Christianity – Theme 3 – Challenges from Pluralism

Spec Check AO1 AO2 Historical developments in Religious Thought – challenges from pluralism and diversity within a tradition Difference between religious pluralism and tolerance of religious diversity; the exclusivist and inclusivist views as expressed in the Christian Bible (Deut 6:5; Joshua 23:16; John 14:6; Acts 4:12); the contribution of John Hick and Karl Rahner to Christian inclusivism (and the difference between their positons); the difference between Christian universalism and pluralistic universalism The extent to which it is possible to be both a committed Christian and a religious pluralist The extent to which the Christian Bible promotes exclusivism

Inclusivism and Exclusivism This part of the spec explores how Christians view people of other religions. There are three different views that Christian Theologians have about people from other religions: 1. Exclusivism: belief that salvation belongs exclusively to Christianity. Therefore, non-Christians are dammed (going to hell….) Q. What are the problems with an exclusivist approach? Not everyone has heard of Christianity – what if you are brought up in a remote place of the world where Christian missionaries haven’t reached?

Inclusivism and Exclusivism 2. Inclusivism: The belief that Christ’s work includes all people, however, full salvation can only be granted to those who know who Christ is and go to Church. Other religions have partial truth, but not the whole truth Q. What might full salvation look like? Entry into heaven for eternal life with God 3. Religious Pluralism: Belief that all religions are a truth path towards the Divine creator – all religions have equally valid paths. This means that religions can live side by side and respect one another.

Inclusivism and Exclusivism TASK: Look up the following passages on your phone – which view do you think they promote? Deutronomy 6:5 Joshua 23:16 John 14:6 Answer – they’re ALL exclusivist!!! Write the passages up in your notes and explain why they are exclusivist viewpoints Watch Tim Keller speak about Exclusivity

Religious Pluralism vs Tolerance of Religious Diversity Religious Pluralism, as seen, is the belief that all religions are on a path to eternal life / truth A tolerance of religious diversity, on the other hand, just means accepting that there are several different religions in the world and tolerating each other. Someone who is tolerant of religious diversity may not believe that people from other religions are going to heaven (just as people from another religion may believe that a Christian is dammed), but is willing to tolerate other viewpoints

Karl Rahner - Inclusivist 20th century Catholic scholar Inspired documents written at Vatican II Believed that God is actively offering grace to all people, wherever they are, in whatever religion Suggested that all people are in some way aware of God and the infinite realm Promoted ‘anonymous Christianity’ whereby God is everywhere in all experiences (including non Christian ones). For Rahner everyone is either a Christian or an anonymous Christian.

Karl Rahner - Inclusivist Argument for anonymous Christianity – write these quotes in your own words 1st thesis: ….Christianity understands itself as the absolute religion, intended for all men, which cannot recognise any other religion beside itself of equal right 2nd Thesis: ….a non Christian religion can be recognised as a lawful religion (although only in different degrees) without thereby denying the error and depravity contained in it 3rd Thesis: …If the second Thesis is correct, then Christianity does nit simply confront the member of an extra-Christian religion as a mere non-Christian but as someone who can and must already be regarded in this or that respect as an anonymous Christian 4th Thesis:…The church will not so much regard herself today as the exclusive community of those who have a claim to salvation but rather as the historical tangible vanguard and the historically and socially constituted explicit expression of what the Christian hopes is present as a hidden reality even outside the visible Church

John Hick – Religious Pluralism John Hick uses the Copernican revolution to explain how perspectives can shift about who or what is the central focus TASK: Read page 106 and 107 to learn what the Copernican revolution is. How does this relate to ideas about religious pluralism and Theology? Write your answer using the key terms ‘ultimate reality’ ‘Christocentric’ and ‘theocentric’ ‘awkward epicycle’

John Hick – Religious Pluralism Let’s unpack these key quotes: ‘…Let us begin with the recognition, which is made in all the main religious traditions, that the ultimate divine reality is infinite and as such transcends the grasp of the human mind. God, to use our Christian term, is infinite’ ‘Rahner’s is a brave attempt to attain an inclusivist position which is in principle universal but which does not thereby renounce the old exclusivist dogma. But the question is whether in this new context the old dogma has not been so emptied of content as no longer to be worth affirming’ How are Rahner’s and Hick’s views different? Use page 107 to help you

Pluralistic Universalism John Hick uses his analogies of the sun to explain religious pluralism and his analogy of the blind men and the elephant, to argue that ALL religions are seeing some element of the ultimate truth and ultimate reality The analogy of the Sun: As the planets move around the sun, all planets are getting light at different angles and different amounts of light from the sun. The sun represent ultimate truth, and the different levels of light represents the different religions. The analogy of the blind men and the elephant: Imagine blond men trying to interpret an elephant. One may touch the trunk, another the ear and another the leg. Each one of them is experiencing an element of the truth, but the whole elephant can’t be understood without listening to each other's experiences. This doesn’t invalidate any of their individual experiences as false.

Applying Universalism Pluralism to the Bible Some Christians use the Bible to support their beliefs about Religious Pluralism: 1. Absolutist language may just be a result of historical factors (the disciples and writers may not have had historical awareness of other cultures and religions) 2. Titles given to Jesus may not be propositional but instead symbolic or literary expressions of experience (the disciples had their own experiences which led them to belief in Jesus and they express awe about this) 3. Christ may be more than just Jesus (God may be in the revealing business and Jesus is just one expression) TASK: Re-read the notes on Christian pluralism on pages 109-110. Then shut your notes and try and explain how Christian Pluralists are different to Christian Exclusivists

Christian Pluralism vs Universalistic Universalism Hick’s pluralism can be seen as universalistic because he believes that all major world religions can achieve salvation in their own right through their own religious prophets/buddhas/characters etc Christian pluralists are slightly different – they believe that everyone will achieve salvation THROUGH CHRIST They use the following bible passages to support Christian Pluralism God wills that everyone will be saved (1 timothy 2:4) Jesus dies for the sins of the entire world (1 John) Whilst Christian universalism has been condemned in the 6th century, it has been a recurring theme in religious mysticism and writings. Some denominations allow universalistic belief.

Re-Cap Define the following terms: Inclusivism Exclusivism Christian pluralism Universalistic pluralism Give the basic views of the following scholars: Rahner Hick