Questions, questions, questions - the Christian faith is one which encompasses a huge range of beliefs within it. There are many different viewpoints on all sorts of areas of doctrine and belief. Christian theologians have debated for 2000 years, and it still goes on. We are trying to build up a resource here on some of the  issues for Christians here on campus.

Christian Salvation and Other Faiths

•  Where does salvation lie?
  • Who can be saved?
  • Are we here to convert people of other faiths, or only those of no faith, or just to live the kingdom way?
  • Can we learn from people of other faiths?
  • How can we work together for a better world?

There are traditionally three positions:

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  • The Exclusivist or Particularist - sees salvation through explicit faith in Christ, or through the Church
  • The Inclusivist - sees salvation as being ultimately through Christ, but inclusive of all, or of particular people who follow other faiths, and indeed of those faiths themselves
  • The Pluralist - sees as many paths to salvation as there are religions

The summary of each position below is followed by a section referring to biblical passages which relate to this question. At the end is a Further Information section, with book references and web links

The Exclusivist or Particularist Position

Stated by Hendrik Kraemer, (1888-1965): "God has revealed the Way, the Truth, and the Life in Jesus Christ, and wills this to be known in all the world." Some particularists (such as Karl Barth) take the view that there is no knowledge of God to be had apart from Christ. Others (such as Kraemer) think that God’s self-revelation occurs in many ways and places – but insist that this revelation can only be understood fully for what it really is, in the light of the definitive revelation of God in Christ.

The immediate question is what about those who have not heard the gospel of Christ? The pluralist would argue that the doctrine that ‘salvation is only possible through Jesus Christ’ is inconsistent with belief in the universal saving will of God. However, Karl Barth argues for the particularist position in that salvation is only possible through Christ, but for some that may be at the end of history. Eventually, in the end times, God’s grace will triumph completely, and all will come to faith in Christ. Other exclusivists would not go along with this, believing that Christ has to be acknowledged as Lord and Saviour in this life, otherwise they are condemned. That then has to be reconciled with the biblical view of a God of love.

1. What of those who have never heard of the Gospel of Christ?
2. What of those who have heard the Church's teaching but have been so put off by an exclusive and judgemental image of God that they have rejected such teaching?
3. What of those who have examined the Church's persecutions, crusades and hypocrisy and have turned away in disgust?
4. What of those who have been brought up in other cultures and traditions and have become loving and moral Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, Sikhs, etc.?
5. What of those who have wanted to believe, longed for faith, greatly sought after God, and yet have never received light, inward peace, or assurance of forgiveness?
6. What of those who have heard the gospel, but have been so emotionally damaged by their upbringing that they cannot access it – there are too many internal barriers in the way?

This view says that Christianity is not the only way, but Christ is. The inclusivist makes a distinction between the cosmic Christ, or Logos, and the historical Jesus - a distinction grounded in the New Testament. The cosmic Christ is the eternal Word, or Logos, which was with the Father and the Holy Spirit from all eternity ( John 1:1). At Bethlehem, he became incarnate in the historical Jesus. At certain points in John's gospel, Jesus refers to himself as the incarnate Logos, such as in the words, "Before Abraham was born, I am" (John 8:58), Here he speaks of himself as the eternal Logos who dwelt with the Father before the foundation of the world, and not simply as the human Jesus born of Mary. As the Logos, the Word of God, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, Jesus is creator, sustainer and redeemer, enlightening everybody who comes into the world (John 1:9). Therefore enlightenment can only be found through Christ, whether he is recognised or not.

Inclusivists are committed to the place of Jesus Christ in questions of salvation, and what he reveals uniquely about the nature of God. Yet they also have developed a respect for the people and teachings of some other faiths, for the good works that flow from them, and the spirituality that lies behind it. Holding those two together, they wish to see Christ at the centre, but to include within God’s saving grace the possibility of salvation in every respect for people of other faiths. They speak of the ‘unknown Christ’, working through other faiths. Elements of other faiths are seen as being 'in Christ'. Christ may be seen as the ‘invisible magnetic pole that draws all peoples in their quest for the Ultimate’. Karl Rahner is famous for the phrase ‘anonymous Christians’ – they are saved because they are inspired by Christ, though they do not know it.

The Roman Catholic Church has moved in recent years to somewhere in the inclusivist position. The declarations of Vatican II affirmed that "the Catholic Church rejects nothing that is true and holy in these religions", and that they "often reflect a ray of truth that enlightens all men" (presumably women as well!). But Christ remains the way, the truth and the life. "It is in him, in whom God reconciled all things to himself, that men find the fullness of their religious life". It also speaks of God’s redeeming sacrifice holding true "not only for Christians but for all men of good will in whose hearts grace works in an unseen way."

Questions for inclusivists:

1. What of those of no faith? If they lead a good life, are they saved through the ‘unknown Christ’ as well?
2. Where are the boundaries? What determines a religion that is ‘salvific’, and one which is not? Or should we just look at elements within each faith? If so, which elements?
3. What about sects on the edge of Christianity – Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Christadelphians, Scientologists, etc. Where are the boundaries?
4. What is the importance of mission if people can be saved through other faiths?

John Hick is the best known exponent of the pluralist approach. He argues that there is a need to move away from a Christ-centred to a God-centred approach. Hick declared that it was necessary to move away from " the dogma that Christianity is at the centre, to the realisation that it is God who is at the centre, and that all religions… including our own, serve and revolve around him." The pluralist would believe that all religions lead to the same God. Christians have no special access to God, who is universally available through all religious traditions. But the religious traditions of the world are radically different in their beliefs and practices. Hick deals with this by seeing such differences as a case of ‘both-and’, rather than ‘either-or’. They should be understood as complementary, rather than contradictory, insights into the nature of the divine reality. Mission is about working for the kingdom, with our neighbours of all faiths and none.

A model to illustrate pluralism:

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  • Religions are like different paths to the top of a mountain, different ways to salvation. Some would claim there is one mountain top, one ultimate reality, which is seen from different perspectives. Others, that we are on different mountains, and that this does not matter, provided we reach the clear air at the top of the mountain.

1. Questions to the model: Does anything constitute a path up the mountain? Are there not some paths which fade out like sheep tracks, or even end at the top of a precipice half-way up the mountain?
2. What about faiths which have no place for a god, such as Advaitin Hinduism, or Therevada Buddhism – how do they lead to God?
3. What is salvation in pluralist terms?
4. Is it possible to find salvation through something which is not true, even though it seems to satisfy its followers?
5. Is a pluralist a Christian, or just a God-believer?
6. Does the bible have any relevance to a pluralist? Is biblical truth only relevant for those who believe in that faith, and other faiths have other truths, or is there something special about Christianity for all?
7. Is there any sense of mission, in terms of a call to conversion, within pluralism?

The Doctrine Commission of the Church of England, "The Mystery of Salvation", (Church House 1995)

Alistair McGrath, "Christian Theology: An Introduction", (Blackwells 1997)

Note that neither the Old Testament, nor the New Testament have anything to say about the major faiths with which we have to deal – Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Islam, etc. But they are dealing with ‘the nations’, ‘Gentiles’, ‘Samaritans’, Greeks, Assyrians, Egyptians, etc.

Examples of dialogue

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  • as a way of relating to people of other faiths

Acts 19:8ff Paul at Ephesus – here the word ‘dialogueing’ is first used
Acts 17:16-34 Paul at Athens
Acts 14:8-18 Paul at Lystra
John 4 Jesus and the Samaritan woman
Colossians 4:3-6 Paul’s advice to be full of grace and salt towards outsiders
1 Corinthians 9:19-23 Paul on becoming a Jew to Jews and a Greek to Greeks

God as creator of all Genesis 1 & 2
Psalm 19:1, Ps.24, Ps.50:10, Ps.104:24-30
Jeremiah 8:7
Creation as covenant: Ecclesiasticus 17:1-22 (in the apocrypha)
Covenant with Noah: Genesis 9:12
The nations: Genesis 10
Covenant with Abraham Genesis 12:3
The good non-jew Gen. 14:18 – Melchizedek – shares bread & wine and blesses Abram
Gen.20 – Abimelech
Job 1:1, 2:3, etc
Exodus 18 – Jethro, priest of Midian
Numbers 22-24 – Balaam
Ruth 1:16 etc.
Joshua 6 – Rahab the prostitute
Jonah 3, and the whole book!

There are many exclusive texts – e.g. Ezra & Nehemiah – vital to preserve Judaism
Idol worship is usually condemned, but this is primarily for Jews who engage in such worship

Non-Jews on same relationship with God as Jews Amos 9:7
Isaiah 19:19-24, 45:1
Jeremiah 18:7-10
Malachi 1:11

Passages should be looked at in context, and relating to the bible as a whole

• Act 4:12 – salvation in no-one else
• John 1:14, 3:16-18, 14:6
• Hebrews 1:1, 9:12, 10:9-10
• Colossians 1:13-20
• 1 Corinthians 15:21-22
• 1 Peter 2:9-10
• all passages referring to the incarnation, cross and resurrection are relevant, plus those related to who Jesus is

Apparently inclusive passages

• Acts 10:35, and the whole Peter & Cornelius story
• Acts 14:16ff, 17:16ff
• John 1:1-13
• 1 Timothy 2:4
• Luke 4:16-21, 18:9-14, 24:27
• Matthew 5:1-12, 7:21, 25:31-46
• Passages relating to the kingdom of God
• Revelation amongst the Gentiles – Romans 1:18-20, 2:12-16, Acts 14:15-17, 17:27ff
• Faith amongst the Gentiles – Matthew 15:21-28, Luke 7:1-10
• Samaritan passages – Luke 10:29ff, 17:11-29, John 4
• What we should not do to those of other faiths – Luke 9:51-56

Apparently pluralist passages

• 1 Timothy 2:4, universal saving will, but c.f. verse 5
• 1 Corinthians 3:23

For relationship with the Jews, see especially Romans 9-11

Inclusivist position held by Justin Martyr (100-165 AD):

• "It is our belief that those men who strive to do the good which is enjoined on us, have a share in God. According to our traditional belief, they will by God’s grace, share his dwelling. And it is our conviction that this holds good in principle for all people"
• "Christ is the divine word in whom the whole human race share, and those who live according to the light of their knowledge are Christians, even if they are considered as being godless

Further Information

Books - available in Chapel Library

Alistair McGrath, "Christian Theology: An Introduction", (Blackwells 1997)
        A tome, but good introduction to many theological topics

Alastair Hunter, "Christianity and Other Faiths in Britain", (SCM, 1985)
        An inclusivist position, with stress on dialogue

Martin Goldsmith, "What About Other Faiths", (Hodder & Stoughton, 1989)
        An exclusivist position

Myrtle Langley, "World Religions", (Lion, 1993)
        Brief, colourful and cheerful outline of world faiths

B. Toropov, L.Buckles, "The Complete Idiot's Guide to the World's Religions", (Alpha Books, 1997)
        In their usual style, informative and helpful

J.Beversluis, "Sourcebook of the World's Religions", (New World Library, 2000)
        Excellent tome with vast amounts of info, including web links

D.Hart, "One Faith", (Mowbray 1995)
        From a  pluralist position, looking at challenges to Christianity.

Websites:

The Kristo - a straightforward, colourful and  interesting animated presentation of the gospel, one of the best around.

Peace Ministry.Org - some straight answers to straight questions about Christianity

Gospel.com - a vast resource for Christians on every topic imaginable, incorporating links to thousands of other sites.

World Religions Index - equipping Christians to understand other world faiths and religious philosophies. Their articles page contains section on Christian Particularism, with arguments for and against.

Parliament of World Religions - find out about the 'Global Ethic' that they are working towards

The Interfaith Network for the UK

Religious Tolerance.org - promoting, as it says, religious tolerance. Big site with lots of info