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Christian Attitudes Toward Other Religions

Christian Attitudes Toward Other Religions. When a Christian sits down at a dialogue table with adherents of other religions, and says “ Jesus is Lord, and you must accept him as your personal Lord and Savior, it is the end of dialogue

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Christian Attitudes Toward Other Religions

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  1. Christian Attitudes Toward Other Religions When a Christian sits down at a dialogue table with adherents of other religions, and says “Jesus is Lord, and you must accept him as your personal Lord and Savior, it is the end of dialogue When a Unificationist sits down at a dialogue table with adherents of other religions, and speaks of “the True Parents of humanity,” it is the beginning of dialogue

  2. Christian attitudes toward other religions: • Exclusivism • Inclusivism • Pluralism • Theocentrism

  3. Exclusivism • The first religion Christianity encountered was Judaism • Later, the heresies were encountered • Gnosticism • Etc. • Christian doctrine was formed largely in response to attack, and not as positive formulations of the faith • Niceno-Chalcedonian creed, for example • Careful wording, with nearly every expression responding to some heresy • Later, the religion of Islam was encountered • New heresy? • The anti-Christ? • Etc. • “Extra ecclesiam nulla sallus” (outside the church there is no salvation) • Jesuit missionaries in the 15-16 centuries, encountered Hinduism, Buddhism, etc. • At first, the West was shocked: no God, so soul, etc. • In time, more information was received, and their faith understood more deeply • They show every indication of being “saved”!

  4. Today, the Christian finds him/herself in a dilemma: • To retain the Lordship of Jesus Christ as their Savior • To acknowledge the very evident fact of other religions, and other savior figures • To hold to their Christian beliefs • To be open to other savior figures, and be open to dialogue • What is the status of Jesus Christ? • Norm • Paradigm • Key • Catalyst • Superlative • Proleptic • Determinative • Etc.

  5. John Hick’s “Copernican Revolution in Theology” • The Copernican Revolution in astronomy • Ptolemaic view of the universe (earth is the center; sun revolves around earth) • Mathematical “epicycles” became very complex • Copernican view of the universe (sun is the center; earth revolves around sun) • The mathematics became very clear and accurate • The Copernican Revolution in theology • Traditional Christian view of the field (Jesus is the center; all faiths revolve around him) • Theological “epicycles” became very burdensome • “anonymous Christian,” • “Invisible church and visible church” • “Special revelation” vs “general revelation” • “invincible ignorance” • Etc. • John Hick’s view of theological field (God is the center; Jesus and others revolve) • Clears the theological confusion; but, what about the status of Jesus Christ, especially the Incarnation?

  6. The Myth of the Incarnation (John Hick, and others) • The Truth of the Incarnation (Michael Goulder, and others) • Incarnation and Myth: The Debate Continued • The Metaphor of God Incarnate (Hick) • Intense theological debate concerning fundamental Christian themes and doctrines • John Hick: • The early Christians experienced God in Jesus, a profound experience • How to express it? • The only philosophical means available to them: Greek philosophy • The Christological creeds are filled with Greek philosophical categories • Out-dated language; a pre-scientific worldview • The Christological creeds were never meant to be taken literally • If a literal interpretation: they result in heresy (Schleiermacher) • Not homo ousios (of one substance with the Father), but homo agape (of one love with the Father)

  7. The attitudes revisited • Exclusivism • God ---------- Jesus in a bottle // rest of humanity; all religions • There is grace solely in Jesus Christ (all others going to hell) • Inclusivism • God ---------- Jesus ------------ rest of humanity; all religions • There is grace in the world because of Jesus Christ (grace available to others) • But eventually, they have to accept Jesus, who is the “Norm above all norms” • Even if only in another lifetime • Pluralism • God ---------- Jesus ------------ savior for Christians • God ---------- Buddha ----------- savior for Buddhists • God ---------- Mohammed -------- savior for Muslims • Etc. All faiths are valid, and valuable • Theocentrism • God is the center of all (God has many names) • Interreligious dialogue is important

  8. What is the Appropriate Unification Attitude Toward Other Religions? • Familialism as an attitude • All people are brothers and sisters • All religions are brother and sister religions; God inspired all religions • True Parents are the center • The Maitreya Buddha (Buddhism) • The True Man (Confucianism) • The LSA (Christianity) • The Kalki Avatar (Hinduism) • Etc. • Unification encourages dialogue, but dialogue is only a beginning, and must be transcended, ultimately • Beyond dialogue is a unity of heart and spirit • Cain and Abel typology • Abel must win the heart of Cain

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