On Common Ground: World Religions in America
About On Common Ground
On Common Ground: World Religions in America is an interactive web resource based on the research of the Pluralism Project and affiliates. For over twenty five years, the Pluralism Project, under the direction of Diana L. Eck, has studied the emergence of an increasingly multireligious America.
First published by Columbia University Press in 1997, second and third editions of On Common Ground were released in 2002 and 2008. While functionality increased with these later editions, the primary content remained unchanged from the original publication. Then, in 2013, thanks to generous funding from the Lilly Endowment, Inc., the Pluralism Project released an online version of On Common Ground: World Religions in America, complete with updated essays and resources. In 2016, with the redevelopment and relaunch of pluralism.org, the three sections of On Common Ground—Religions, Landscape, and Encounter—became the backbone of the Pluralism Project’s entire web presence. By combining the time-tested pedagogical structure of the original CD-ROM with the increased interactive features of online publication, the new On Common Ground and pluralism.org will ensure teachers and students of all ages have the opportunity to explore the historical dimensions and current realities of a multireligious America.
Since its creation, On Common Ground: World Religions in America has received considerable critical acclaim and a number of awards. The CD-ROM won the EDUCAUSE Medal in 1998, cited as “an extraordinary resource” and a “pioneering work”; it was also a Media and Methods 1998 Awards Portfolio winner, was on Choice’s 35th Annual Outstanding Academic Books list, and was a finalist for the 1998 EdPress Distinguished Achievement Award. The resource’s most enduring legacy is the referrals and ongoing demand of the resource by teachers, professors, clergy, community leaders, and individuals across the nation and even the world.
On Common Ground was developed by Diana L. Eck, together with students, staff, and advisors of the Pluralism Project. See below for further credits.
An Essay from On Common Ground
The religious landscape of America is changing as immigrants from all over the world take the oath of citizenship and claim the United States as their home. From the beginning this has been a nation of religious diversity, but today it is probably the most religiously diverse nation on earth, despite its overwhelming Christian majority. The deepest reason for America’s religious diversity is our fundamental commitment to religious freedom: matters of religious conscience cannot be legislated or decided by majority rule.
On Common Ground Credits
On Common Ground: World Religions in America and pluralism.org are dedicated to the people of the many religious, secular, and interfaith communities throughout the United States who have welcomed us into your midst and have given generously of your time to make this project possible. Thank you.
On Common Ground: World Religions in America was first published by Columbia University Press in 1997 as a CD-ROM and initially funded with a three-year grant from the Lilly Endowment, Inc. and with the support and encouragement of Craig Dykstra. The development and production of the Pluralism Project Interactive was supported with grants from the Lilly Endowment, Inc., the Pew Charitable Trusts, the North Star Fund, and the Templeton Foundation. The Ford Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, and the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation have provided support for our ongoing research and work. The Pluralism Project is deeply grateful for the support of these foundations, individual contributors and long-time friends of the Project, and to Harvard University for its many forms of support for On Common Ground.