems.
In the face of bioethical and ecological challenges, religions are developing shared responses. Christian personalism, the Islamic protection of fundamental goods, and the Dharmic principle of ahimsa (non-harming) create an ethical minimum. This translates into public policies protecting our "common home" and human dignity. Although the instruments vary, all traditions recognize the care for creation and life as a moral imperative rather than a passing trend.
Summary
Religions, though rooted in different myths and rituals, constantly negotiate the boundaries between dogma and conscience, tradition and modernity. An analysis of their axiology shows that despite doctrinal differences, humanity has developed a consistent core of values protecting the common good. Can this ongoing dialogue build lasting bridges across the chasms of division? Perhaps it is in this continuous adaptation and search for a universal minimum that the true strength of human spirituality lies.
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