Religious Pluralism as Social Practice: Insights into the Italian Catholic Church

This research contributes to the contemporary sociological debate on religious pluralism, building on the dimensions identified by James A. Beckford, namely pluralism as a set of social practices carried out by individuals in their everyday lives. Since part of the research has gradually shifted the focus towards the individual level of observation to investigate sociological phenomena, the study assumes that religious pluralism can be effectively researched through the perceptions, experiences, and daily practices of individual believers. Focusing on a single religious tradition allows the analysis to move beyond comparative approaches based exclusively on religious affiliation (or non-affiliation), allowing to explore how individuals who identify with the same religion live and interpret religious pluralism. This enables examination of convergences or divergences between individual practices and the orientations promoted by religious institutions, as well as the identification of potentially good practices. In the Italian context, Catholicism represents a particularly significant case study, given its status as the majority religion, characterised by a widespread territorial presence and a multiplicity of associations and local realities. The research aims to analyse how Catholics experience religious pluralism; the principles, values, and motivations that inform their attitudes and practices; and which practices they consider virtuous in a context of religious coexistence. The empirical research is conducted using a questionnaire administered to a small sample of participants residing in two Italian cities, Padua and Livorno. The survey tool was designed to prioritise qualitative data to explore individual representations, practices, and lived experiences in depth. The findings indicate that individuals’ perceptions of the values and qualities that have to be employed and are cultivated in the context of religious pluralism are largely consistent with those promoted by the Church. While respondents generally perceive themselves as active agents in fostering religious pluralism, as suggested by Pope Francis (EG, 250), the results also point to a perceived gap between institutional structures and the faithful, as well as to limitations in their own and others’ education on the subject, which may hinder individuals’ capacity to feel effective in promoting social change. Overall, the results of this research contribute to the sociological debate on religious pluralism by showing that it is experienced not only as a normative or institutional framework, but also as a practical and relational experience with the potential to create a more peaceful world.