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Summary Religious Pluralism and Theology Notes
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Notes on religious Pluralism and Theology
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Religious Pluralism and Theology NotesEpistemological – the extent to which non Christian religions can be considered to be true
Soteriological- whether non Christians can achieve salvation
Exclusivism – view that only Christians fully offer the means of salvation
‘Only Christianity has truth’ Discuss
This statement addresses the soteriological and epistomological problem which raises the
problem of whether non Christians can receive salvation if only Christianity has truth. There
are three accepted views which seek to answer this question, Exclusivism, Inclusivism and
Pluralism. Exclusivism argues only Christians has truth. Inclusivism argues that Christians and
‘anonymous’ chjristians can achieve salvation. Finally Pluralism argues that there are many
paths to salvation, of which Christianity is one.The strongest Line of argument is that
Exclusivism is the strongest way to answer the soteriological and epristomological problem
therefore only Christians can achieve Salvation.
One Challenge to my argument comes from Inclusivism, which argues that Christianity holds
the truth but others can still be saved. This is an attractive view as it reflects Gods love for
humanity and makes salvation possible for everyone, it also does not diminish Jesus’ role in
salvation, but allows all to be saved from sin, not just those who have heard the gospel. Karl
Rahner argued that Gods Grace allowed non-christians to act virtuously and believed that
natual theology played a role in teaching about God, that God can be revealed through
creation and history. This is how non Christians have knowledge of God and can be an
anonymous Christian. However I find this to be a weak argument as it ignores biblical
teaching which specifically shows baptism is required in order to achieve salvation, and
raises the wuestion of why Baptism is necessary at all when one can be saved without it.
Exclusivism is in this way more coherent with Christian Beliefs as original sin and
subsequent sin means salvation through God must be earned in order to achieve heaven.
Christian Exclusvists would believe that everyone is sinful and in fact nobody deserves to go
to heaven, however through faith salvation can be achieved. Therefore Christianity is the
only means to salvation as one needs to be baptised in order to be washed of original sin.
Another Challenge to my argument comes from Pluralism, which is the belief that all
religions hold truth, that religions are all different cultural interpretations of the same God,
and in reality we are all working towards one truth. A strength of this view is the common
denominator of Religious Experience and revelation argued by John Hick. Hick Argued that
religious experience is something that all faiths have in common, meaning that all faiths
have revelation. He argued that religious experience is how people encounter the divine,
and all religions do encounter the divine. He said that no religion can prove their claims
about God and therefore religious experience is the only grounds for belief, meaning that all
faiths must be taken seriously. Although this argument holds merit I still believe exclusivism
is the strongest view as Hicks Pluralism is actually a form of exclusivism, as Christians know
what is real and then other faiths are judged by this. Therefore Pluralism is a weak attempt
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