Pluralism - theology

• What is a necessary condition?


  Required for something to be the case
• What is a sufficient condition?


  One where it is enough to be the case
• What is Exclusivism?


  The view that only one religion (Christianity) fully offers the means of salvation
• What is Inclusivism?


  The view that although one's own religion (Xtianity) is the normative means of salvation, those who accept its central principles ("anonymous Christians") may also receive salvation
• What is Pluralism?


  The view that there are many ways to salvation, of which Xtianity is one path
• What is Liberalism?


  An ideology which develops its laws based on the principle that humans flourish when given maximum freedoms & minimum control by governments
• What are the 2 problems that Christian theologians are faced with in regards to pluralism?

  1.epistemological problem: whether truth claims of other religions can be considered true within Xtianity2.soteriological problem: can people of other religions be saved?
• What is Narrow Exclusivism / what do they believe?

  - salvation is only for some, butnot all Xtians- e.g.Augustinetaught that God will choose which Xtians go to heaven: not everyone is entitled to salvation, but are subject to grace of God (limited Elect)- some who take Bible literally believe more liberal Xtians are not going to be saved (e.g. RCC before Vatican II taught that there was no salvation outside RCC)
• Give an example of a narrow exclusivist


  Augustine: Limited Election
• What did the RCC teach about salvation before Vatican II -- what camp does this put them in?

  "extra ecclesiam nulla salus": there is no salvation outside the RCC

  == narrow exclusivism
• What is Broad Exclusivism / what do they believe?

  Argue that all who accept Christ through faith are saved, no matter their denomination / style of worship
• What is Universal Access Exclusivism / what do they believe?

  Argue that Christ's salvation is offered to all & the will of God is that everyone should come to him through faith in JC (universal salvation)
• What is Restrictive Access Exclusivism / what do they believe?

  Follow a similar view toAugustine&Calvin: God saves only those whom he has chosen. Salvation is only possible by directlyhearing the gospel(fides ex audito) &being baptised

  Emphasis on sin, so Christ is the only way to be saved (sola christus)
• What are the 4 types of Exclusivism?

  1. narrow

  2. broad

  3. universal access (UAE)

  4. restrictive access (RAE)
• What is Theological Exclusivism?

  The view that only Christianity fully offers the means of salvation
• What did


  Bertrand Russellargue about religion / pluralism?- thought that all religions, incl Xtianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Communism, Islam, are bothuntrue & harmful- bc theydisagree, it isnot logically possible for more than one of them to be true
• What does fides ex audito mean?

  RAEview: salvation is only possible by directly hearing the gospel
• Who is


  Gavin D'Costa& what does he argue?-UAE approach--> argues that although there is only 1 exclusive route to salvation, it is the will of God that this one route should be available to everyone--> BUT only those who follow this specific route will achieve salvation
• What Biblical passage might support a UAE approach?

  1 Timothy 2:3-6

  "For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Jesus Christ, who gave himself as aransom for all people"
• How does


  John 14:6support an exclusivist approach?"I am the way and the truth and the life.No one comes to the Father except through me"
• What does


  Augustineargue?-narrow exclusivist view--> Godelectsthroughgraceonly a small number of Xtians for heaven (i.e.being a Xtian is not a guarantee of salvation)--> path to salvation isthrough JC alone--> bc of OG sin, we have an innate tendency to disobey God, the only way to overcome this is to accept JC & live in accordance to Bible
• What does


  Calvinargue?-narrow RAE view--> salvationonly for those who hear & respond to gospel-- only a small no. of Xtians will reach heaven--> OG sin made us inherently sinful, we were spiritually CUT OFF from the Lord, so must applyCognito Domini(distinctive Xtian knowledge of God redeemer mediated by Christ)--> we can only know our imperfection via realising God's perfection
• What does


  Kraemerargue (in terms of salvation)?-universal access/broad exclusivism-->salvation offered to allbc o.b. God wants to save everybody--> God's revelation can be seen outside Xtian faith (e.g. can understand existence of God through human reason & beauty/order of nature)-->non-Xtians cannot achieve salvation through their own faith systems, but have to convert to Xtianity
• What did


  Kraemerargue about picking & choosing some religious teachings, and which analogy might support this?--> religions arewhole belief systems& have to be considered in their entirety--> cannot pick out beliefs/practices of other religions that seem the most Xtian--> all religions have to be evaluated as whole systems &cannot be taken apart & considered in a piecemeal way--> supported by analogy of6 blind men & the elephant
• Problems/evaluation questions for exclusivism?

  1. how to people born pre-Christ achieve salvation? (Augustine)2. is it logically consistent that o.b. God would allow for eternal damnation of his creation (Calvin)3. is religion a human construct or God given? (Kraemer)4. do we reject Xtianity bc we don't understand it or bc we disagree w it? (Kraemer)5. doesBarth'sview provide a comprehensive understanding of what happens to those w/o access to the Word in their life?
• How can


  Barthbe considered an exclusivist?--> believes the only way to consistently find KoG is through Christ--> BUTGod can choose to reveal himself however he chooses--> SO could theoretically choose to reveal himself in another way through another God
• How can


  Barthbe considered a UAE?-->only way to salvation is through revealed KoG(i.e. through JC)--> this can be said to be universal access bceveryone has access to Christ as revealed Word of God,so everyone has access to salvation--> Xtian teaching on the Trinity is unique: so Xtianity has exclusive access to this knowledge
• How can


  Barthbe considered an inclusivist?--> understanding of him as exclusivist is based on his writing that non-Xtian religions should be "abolished" --BUT some translate German word as "transformed" rather than "abolished"bc God's revelation transforms all religions, incl Xtianity--> his teachings on the Trinity don't necessarily mean that only believing Xtians have access to God's saving grace
• How can the


  RCCbe understood as Exclusivist?--> salvation is only for those who arebaptisedinto the RCC & regularly receive theEucharistat masses celebrated by Cath priests-->"there is no salvation outside the church"--> non-Xtian religions lack necessary"controlling beliefs"so cannot provide salvation
• How might the


  RCCbe understood as inclusivist?-->Vatican IImeetings led to more outward looking RCC, w views that were not as narrowly exclusivist as before--> teaches respect of non-Xtian religions as they often"reflect a ray of That truth"
• What is the solus christus principle?


  Belief in JC is the only way to be saved
• Give an example of an inclusivist


  Karl Rahner
• Why is missionary activity essential for exclusivists?

  - part of commitment to love thy neighbour- God wants everyone to be saved, so you are enabling God's universal salvific will to be done- Jesus told his disciples to"go make disciples of all nations"(Great Commission)
• Which biblical parable challenges exclusivism?

  Sheep & goats--> implies judgement is done on basis of works not faith--> so people will only be sent to hell if they haven't helped those in need
• CRITICISM of exclusivism: impractical

  - inmodern multi-cultural worldis is not a v positive way to engage w non-Xtian religions- promotesimperialistic attitudes&intolerance- makes constructive Xtian/non-Xtian religious dialogue impossible
• CRITICISM of exclusivism: rests on large assumptions

  - exclusivism would make sense IF JC = God incarnate- BUT this is based on large assumption that JC was Son of God, which there is reason to doubt- e.g.Hume: always more plausible explanation for miracles than divinity
• CRITICISM of exclusivism: theological problems


  - why would ano.b. Godcreate a criteria of salvation only open to some?What about morally upright people who lived before JC, e.g. Moses, Abraham, David- if God is truly infinite & eternal then surely no one can understand him (Aquinas, Kant) so no one religion can claim complete access to the truth-D'Costa: exclusivism ignores the idea of the Trinity. To say that God can only be known through JC isbinatarian
• What is Theological Inclusivism?

  The view that although Christian is the normative means of salvation,'anonymous' Christiansmay also receive salvation
• Who are anonymous Christians?

  Those following Jesus' messages without necessarily knowing it -- knowledge of God may beimplicit
• What did


  Rahnerargue?Any religion whose structures develop an openness to God's grace, as revealed in JC, may receive salvation ("transcendental Thomist" viewpoint)