ESSAY An All Loving God Would Not Deny Anyone The Chance Of Salvation Flashcards
Intro
Exclusivist – the idea that only Christianity holds the truth and only Christianity can offer salvation
Inclusivist – Christianity is the one true faith and the usual way to salvation, but it is possible for non-Christians to be saved
Pluralists – all religions hold truth
Paragraph 1
God would deny people the chance of salvation:
Neither exclusivist, inclusivist or pluralist view believes that a loving God would deny anyone salvation
HOWEVER exclusivist - God does not deny people salvation, they make their own choice to accept or reject Christ, Christ died for all and God desires that all men are saved
Catholic view that there is no Salvation outside of the church and that other religions and denominations hold aspects of truth
catholic view can be seen as respectful of other faiths (they hold truth)
NOT A SUCCESSFUL ARGUMENT – it condemns people who have never heard of God (not a loving thing), God cannot be fully understood so it is impossible to says that one faith holds the truth (bible talks of our actions as well)
Paragraph 2
More successful argument would be an inclusivists view point
Christianity is the normative way to be saved but non-Christians can be saved as well
This is because Christ died for all and God desires all men to be saved
This supports the view that a loving God would not send those who had never heard of him to hell
Rahner – called this anonymous Christians – people who do not identify with a religious group
Can be seen as a successful argument – conforms to biblical ideas (sheep and the goats), acknowledges Sensus divinitus
Paragraph 3
An opposition to both exclusivist and inclusivist view is pluralist
View that every one will be saved, no one will be excluded
This is not a successful argument
In a similar way to exclusivists
Christ is unique to Christianity
Disregards religion in a similar way to exclusivist view
Conclusion
Most successful is inclusivist view
You will be saved if Christian and also those that have a good life – no one is denied a chance
