Multireligiosity

Multireligiosity is the situation in which individuals, households, or communities engage with more than one religious tradition. In scholarly usage, it refers to both personal religious identity—where a person maintains affiliations or practices across traditions—and broader social contexts in which multiple religions coexist within a society. It is distinct from syncretism, which blends beliefs into a new system; multireligiosity may involve separate, parallel practices or selective participation in different rituals.

Forms include dual or multiple affiliations (being formally connected to more than one religion); simultaneous practice of rituals from different traditions; cultural identification with multiple religious communities; and interfaith networks that facilitate dialogue and joint activities. Households may observe holidays from several traditions; diasporic communities may maintain ancestral religion alongside the majority faith.

Historically and today, multireligiosity appears in plural societies, migration-driven communities, and ecumenical or interfaith movements. Examples range from people who identify as both Christian and Muslim, or Hindu and Buddhist, to secular individuals who participate in rites from different backgrounds for family or cultural reasons.

Scholars examine multireligiosity to understand identity, belonging, and religious practice outside monoreligious models. Benefits discussed include flexible moral frameworks and cross-cultural understanding; challenges include social stigma, legal issues around marriage or inheritance, and conflicts between orthodox standards and parallel practices.