New Series on Religion Pluralism

Every few weeks, we feature a series of posts from other blogs and websites that either focus on one topic or on one group. Given a few conversations and events at the Chaplaincy recently (like the talk given by Miroslav Volf on Christian-Muslim relations), I thought that it might be useful to link to short articles from various Christian standpoints on the different types of pluralism, along with some from other faiths.

This first post is from Relevant Magazine, an evangelical magazine from a theologically conservative, but somewhat progressive standpoint (their motto is God, Life, Progressive Culture). The article is called "It's OK to Say Jesus is the Only Way." Here's a taste:

The claim that all paths lead to the same God actually minimizes other religions by asserting a new religious claim. When someone says all paths lead to the same God, they blunt the distinctives between religions, throwing them all in one pot, saying: “See, they all get us to God so the differences don’t really matter.” This isn’t tolerance; it’s a power play. When asserting all religions lead to God, the distinctive and very different views of God and how to reach Him in Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity and Islam are brushed aside in one powerful swoop. The Eightfold Noble Path of Buddhism, the 5 Pillars of Islam and the Gospel of Christ are not tolerated but told they must submit to a new religious claim—all ways lead to God—despite the fact that this isn’t what those religions teach.

Zack Guiliano

Kellogg Fellow