RELIGIOUS PLURALISM AND THEOLOGY Flashcards

1
Q

Exclusivism

A

The belief that salvation can only be found through Christianity- other religions can’t lead people to the right relationship with God

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2
Q

Why do some Christians believe Christ came to earth?

A

To provide a pathway to God that cannot otherwise be found

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3
Q

What is a narrowly exclusivist view held by some christians?

A

That salvation can only be made available only to people who belong to their own denomination within Christianity

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4
Q

Example of this narrowly exclusive Christian view?

A

Christians who take Bible literally might claim that only those who have the same view of scripture as them are true Christians destined for heaven

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5
Q

Augustine and Calvin both held narrowly exclusivist views. What are they?

A
  • God elects through grace only a small number of Christians for heaven
  • God chooses whom he will save; we cannot force God’s choice
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6
Q

Strength of narrow exclusivism

A
  • Examples of ‘unfairness’ (like only some Christians being saved) are present in nature e.g notion of luck
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7
Q

Weakness of narrow exclusivism

A

Those who believe in the Christian God arent guranteed salvation- undermines Jesus’ sacrifice

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8
Q

Describe Hendrik Kraemer’s exclusivist argument (3)

A
  • ## Non-Christians cannot achieve salvation through their own faith systems but have to convert to Christianity
  • God’s revelation can be seen through the beauty of nature by non-Christians
  • Salvation can only be found only in Christianity
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9
Q

Beliefs from other religions

Describe Kraemer’s arguments about other religions (2)

A
  • We can’t pick out partial truths of religions that seem the most Christian- they have to be evaluated as a whole
  • The religion as a whole either accepts the salvation offered by Christ or it doesnt- there’s no middle ground to be found
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10
Q

What did Kraemer think other religions were?

A

Little more than misguided attempts by some people to try and find the truth for themselves

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11
Q

Biblical evidence to possibly support exclusivism: John 14:6

A

“I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

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12
Q

Biblical evidence to possibly support exclusivism: John 3:16

A

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him shall not die but have eternal life”

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13
Q

Biblical evidence to possibly support exclusivism: Romans 10:13

A

“For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved”

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14
Q

3 strengths of Exclusivism

A
  • Upholds Christian uniqueness: makes it more valuable than any other religion
  • Supports Evangelism
  • Is supported by Biblical evidence and word of Jesus
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15
Q

4 weaknesses of Exclusivism

A
  • Undermines God’s love and wisdom
  • Puts limits on God’s freedom to save and who he chooses to save- assumes knowledges of God’s will
  • Cherrypicks interpretations from Bible
  • Fails to account for God favoured jews in OT who didn’t know Christ
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16
Q

Describe Karl Barth’s argument on exclusivism (2)

A
  • Can only know God via his revelation through Jesus, Bible and Church
  • It’s up to us to follow Christianity and achieve salvation as soon as we learn about Jesus
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17
Q

Barth and ‘theology of the word’

A
  • Knowledge of God can only be found where God chooses to reveal it
  • Jesus is the living word of God
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18
Q

Biblical evidence to support Barth’s argument: John 1:14

A

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us”

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19
Q

How could Barth be considered inclusivist?

A

He emphasises God can and does reveal himself when he chooses- could leave open possibility of God choosing to reveal himself in other ways to other people

20
Q

Inclusivism

A

Takes a middle path

21
Q

Range of positions included in inclusivism (3)

A
  1. salvation is still possible for those who turns to a Christian faith after death
  2. God’s omnibenevolence leaves open a possibility for salvation for non-christians
  3. Truth found in religions other than Christianity is the work of Christ, even though some may not recognise it as such
22
Q

What are Karl Rahner’s three issues with Exclusivism

A
  • Excludes people born before Christ
  • Excludes people who couldn’t hear about revelation through Christ
  • Such exclusivism is incompatible with an omnibenevolent God
23
Q

Describe Rahner’s argument (3)

A
  • Christianity is unique as it’s founded on God’s ultimate act of revelation
  • No other religion offers the salvation through Christ as in Christianity
  • Not all religions have paths to God but the grace of God makes allowance for those who don’t know of Jesus may still receive Grace
24
Q

Describe Rahner’s argument of other world religions (2)

A
  • There could be partial truths in other religions whose followers don’t know of Jesus
  • After hearing about Jesus, one must convert to be saved
25
Q

Biblical evidence to support Rahner: Job 19:25

A

“I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth”
- Bible supports view that people who don’t know Christ can have a genuine faith in God (Abraham Moses and Job)

26
Q

Biblical evidence to support Rahner: Romans 2:14

A

“When Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law”
- This passage supports the idea that non-believers can still have an intiuitive sense for Christ, even if they do not recognise it as such, and that God will treat them with justice

27
Q

Biblical evidence to support Rahner: Matthew 25:33-40

A
  • Parable of Sheep and Goats
  • Can be interepreted as saying that any people who treat others with altruistic love are working for Christ, whether they realise it or not
28
Q

3 strengths of inclusivism

A
  • Upholds God’s fairness and love
  • Values Moral Behaviour
  • Upholds meaning of Jesus’ sacrifice and the fact only Jesus saves
29
Q

3 weaknesses of inclusivism

A
  • Patronising and belittling of other religions
  • Unclear of exactly what parts of other religions are authentically inspired by God
  • Still unfairly condemns people who choose not to become Christians
30
Q

Pluralism

A

There are many paths to salvation through many religious traditions

31
Q

John Hick Context (3)

A
  • Was an evangelist as a young man
  • Worked in Brummie and was impressed by faith and service to others of religious people he met
  • Would a God of love condemn such people and deny them salvation because they arent Christians?
32
Q

What did John Hick think should be at the centre of theology?

A

God, not Christianity

33
Q

Who inspired Hick’s second argument?

A

Kant

34
Q

Define noumenal world

A

A world of things as they really are

35
Q

Define phenomenal world

A

The world as it appears to us

36
Q

What did Kant think about the nature of God? (2)

A
  • Nature of God belongs in the noumenal
  • We aren’t capable of knowing god as he really is, we are only capable of making limited attempts of knowing him
37
Q

Describe Hick’s 2nd Kant-inspired argument

A
  • Religion is a human phenomenal attempt to understand and relate to God
  • Our finite minds aren’t capable of knowing God’s infinite nature in the noumenal world
38
Q

Describe Hick’s third argument

A
  • All religions are flawed and can’t correctly claim to know the truth. Religious ideas are just ways of expressing the human relationship with ‘the Real’
  • Truth claims are myths and symbols that make sense when put into intended context
39
Q

How does Hick account for different contradictory beliefs between religions?

A
  • We filter our experiences of the world and interpret them in accordance with our own context and cultural upbringing
  • No religion is capable of a noumenal understanding of God
40
Q

2 Strengths of Hick

A
  • Supports all loving and powerful God- doesnt assume power to save
  • Explains similarities between religions while accounting for their differences
41
Q

2 Weaknesses of Hick

A
  • Undermines and dismisses Christian message
  • Assumes privileged view of religious landscape- Hick sees truth but no one else does
42
Q

Describe Raimon Panikkar’s view of pluralism (2)

A
  • Talked about the need for openness rather than making any claims to know whayt the “truth” is or where it might be found
  • We need to discoverr truth by living it and finding the essential nature of what it means to be human
43
Q

How does Panikkar’s view differ from Hick’s?

A

Didn’t think world religions are different ways of expressing the same truth

44
Q

Panikkar and Christophany

A

Saw Christ as not a specific individual but as a name for God showing himself to people.
Not limited to Jesus of Nazareth- God making himself known can be found in other religions- just not referred to as Christ

45
Q

2 strengths of Panikkar

A
  • Overcomes Hick’s problems of truth claims
  • Promotes equality and aiming for harmony between religions
46
Q

2 weaknesses of Panikkar

A
  • Undermines Jesus’ unique sacrifice
  • Ideas aren’t rooted biblical evidence unlike exclusivism or inclusivism