Inter-faith (pg 320-326) Flashcards
Exclusivism
The view that only one religion is true and that others are false
Christian exclusivists believe that…
Those of other religions, those who reject Christianity, and even those in other Christian denominations, are destined for hell
Or at best not heaven
Inter-faith exclusivism
Exclusivism within other faiths
Intra-faith exclusivism
Exclusivism within the same religion (denominations)
People against exclusivism say that…
God loves all of his creations equally, he would not give salvation to only Christians
People who lived before Jesus shouldn’t have been saved, and yet there have been passages in the Old Testament suggesting that they were
God is fair and just
Christin inclusivism
The idea that Christianity is the one true religion, but non-Christians can also go to heaven
Non-Christians can go to heaven if…
They are anonymous Christians: people who act ethically like a Christian, and have been given God’s grace, but aren’t aware of it
This only applies to those who have never heard of Christianity
Pluralism
The idea that God reveals himself through all the world’s religious traditions, and that Christian Faith is just one of many valid responses to God
John Hick (a pluralist) argues that all major faiths have two things in common
None can prove they are the one true religion
Individuals have all had experiences they say came from God
Arguments against pluralism…
Genuine differences between religions are ignored
Religions actually contradict each other, so they can’t be different versions of the same truth
Nobody considers their beliefs to only be partly true
Ecumenicalism
The attempt to unify the Christian Churches and work together to serve humanity
Arguments against ecumenicalism
Christian exclusivists find it difficult to accept other denominations on equal terms
Some Churches are happy to remain separate from other groups
Some Churches are concerned that ecumenicalism will make them less distinct than other Christian groups
