PLURALISM DIALOGUES

Question 1

plural western society and tolerance

Answer 1

liberal democracies in western europe are characterised by the ideology of liberalism. it tolerates the freedoms of the individual as long as there is no threat to the wellbeing of society, and permits the individual to believe what each wishes, as long as they don’t undermine the rights of others. it allows and welcomes plural societies, considering a variation of lifestyles makes for cultural riches and diversity.

Question 2

what is religious pluralism

Answer 2

one aspect of a plural society is religious pluralism. this can refer to a variation of beliefs within a religion, such as the anglican/catholic/methodist splits in christianity, and the variety of different religions mixing, such as islam, sikhism, or hinduism.

Question 3

What are the two problems with a pluralist society

Answer 3

the epistemological problem: to what extent may truth claims of other religions be considered true in christian theology?
the soteriological problem: can people of non-christian religions or no faith receive god’s grace?

Question 4

why do humans believe what they believe (phenomenological debate and cultural influence )

Answer 4

why do we believe what we believe? some argue it is a cultural or phenomenological debate. different cultures develop their lifestyles based on belief systems adapted to their environment. so it can be assumed that religious belief is connected to society but is not in itself exclusive or unique.

established religions don’t really use the phenomenological argument, responding that their beliefs are true regardless of culture.

Question 5

Sensus divinitaitus and knowledge of God being exclusive to christians only

Answer 5

for natural theology christian theologians, knowledge of god is not exclusive to christians, and non-christian religions may develop compatible truth claims. revealed theologians consider that something may be known of god through a sensus divinitatus, religious experience or conscience, but it is insufficient to have a full relationship with god, which can only be acheive through jesus.

Question 6

necessary and sufficient beliefs in Christianity

Answer 6

avin d’costa argues the answer will depend on the ‘controlling beliefs’ of a christian community,

from a christian perspective, is belief in god necessary for salvation? some responses are:

belief is necessary but not sufficient, because belief in christ is also needed
belief in christ alone is necessary and sufficient
belief in christ is sufficient but not necessary because there are other conditions like being loving and kind
although there are many necessary conditions, no single condition is sufficient for salvation

Question 7

the controlling beliefs within christianity and denominations may differ

Answer 7

he particular controlling beliefs will depend on the denomination, so while calvinism and roman catholicism teach all six, the catholic church does not believe we are fallen and incapable of knowing god. theologians of different traditions interpret these controlling beliefs based on what they consider to be necessary and sufficient conditions for salvation.

Question 8

Theological inclusivism and russel

Answer 8

he particular controlling beliefs will depend on the denomination, so while calvinism and roman catholicism teach all six, the catholic church does not believe we are fallen and incapable of knowing god. theologians of different traditions interpret these controlling beliefs based on what they consider to be necessary and sufficient conditions for salvation.

Question 9

christian response to russel

Answer 9

christians would disagree that it is ‘untrue and harmful’, but many would agree if one religion is true the rest are not. this position is theological exclusivism. this raises to questions about the nature of god:

Question 10

what are the two types of exclusivism

Answer 10

restrictive access exclusivism (RAE)

universal access exclusivism (UAE)

Question 11

restrictive access exclusivism and the traditional belief

Answer 11

RAE is considered the most traditional position. the controlling beliefs here place emphasis on the sinfulness of human nature and the uniqueness of christ as the only means to salvation (sola christus). salvation is only possible through directly hearing the gospel (fides ex auditu) and baptism. this position is biblically supported:

jesus said to him, ‘i am the way, and the truth, and the life. no one comes to the father except through me’ – john
there is salvation in no one else – acts

Question 12

Calvinists and those who lived before christ

Answer 12

what about those who lived before christ or lived in a non-christian culture? is it impossible for them to receive salvation? it would seem contradictory for a just and loving god to condemn them when it is not their fault.

the response by calvinists is that humans are inherently sinful and god is not obliged to save anyone, but because he is loving, he will same the elect for their virtuous lives. some denominations have supported the doctrines of limited election, double predestination and the antelapsarian divine decree.

some contemporary scholars justify the criticism that double predestination limits human freedom and the purpose of faith by using the middle knowledge argument, which states that god knows all possible events done by free agents.

Question 13

Whats universal access exclusivism and how do calvinist view st pauls quote differently

Answer 13

a key different between RAE and UAE is when st paul writes that ‘in christ, god was reconciling the world to himself’, RAE interprets the world to mean the elect, while UAE interprets it to mean everyone.

Question 14

Quote from timothy and God desiring everyone to be saved

Answer 14

god our saviour desires everyone to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth…

timothy

Question 15

how can those born before christ be salved

Answer 15

UAE is supported by roman catholic and protestant theologians. the problem is if god wants everyone to be saved, how are those born before or ignorant of christ can be saved if they lack fides ex auditu. two answers may be:

preparation: the following may be good preparation before they receive the gospel: living a moral life according to natural law, devotion to god in a non-christian religion and having a sensus divinitatis.
life after death: in hell or purgatory a person may encounter the gospel and accept god and christ.
importantly, UAE distinguishes between universal salvation and universalism because there can be no salvation outside the church (extra ecclesiam nulla salus).

Question 16

Pope paul and the Other religions reflecting some truth

Answer 16

although differing in many ways from her own teachings, nonetheless often reflect a ray of truth which enlightens everyone.
pope paul

Question 17

Catholic Church recognising a ray of truth within other religions however recognising that they do lack the necessary controlling factors for salvation

Answer 17

they lack the necessary controlling beliefs for salvation. in dominus iesus, the church makes it clear that the position of pluralism undermines the unicity of the church.

many consider the catholic position actually as inclusive, not exclusive, because it recognises rays of truth in other religions. this indicates ambiguity in the model of inclusive/exclusive. it also highlights the problems of a religion wishing to respect the integrity of each religion while not limiting god.

Question 18

Whats karl barths

Answer 18

at the heart of his theology is the argument that god may be known only when he reveals himself to whomever he choses. this seems to support RAE. one interpretation of barth is that he argues that since only christian revelation is true, all other must be untrue. barth also considers the teaching of the trinity as uniquely christian and it ‘fundamentally distinguishes’ it.

other scholars interpret him as UAE or inclusive. they argue that barth meant god’s revelations transform all religions because they are all human attempts to understand the divine and none can claim to know god. they also argue barth’s teaching on the trinity does not imply only christians have access to salvation.

Question 19

Critic of RAE

Answer 19

RAE has been the cause of christian imperialism, conflict and suffering. christianity has persecuted others for not having their version of the truth, fought wars against non-believers and been used by states to convert and control others.
RAE presents an unjust and unloving god to those who through no fault of their own have not received god.

Question 20

Critic of UAE

Answer 20

UAE lacks consistency, because other religions may have ‘rays of truth’ which are sufficient but these are not sufficient outside of the church

Question 21

What are the two types of inclusivism

Answer 21

structural incluvisists (SI)
restrictive inclusivists (RI)

Question 22

whats the structural inclusivism position

Answer 22

the SI position is that any religion whose structures develop an openness to god’s grace in jesus may receive salvation. the most influential form of inclusivism was developed by karl rahner.

Question 23

Rahner on all humans being aware

Answer 23

humans are aware of their mortality and limitations, and it prompts them to think about their existence. when they reflect on it, they realise that being is deeply mysterious. at this point, rahner claims they encounter the experience of god’s infinite grace, the source of being.

Question 24

all religions implicitly encourage the same thing however Christianity does this explicitly through jesus Christ

Answer 24

claims religions implicitly support this claim when they encourage us to behave selflessly, lovingly and charitably, and when their structures create this openness. the only religion which claims to present this grace explicitly is Christianity through Jesus.

Question 25

All humans having a subconscious openess to Gods grace

Answer 25

all human knowledge is limited and finite
because it is finite, humans have to accept that they can only have an unconditional ‘openness’ to existence
this ‘openness’ suggests all humans, even subconsciously, desire grace and salvation

Question 26

Karl rahner of the anonymous Christians

Answer 26

by anonymous christianity, rahner means any religious institution which through its structures, practices and values is a means of grace.

although the incarnation occurred at a particular time and place, its significance is a universal and timeless expression of god in the world. it doesn’t divide history but mark a new development within in.

therefore the absolutism of christianity must be questioned or else we must assume god doesn’t want humans to be saved. this isn’t compatible with god’s grace and love of creation. rahner argues we must all be capable of being members of the church.

Question 27

Not all religions are equally legitimate for Gods grace

Answer 27

based on his argument that all humans desire grace, rahner develops aquinas’ notion of the votum ecclesia, that even wanting grace by faithfully following a non-christian religion is sufficient for grace.

however, not all other religions are equally legitimate. for a religion to be lawful, it must be judged by the quality of salvation it offers. it must be more than a personal experience, and needs an organisational authority to regulate truth and falsehood.

there are still some individuals who do live morally and religiously outside the institution, and they must be judged too, suggesting anonymous christian individuals.

Question 28

The two apriori notions which Rahner considers

Answer 28

rahner considers two notions as a priori. first that humans are ignorant to some extent from original sin, and second that all humans are loved by god according to his grace.

this is not official catholic teaching. for the catholic church, all religions are soteriologically invalid unless they convert and become part of the visible church. rahner disagrees. he cites paul’s story about the temple to the unknown god made by the athenians as the basis for his argument that although they worshipped what they could not see, this is the god that christians know explicitly through christ. he argues paul does not condemn them but sees it as a way for them to know god without the gospel.

Question 29

Rahner - the church cannot be exclusive and play a role in sharing the grace of christ

Answer 29

he final part considers the role of the church in salvation. rahner argues that the church cannot be an exclusive community but play a role in sharing the teachings on christianity, especially in a more secular world. a christian has a duty to make god known to the world.

it is the role of the visible church to proclaim the explicit means of grace in the person of christ. moral action is only good if it conforms to christ’s example as the mediator of grace. in order to experience the fullness of grace an anonymous christian must convert and become a member of the church.

Question 30

Restrictive inclusivism

Answer 30

they argue that although god makes provision for individuals who have not heard the gospel but nevertheless respond positively to natural law and conscience, they do not consider a non-christian religion to be salvific like rahner does. it may at best be a good preparation.

Question 31

Critic of rahner and universal inclusivism

Answer 31

RI is not much different from UAE, it is really exclusivist
rahner makes christianity imperialist and offensive to non-christians, as if he is telling them ‘you might think you’re muslim but really you’re christian deep down’
it might be more accurate to say that christians are anonymous buddhists
he has focused too much on brace independent from christ, putting the principle of sola christus behind a general experience of god
it is unbiblical

Question 32

What is pluralism and what are its three different form

Answer 32

heological pluralism is the more recent development in theology of religions. it is attractive because it supports the secular liberal aim of religious diversity in society. since religiously motivated terror events like 9/11 and charlie hebdo, the aim for theological pluralists has been to remove imperialist motives and find harmony.

although there are several versions, they all think there are many ways to salvation. d’costa distinguishes three forms:

unitary theological pluralism (UTP)
pluriform theological pluralism (PTP)
ethical theological pluralism (ETP)

Question 33

What is john hicks global theory of frame work for greater understanding of other religion

Answer 33

he emphasises natural theology, placing little emphasis on traiditonal ideas of revelation.

kant and the an-Sich: it soon became apparent to hick that not all religions are theistic. he found a solution in kant’s distinction of noumenal and phenomenal knowledge. hick uses this to argue that although religions are phenomenally different, noumenally they are referring to the same underlying an-sich, or the Real.