Religious Pluralism and theology

Question 1

Exclusivism

Answer 1

the doctrine or belief that only one religion or belief system is true

Question 2

Inclusivism

Answer 2

argues that while one set of beliefs is true , other sets of beliefs are at least partially true. other faiths could be included in God’s salvation even though they are not baptised members of the christian church

Question 3

Pluralism

Answer 3

an attitude or policy regarding the diversity of religious belief systems co-existing in society. All religions have an equal right to co-exist. There are many paths to salvation and Christianity is just one of those paths

Question 4

Solus Christus

Answer 4

Latin - Christ alone , protestant reformers basic belief that salvation is obtained through the atoning work of Christ alone, apart from individual works, and that Christ is the only mediator between God and man

Question 5

Karl Rahner

Answer 5

German Jesuit priest and theologian who developed an inclusivist view of salvation, arguing that while Christianity is the ultimate and most perfect religion, God’s grace can also be experienced and mediated through other religions

Question 6

John Hick

Answer 6

english theologian influential works on pluralism and the problem of evil

Question 7

Salvation

Answer 7

deliverence from sin and its consequences

Question 8

Christocentric

Answer 8

christian belief that Christ is at the centre of faith and only through Christ can someone achieve salvation

Question 9

Theocentric

Answer 9

religious belief that God is at the centre of faith and salvation is available to all who believe in God regardless of what God it is

Question 10

Convergent pluralism

Answer 10

one way to God , one path up to the mountain

Question 11

Loving god and the problem of exclusivism / soteriological problem

Answer 11

doesnt make sense a loving god would deny those from another religion or those who dont know him salvation

Question 12

Loving god and the problem of exclusivism RESPONSE

Answer 12

God is loving but there is no point in religion if everyone gets to reap the benefits other solutions include non-convential hell , purgatory , free will defence , evangelism

Question 13

is it necessary or sufficent for a person to believe in God to recieve salvation

Question 14

Gavin D’costas 7 controllings beliefs

Answer 14

argues that the answer to the necessary question of necessary / sufficient conditions will depend on controlling beliefs of a specific christian tradition community

Question 15

extra ecclesiam nulla salus

Answer 15

belief that salvation is not possible outside the church as the church is the continuing mediator of Christ’s presence on earth

Question 16

Sola christus

Answer 16

belief that God’s grace is only possible through christ

Question 17

fides ex auditu

Answer 17

belief that faith is only possible through hearing Gospels as witnessed in the Bible and preached by the church

Question 18

God and creation

Answer 18

belief that God alone created the world ; although God is one He is also trinity

Question 19

eschatology

Answer 19

belief that God promises a future state of bliss after death for the elect and damnation for the wicked

Question 20

sin and election

Answer 20

humans are fallen and cant know God by themselves God calls some to salvation

Question 21

Bertrand Russel

Answer 21

’ i think all the great religions of the world are harmful and untrue .. since they disagree not more than one of them can be true

Question 22

three things that must be in place for salvation according to exclusivist

Answer 22

1) there must be faith in Christ since salvation comes from Christ alone (solus christus)
2 ) this faith in christ must come from hearing the Gospel either in this life or the next
3) believer in christ must be a member of the christian church

Question 23

doctrine of justification by faith

Answer 23

we are made righteous through faith rather than any good works that we do

Question 24

problem of good non- christians for exclusivists

Answer 24

undermines the importance of Jesus making the incarnation, death and resurrection of Jesus pointless. If people can earn heaven why did Jesus have to die?

Question 25

immanent God exclusivism

Answer 25

God intervenes in the world at particular times and places through visions and through miracles . He intervenes in the world to make himself known because he desires that people come to know him

Question 26

God incarnate and exclusivism

Answer 26

makes christianity superior to other religions - Jesus being God means he is in a position to give true knowledge about God and has authority to tell people how to behave.

Question 27

mediator Jesus exclusivism

Answer 27

Jesus is a mediator between humans and God without him God would be inaccesible and salvation would be impossible

Question 28

John 14:6

Answer 28

' I am the Way, The Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me'

Question 29

Restrictive access exclusivism RAE

Answer 29

salvation only possible through directly hearing the gospel( fides ex auditu) and accepting baptism into the church position is supported by Acts 4:12 " there is salvation in no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved'

Question 30

RAE counterarguments

Answer 30

what about those who havent heard of christ especially those in certain parts of the world or those who lived before christ

Question 31

RAE counterarguments RESPONSE

Answer 31

Calvinists argue humans are sinful and God is under no obligation to save them

Question 32

UAE Universal access exclusivism

Answer 32

view that God wills the redemption of everyone , supported by catholic and protestant theolgians..

Question 33

Roman Catholic Church

Answer 33

whilst non christian religions reflect a ray of truth their lack of necessary controlling beliefs cant lead them to salvation. Pluralism undermines the fullness of Christs salvation

Question 34

Narrow exclusivism

Answer 34

salavation only for those within a certain denomination some believe only those baptised and take part in sacraments will get to heaven

Question 35

broad exclusivism

Answer 35

holds that while Christ is the unique and ultimate revelation of God, salvation is not limited to those who explicitly profess faith in Christ. It acknowledges that truth may be revealed in other religions and that individuals, regardless of their religious background, can respond to God's grace according to the light they have received.

Question 36

Barth quote

Answer 36

' God created the world for no reason than to enter into covenant fellowship with it in the incarnation, death and resurrection of Jesus

Question 37

Karl Barth .. exclusivist?

Answer 37

believed knowledge of God can be found only where God chooses to reveal it . belives the word has 3 forms : Jesus, Bible and Church teachings . Jesus is central to getting to God and cant be know through self efforts ( christocentric )

Question 38

issues with excluivism stance that inclusivism fixes

Answer 38

what about those of ancient times , those who are inculpably ignorant or those who were intending to be baptised inclusivism attempts to soften the harshness of exclusivism by offering a more inclusive and nuanced understanding of salvation, divine revelation, and the role of other religions in the human quest for meaning and truth.

Question 39

Kraemer

Answer 39

Dutch Reformed missionary and scholar, was a staunch advocate of Christian exclusivism, believing that only through accepting Christ's salvation can one achieve true salvation. e argued that other religions, while potentially containing some truths, ultimately fall short of providing complete and sufficient salvation they need to convert

Question 40

inculpably ignorant

Answer 40

cant be blamed for nto having heard or understanding the gospel e.g age, place , time , eductaion

Question 41

Lumen Gentium

Answer 41

while salvation is primarily through Jesus Christ and the Church, individuals who, through no fault of their own, haven't reached an explicit knowledge of Christ or his Church, can still be saved if they sincerely seek God and strive to do his will as understood through their conscience

Question 42

Rahner and votum eclesia

Answer 42

Karl Rahner's concept of "votum ecclesiae" (Latin for "a wish or desire to belong to the church") is central to understanding his theological inclusivism, particularly his views on anonymous Christians. Rahner's "votum ecclesiae" suggests that even without explicit membership or knowledge of the Church, individuals who implicitly desire to belong to the Church and live accordingly can be considered part of God's plan of salvation

Question 43

anonymous christians

Answer 43

Rahner coined the term ‘anonymous’ Christians’ for people who are following Christian beliefs and the message of Christ without actually realising it. for example faithful muslims For example, Muslims give money to the poor as part of zakah, the 3rd pillar of their faith. They could be doing the work of Christ in helping the needy without realising.

Question 44

The Invisible Church:

Answer 44

Rahner proposed a broader understanding of the Church that extends beyond its visible, institutional form. He believed that the invisible Church encompasses all those who have been touched by the grace of God, regardless of whether they are formally part of the visible Church. This includes non-Christians who, through their actions and values, reflect a "Christian-type" behavior and are considered "anonymous Christians," according to Rahner.

Question 45

Restrcitive inclusivism

Answer 45

emphasizes the unique and necessary role of Christ in salvation, even for those who have not heard the gospel explicitly. While it acknowledges the possibility of salvation for non-Christians, it does not view other religions as salvific pathways themselves, but rather as potential preparations for the gospe

Question 46

criticism of inclusivism

Answer 46

- RI is pratically exclusivism - offense to non-christians and calls them anonomus christians -anomous christianity is unchristain - R misued the term votum eclesia it actually means non-christians who actively wish to join the church but are unable due to circumstances -watered down christianity

Question 47

Cultural Constructs:

Answer 47

Rahner's view of other religions is based on the idea that they are not simply random or arbitrary constructs, but rather responses to a universal human capacity for God, shaped by culture and history. This perspective provides a framework for understanding religious diversity and promoting interreligious dialogue, while still affirming the unique role of Christian revelation.

Question 48

Unitary theological pluralism

Answer 48

Unitary theological pluralism, often associated with John Hick, posits that all religions are valid paths to a single, ultimate reality or divine bein

Question 49

Religion is a result of environment hick

Answer 49

' if i had been born in india i would probably be a hindu' as a result hicks repsonse is to be a pluralist this means moving from christocentric to theocentric ; christians need to reject the notion of solus christus aswell as the incarnation

Question 50

rejection of the incarnation hick

Answer 50

believes this hinders tolerance and interfaith dialogue .. Jesus was just a good man like Muhammad and Buddah he is not unique instead deeply inspired by God .. it is God who gives salvation christ is just one of the means

Question 51

HIck on kants nomenual and phenomenal knowledge

Answer 51

whilst religions are phenomenally different they refer to the same Reality/ An - sich and so all religions lead to salvation

Question 52

authentic religions according to hick

Answer 52

alll good authentic religions use kants categorical imperative.. it treats ones neighbourt as itself

Question 53

Pluriform theological pluralism

Answer 53

argues that different religions offer valid paths to different, plural divine realities, rather than a single, unitary divine reality. This approach legitimizes other religions as potential paths to salvation or divine understanding, while also maintaining a focus on the unique aspects of each tradition. This contrasts with unitary pluralism, which suggests that all religions point to the same underlying reality

Question 54

Keith ward

Answer 54

professor of divinity at oxford belived that religions are different and conflicting but reason for them can be equally valid . emphasizes the inherent diversity and naturalness of religious beliefs and practices.

Question 55

St paul in the temple

Answer 55

does not condemn the greek religion but sees it as a way for those who dont know to know God

Question 56

parable of sheep and goats supports inclusivism

Answer 56

good people achieved salvation not belivers solely

Question 57

Ethical theological pluralism

Answer 57

Ethical theological pluralism suggests that different religions, though with varying beliefs and practices, are equally valid paths to a common goal of understanding and living a moral life. It emphasizes the shared ethical values and potential for salvation across different faiths, while acknowledging that these values are expressed differently through cultural lenses

Question 58

criticism of theolgical pluralism

Answer 58

Hick’s pluralistic view requires Christians to take a very different understanding of the Bible.If we view all Christianity truth claims as myth, the beliefs of Christianity are undermined. theological pluralism is self-contradictory. It states that there is no ‘right view’ which provides the full truth of God or ultimate reality but then proceeds to argue that the pluralist view is the ‘right view’. imperialist - Critics argue that Hick's framework can be seen as imposing a particular view of truth it is arguably exclusivist.. namely that the noumenal Real is the ultimate reality that underlies all religions. This view, they argue, can undermine the unique insights and experiences of other religious traditions, and is not truly pluralistic in the sense of valuing all religions equally.