ABSTRACT
The study of closed-mindedness has garnered much attention in the psychological study of religion and prejudice, the psychology of religious fundamentalism, and the study of religious violence. Theological traditions, particularly those reflecting on theologies of the religious other and theologies of religious pluralism, challenge this assertion. Theology has a rich lineage that has considered what might constitute openness to other faith traditions, presenting an opportunity for pausing to reflect on the relationship between religion and open-mindedness. The construct of open-mindedness has a long history in the field of psychology. In this brief and necessarily sketchy review, my focus lies in a number of milestones that mark the development of the concept. In The Open and Closed Mind, Rokeach similarly sought to understand the origins of rigid thinking that underpinned Fascism and authoritarian belief systems.
