Christian Attitudes Toward Other Religions
•When a Christian sits down at a dialogue table with adherents of other religions, and
says “Jesus is Lord, and you must accept him as your personal Lord and Savior, it is the
end of dialogue
•When a Unificationist sits down at a dialogue table with adherents of other religions,
and speaks of “the True Parents of humanity,” it is the beginning of dialogue
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Christian attitudes toward other religions:
– Exclusivism
– Inclusivism
– Pluralism
– Theocentrism
Exclusivism
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The first religion Christianity encountered was Judaism
Later, the heresies were encountered
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Christian doctrine was formed largely in response to attack, and not as positive
formulations of the faith
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Niceno-Chalcedonian creed, for example
Careful wording, with nearly every expression responding to some heresy
Later, the religion of Islam was encountered
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Gnosticism
Etc.
New heresy?
The anti-Christ?
Etc.
“Extra ecclesiam nulla sallus” (outside the church there is no salvation)
Jesuit missionaries in the 15-16 centuries, encountered Hinduism, Buddhism,
etc.
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At first, the West was shocked: no God, so soul, etc.
In time, more information was received, and their faith understood more deeply
They show every indication of being “saved”!
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Today, the Christian finds him/herself in a dilemma:
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To
To
To
To
retain the Lordship of Jesus Christ as their Savior
acknowledge the very evident fact of other religions, and other savior figures
hold to their Christian beliefs
be open to other savior figures, and be open to dialogue
What is the status of Jesus Christ?
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Norm
Paradigm
Key
Catalyst
Superlative
Proleptic
Determinative
Etc.
John Hick’s “Copernican Revolution in Theology”
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The Copernican Revolution in astronomy
– Ptolemaic view of the universe (earth is the center; sun revolves around earth)
– Mathematical “epicycles” became very complex
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Copernican view of the universe (sun is the center; earth revolves around sun)
The mathematics became very clear and accurate
The Copernican Revolution in theology
– Traditional Christian view of the field (Jesus is the center; all faiths revolve around him)
– Theological “epicycles” became very burdensome
• “anonymous Christian,”
• “Invisible church and visible church”
• “Special revelation” vs “general revelation”
• “invincible ignorance”
• Etc.
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John Hick’s view of theological field (God is the center; Jesus and others revolve)
Clears the theological confusion; but, what about the status of Jesus Christ, especially
the Incarnation?
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The Myth of the Incarnation (John Hick, and others)
The Truth of the Incarnation (Michael Goulder, and others)
Incarnation and Myth: The Debate Continued
The Metaphor of God Incarnate (Hick)
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Intense theological debate concerning fundamental Christian themes and
doctrines
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John Hick:
– The early Christians experienced God in Jesus, a profound experience
– How to express it?
– The only philosophical means available to them: Greek philosophy
– The Christological creeds are filled with Greek philosophical categories
– Out-dated language; a pre-scientific worldview
– The Christological creeds were never meant to be taken literally
– If a literal interpretation: they result in heresy (Schleiermacher)
– Not homo ousios (of one substance with the Father), but homo agape (of
one love with the Father)
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The
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attitudes revisited
Exclusivism
God ---------- Jesus in a bottle // rest of humanity; all religions
There is grace solely in Jesus Christ (all others going to hell)
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Inclusivism
God ---------- Jesus ------------ rest of humanity; all religions
There is grace in the world because of Jesus Christ (grace available to others)
But eventually, they have to accept Jesus, who is the “Norm above all norms”
Even if only in another lifetime
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Pluralism
God ---------- Jesus ------------ savior for Christians
God ---------- Buddha ----------- savior for Buddhists
God ---------- Mohammed -------- savior for Muslims
Etc.
All faiths are valid, and valuable
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Theocentrism
God is the center of all (God has many names)
Interreligious dialogue is important
What is the Appropriate Unification Attitude Toward Other Religions?
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Familialism as an attitude
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All people are brothers and sisters
All religions are brother and sister religions; God inspired all religions
True Parents are the center
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The Maitreya Buddha (Buddhism)
The True Man (Confucianism)
The LSA (Christianity)
The Kalki Avatar (Hinduism)
Etc.
Unification encourages dialogue, but dialogue is only a beginning, and must be
transcended, ultimately
Beyond dialogue is a unity of heart and spirit
Cain and Abel typology
Abel must win the heart of Cain