rp society discussion

• Has interfaith dialogue contributed practically towards social cohesion? ineffective

  • not everyone agrees with inter-faith dialogue -- e.g some Christians think that others should adopt Christian ideas - go and make disciples of many nations
  • limited - huge gaps in material conditions - lack of social cohesion due to material inequality not the world of religion
  • when people themselves are excluded from other goods - this leads to social disorder
• Has inter-faith dialogue contributed practically towards social cohesion? positive

  • David Ford - Jewish and Christian interfaith have offered new possibilities for the relationship between the two religions
  • increased in popularity
  • social cohesion is not the main aim - it is about people seeking truth and spiritual purposes
• Should Christian communities aim to convert people from other faiths? YES

  • Duty - Matthew 28:19 - 'therefore go and make disciples of all nations', Christian duty is to share their faith in Christ
  • Church of England - Christian messages should be spread and conversed
  • Exclusive view - converting people, someone believes that there is only one way to salvation -- accept Christianity
  • ultimate importance - not just a desire that others should share the Christian belief - people are missing out
  • redemption mission - right to hear the Christian message
• Should Christian communities aim to convert people from other faiths? NO

  • inclusive view - consider that salvation could be possible within a different religious tradition
  • pluralist view - Christianity is one path to God and other religions are equally valid
• To what extent does scriptural reasoning relativise religious belief?

  • assumes that everyone's holy scripture has something to offer and or is wroth studying
  • KARL BARTH exclusivist -> God is fully and exclusively revealed in Christ and the Christian Bible
  • other exclusivists might argue that instead of studying scriptures together - Christians would do better to point
  • their movement does not relativise religious belief
  • does not pretend all religions
  • Hick - not a bad thing but a realisation that a religion is a human construct
• Should Christians have a mission to convert those of no faith? YES

  • inclusive view -- support another religion as an 'anonymous Christian' and therefore the mission of conversion may not be one of urgency -- people with no faith should be encouraged to know God
  • tradition - Church of England encourage their members to act as ambassadors for Christianity and make deliberate attempts - alpha courses
  • Christian missionaries have to be prepared to defend their beliefs against criticism