these notes, essay plans and essays have been created for the new exam series starting in the summer of 2018 and focus on the christian theology side of the course.
‘Theological pluralism does not undermine Christan elieess
Intro –
- What is it? Theological pluralism is the view that there are many ways to reach salvatonn oe
which Christanity is one path.
- The development oe theological pluralism in response to mult-eaith societes and an
increasing awareness that diferent religions share many ideas in common.
- John Hicks glo al theology: realised the religious devoton oe ikhsn Hindusn Muslimss etc was
considera le and every it as eervent (keen) as that oe a Christan. Would an omni enevolent
God condemn such good people to hell? Hicks approach has een called unitary theological
pluralism.
- Line oe argument: is to e rejected as theological pluralism is contradictory oe Christan
eliees as it teaches that God is omni enevolent and thereeore will accept anyone into
heaven who has lived a moral liee despite whether they have heard the gospel or not which
goes against the Christan teaching that you have to eollow the gospel in order to gain access
to heaven and Godss grace.
Point one-
- Argument- John Hickss work in Birmingham- a major multcultural city made him realize that
the religious devoton oe ikhsn Hindusn Muslimss etc was considera le and every it as
eervent (keen) as that oe a Christan. Would an omni enevolent God condemn such good
people to hell? Hicks approach has een called unitary theological pluralism. This goes
against the Christan eliee that the omnipotent God has prejudged us and determined
whether we are going to heaven or hell ased upon whether we have een eaitheul to the
religion and lived a moral liee.
- Counter- On the other handn an exclusivist point oe view would argue that there is Bi lical
evidence eor limited electon such as “Jesus said to him “I am the wayn and the truthn and the
liee. No one comes to the eather except through me” highlightng this restricted access this
eollows the sola christus which is the eliee that Godss grace is possi le only through Christ
which is what the Christan eliees teach.
- Re utal - The uk alone has ecome a so much more diverse society and whilst the majority
oe the populaton gave their ethnic group as “White” in the 2011 Censusn results erom the
past 20 years show a decreasen ealling erom 94.1% in 1991 down to 86% in 2011. Which
demonstrates that the society has a more positve outlook on the acceptance oe other
religions and ethnicitesn perhapsn due to the eact that they have similar religious views. This
would go against the sola christus view as it accepts other eaiths into the same salvaton that
Christans receive as they are taught that it is necessary to salvaton eor them to accept the
gospel as this is the only means to salvaton and thereeore contradicts these teachings.
Point 2-
- Argument: Karl Rahner- an inclusivist approach- the old queston oe the eate oe those who
lived and died eeore Christn as well as those who never hear the gospeln caused him some
concern. Would a loving God really condemn them to hell? Rahner argued we were partal
truths in other religions. You have to stll e saved through the gospel (acceptng Jesus Christ
as his saviour). Once a person erom another religion has heard the gospel then they must
respond. But ie they never hear itn then the opton is there eor them to e saved afer death.
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