The Gadamer-Habermas Debate and Its Implication for Religion

This chapter attempts to elaborate on the consequences of Gadamer-Habermas debate on tradition for mutual inter-religious understanding and harmony. The chapter argues that Habermas critique is circumscribed by the binary of Gadamerian tradition and Enlightenment modernity. However, there are many instances when traditions and even religious traditions have supported progressive causes of reform and also revolution. The chapter cites the cases of social reform movements in South India, the Iranian Revolution and the phenomenon of liberation theology in Latin America. Thus, the chapter argues that while the debate was within the framework of the binary of tradition and Enlightenment modernity; first, there are many instances where the binary did not exist. Two, still the debate is very relevant in every contestation between tradition and modernity on one hand and for the mutual understanding between different traditions on the other. Thus while emphasising the significance of the Gadamer-Habermas debate, the chapter points to many instances in India and elsewhere, wherein a middle path was forged between tradition and progressive modernity.