Possibilities for Covenantal Pluralism in Nepal

Abstract

This article examines the possibilities for the emergence of covenantal pluralism in Nepal. Although recent trends in Nepal indicate a rise in interreligious hostility and conflict, we argue that advocates of covenantal pluralism should be cautiously optimistic about the possibilities in Nepal. While the greatest threat to covenantal pluralism in Nepal emanates from a reactionary Hindu nationalist social movement, legal innovations—including the ambiguity of the definition of the term “secular” in Nepal's 2015 constitution—coupled with existing social resources offer critical sites of opportunity that can be leveraged in efforts to promote covenantal pluralism in Nepal.

Keywords:

• Nepal
• pluralism
• Hindu nationalism
• secularism
• religious freedom
• religious conflict

Acknowledgements

This article is part of this journal's Covenantal Pluralism Series, a project generously supported via a grant to the Institute for Global Engagement from the Templeton Religion Trust.

Notes

1 More broadly, the underlying methodological limitations of the Pew reports are often obscured by the authoritative appearance of their quantitative findings. See Birdsall and Beaman (2020) for a full discussion.

2 Kirat is a religious indigenous to the Himalayas, concentrated primarily in Nepal's eastern hills. Jains, Sikhs, Bahais, Prakritis, and Bons are also recorded in the census, but combined make up 0.53 percent of the population.

3 The press release was picked up by the widely read Religion News Service under the headline, “Nepal's government actively targets religious minorities” (https://religionnews.com/2020/07/14/nepals-government-actively-targets-religious-minorities/).

4 Here and above we use the unofficial translation due to the clarity of and elegance of the translation. There are, however, no significant discrepancies with the official translation in these other articles.

5 This is not an exhaustive account of the laws related to religion, but instead focuses on the most urgent constitutional and criminal legal issues that affect the prospect of covenantal pluralism in Nepal. One other point of legal contention that may become a more serious concern in the future is the manner in which religious organizations register with the state. With the exception of Buddhist monasteries, which can officially register as monasteries to access state support funds, religious groups must register as non-governmental organizations. While there has been some concern raised in recent years that this system may inhibit religious freedom, especially for Christian groups seeking registration (Shah 2020, 23–25), current evidence does not indicate that this has been a widespread issue to date.

6 Results derived from a December 5, 2020 search of the database found at www.nepalmonitor.org for incidents identified to have been caused by religious sectarianism between September 21, 2015 and December 5, 2020.

7 The authors are grateful to an anonymous reviewer for highlighting these points.

8 One of the authors, Ramkanta Tiwari, assisted in the organization and training of the dialogue group.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Luke Wagner

Luke Wagner is a Lecturer in the International Studies program at California State University, Long Beach, where he also serves as the Assistant Director of the Global Studies Institute. His research is focused on religious nationalism, and Hindu nationalism in Nepal in particular.

Ramkanta Tiwari

Ramkanta Tiwari is the Founder and Chair of the Nepal Forum for Restorative Justice, through which he has worked to introduce and establish restorative justice systems in Nepal. He has served in developing and implementing Nepal's maiden restorative justice projects and has used the opportunities to foster interreligious dialogue, healing, and reconciliation. He has also served as an Expert Member to review the United Nation's Handbook on Restorative Justice and as an International Expert on Restorative and Transitional Justice for the UN in Somalia.