Pluralism with reference to John Hick

• What is universalism?


  Belief that God's salvation will be available to everybody, whatever their religion
• What does Hick say in God Has Many Names?

  An individual's religion depends on where they were born. Religious faiths must make sense of this and relate it to the sovereignty of God = every faith is valid
• What is Hick's second point?

  Is it a claim related to a historical fact (one answer) or a trans-historical question (many different answers but technically there is one answer only, but we do not know what that answer is)
• What is the crucial feature of religion for Hick?

  The transformation of human existence from self-centredness to reality-centredness. Hick sees religion as primarily about self-transformation rather than historical claims. The incompatibilities between religion are due to historical claims, but these are insignificant. The common goal all religions has is for self transformation
• What are some arguments against Hick's second point?

  How would you deal with religious groups that support extreme actions. Paul Griffiths says it is unrealistic to say that the differences between some religious groups mainstream religion are superficial. Exclusivists would also reject Hick's argument, especially about historical truths
• What are other examples of religion that would not follow Hick's second principle?

  Jehovah's Witnesses reject the idea of having a blood transfusion. Some Mormons in engage in polygamy. These are not typically followed in mainstream western society
• What is Hick's third point?

  Vale of soul making
• What does Hick say about the vale of soul making?

  If a loving God is eventually to allow all to be saved, then there must be other opportunities, beyond this life, to do good, and thus gain salvation. We can grow beyond this life and transform
• How does Hick interpret the Parable of the Sheep and Goats?

  He says that the story may be a response to the persecution of Christians in the earliest Church
• What is Hick's fourth point?

  Hell does not exist. There are other lives beyond death. Christians reject this, even liberal Christians.
• How would others respond to Hick's fourth point?

  Protestant evangelicals do not accept it, Roman Catholics see him as mistaken when he dismisses the importance of specific beliefs and practices
• What does Dawkins argue?

  Hick's idea of self transformation is a completely human process and nothing to do with God
• How else does Hick reinterpret sheep and goats in his fifth point?

  A key feature of the parable is that judgement does not depend on the acceptance of Jesus, nor the recognition of him at all. Those who are blessed are surprised to find themselves rewarded because they have not consciously acted for Christ. This points to a secular idea of judgement rather than a Christian one though
• A02 'Jesus is the only way'

  1. Bible and Church teaching —> God can work through several religions

  2. Jesus' divinity as son of God is proof that Jesus is the only way —> this is an exclusivist view and dismisses liberal ideas

  3. There is no salvation outside of the Church —> based on anti-scientific accounts. Written down years after the events
• A02 'All religions contain some truths'

  1. Inclusivist would argue that Jesus engaged with people from all walks of life —> they would still argue that Christianity holds the one truth

  2. The blind men and elephant —> they are ill informed and only feel a part of the elephant. If they saw the whole they would see the whole truth = Christ

  3. Hick says that all religions contain the shared truth of self transformation —> dismisses historical truths about religion which are also extremely important