Taiwan’s Covenantal Pluralism

Despite its diplomatic isolation, Taiwan shines in East Asia as a beacon for pluralism. This is a rare example of a progressive and liberal society where both deep religious diversity and a tolerant secular state co-exist. Taiwan’s liminality between world empires, and its unique position in the global economy partly explain its openness to a diversity of worldviews, but also exposes it to greater challenges to achieve covenantal pluralism. Taiwan’s hard-won democracy has entrenched positive trends, but three issues threaten to undermine it: the political pressure of a domineering China that limits its own religious diversity and that wants to annex Taiwan; the rise in influence of a rather intransigent and divisive religious minority that demonizes its opponents; and the increasing labor immigration addressing the challenges of an aging society.