99 TRUTH PAPERS							 Dr. Elsie Maxwell
HYDE PARK CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP				        October 1998

CHRISTIAN APPROACHES TO OTHER FAITHS

If Christ is unique, and the Christian faith is  true then:
		-Are other faiths  false?
		-Are others delusions of Satan?
		-Are others  demonic?
		-Do others contain  much that is good and true but not saving faith?
		-Do others contain truth for all truth is God's?
How we answer the above questions determines our view or approach to other faiths.

[A] EXCLUSIVISM  (exclusivist)
	
Those who would answer that other faiths are by nature false even though they may contain some truth are known as exclusivist. The 'hyper' or 'ultra' exclusivist would attribute  these other faiths or their ideas to delusions from Satan or demonic sources. This view is based on the belief that the Scripture confirms the uniqueness of Christ.  (John 14: 6, Acts 4:12)  This  exclusivism  is in the theological sense only, not socially as  this view is not in opposition to a multicultural society. It should not foster any personal attitudes of bigotry or pride  of superiority. The major concern is for truth/revelation and salvation.  That is that God's action is to reveal Himself and to save sinners as they cannot save themselves.  Jesus is the saviour and salvation is in him alone.  There is discontinuity between revelation of the salvation of God in Christ  and other religions.   It is primarily a Christ centred view.  There is acknowledgement of the image of God and the fruit of his work in the lives of others but the image is distorted.   Some have suggested another name for this view, particularism.   This may seems a more sensitive word.

[B] INCLUSIVISM  (inclusivist)

While  exclusivism states that all other faiths are not vehicles of truth, inclusivism declares that all truth is God's truth and Christ's.  This must then include all that is true in other faiths.  Broadly then there is revelation/truth but not salvation truth in others, with Christianity being the central truth manifesting what is hidden in others or not clearly developed.  It also recognises  faith  or supernatural truth‑power operating in people of other religions and the possibility that  these followers though unknown to them  could be in a process of coming to faith in Christ. Often they are  spoken of as 'anonymous Christians', and is frequently a Roman Catholic view. However a belief in an all embracing God who in his universal activity by his spirit is operative in other faiths tends to become  a belief in universalism and this easily moves on to pluralism.  Christianity loses its distinctiveness.   This view  tries to  hold  together  the two issues of the will of God to save and the uniqueness of Jesus, plus  attempts to explain rationally how this might operate.

[C] PLURALISM  (Pluralist)

Christians as well as many other people would want to affirm that social or cultural pluralism in a nation  would enrich the people of that  country and  would have much to contribute to the life of the community.  One wants to acknowledge that many areas are no longer monocultural,  and enjoy social pluralism.

But here we are considering religious pluralism, which at present is a very popular view  and would seem on the surface to be a view sensitive to the people of other faiths.  It suggests that all faiths/religions are acceptable and equal. There is  no one who  has total truth.  It puts everyone on the same level.  It is not a syncretism  of truth  claims  nor does it decide or make judgment on claims or give value to claims.  Truth is relative and though there are said to be no absolutes yet this claim of relativity of truth operates as an absolute.

A pluralist would stated that  God is central: it is theocentric and not Christ‑centric.  God  is defined in very general terms usually in relationship to being  the creator and sustainer of all.  There are a number of spheres of contact between God and man and  people will have various ways of responding to him.  These faiths will have beliefs concerning salvation but no particular plan is unique. Being God‑centred is seen as less offensive or  more  acceptable  to other religions  than the Christ‑centred view of the excluvisivists.

This view raises that  following questions:  Why is having an abstract God who can not be identified better than a personal knowable  one?  Jewish believers came to see that Jesus was the centre, Immanuel.   The Gospel was preached during a time when there was a pluralism of religions; paganism of the Romans, Greeks, and the barbarian tribes. Our situation today is not a new feature of society.  If Jesus is relativised, not unique, having other names in other faiths, then  would there not in reality be no Christians?  Does this not also make the New Testament  false, or a myth when it proclaims Christ?  The Jewish Christians and early church believed it was unique.  Why is history overlooked or seen as false?

Activity
6.1 What is the basis for deciding  what is truth?  ( In view of the above topic about 'truth' in other faiths?)

6.2  Is the provision of Christ for every one?   What scripture would you use to explain your view?