Theme 3: Significant historical developments in religious thought
Challenges from pluralism and diversity within a tradition
Exclusivism = view that one’s own religion is only way to salvation & liberation
Inclusivism = view that one’s religion is ‘final’ way to salvation/liberation; there may be other
religions which have partial/incomplete truth
Religious pluralism = view that all religions, in different ways, reflect divine truth/ultimate reality
Exclusivism
Hebrew scriptures, God called out group of people to follow
him & commanded that they dedicated themselves to exclusive
worships
o ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart’ –
Deuteronomy 6:5
To turn away from this exclusivist worship had negative consequences
o ‘you shall perish quickly from the good land’ – Joshua 23:16
NT, Jesus seems to echo exclusivist views
o ‘I am the way, the truth and the life’ – John 14:6
Salvation is to be found via Jesus
o ‘No one comes to the Father, except through me’ – John 14:6
Christianity provides only path to God
Anonymous Christian = doesn’t identify as Christians, responds to God’s presence but may not be
aware of God & not aware of God’s full expression in JC
Contribution of Karl Rahner
Roman Catholic theologian
Major influence on documents produced by Vatican 2 [council of RC leaders]
All have awareness of something beyond finite realm – God
o Therefore, possible for all to have implicit awareness of God without explicitly
knowing that’s case
Anonymous Christianity
o God’s active everywhere, offering grace to all
o Church shouldn’t view those outside of it as merely ‘non-Christians’ but as
‘Anonymous Christians’
Someone who responds to God’s presence but not be explicitly aware of
God & isn’t aware of God’s expression in Christ & church
Rahner accepted notion that without Christ – impossible to have achieve salvation – couldn’t
accept notion that people who never heard of Jesus would be condemned
Argues that
1
, Theme 3: Significant historical developments in religious thought
Challenges from pluralism and diversity within a tradition
o Christianity one absolute religion
o Jesus died for human sin & enables people to be saved via grace – Jesus’ died
necessary for salvation
o This grace mediated via non-Christian religions – religions which mediate God’s
grace are lawful religions
o Non-Christians who behave in ‘Christian’ type of way already have God’s grace
acting in life & should be regarded as anonymous Christians
o In this way – Church isn’t confined to visible institution of Church but is comprised of
those whose behaviour & values reflect those of Christian
‘Christianity & the Non-Christian Religions’
o 1st Thesis = ‘Christianity understands itself as absolute religion’
Only Christianity true
o 2nd Thesis = ‘a non-Christian religion can be recognised as a lawful religion (although
only in different degrees)’
Other religions may reflect truth in less/greater degrees
o 3rd Thesis = ‘respect as an anonymous Christian’
Non-Christians should be treated with respect as ‘anonymous Christians’
o 4th Thesis = ‘socially constituted explicitly expression of what the Christian hopes’
Visible Church continues to have very central role even if not necessary to
be part of to be saved
Support for Inclusivism
Bible passages – OT describes ‘God-pleasing pagans’
o Act 17, Paul refers positively to pagans
o ‘my father’s house has many rooms’ – John 14:12
Impacts of Vatican II – other religions ‘reflect a ray of that truth’ – ‘those can attain
salvation who through no fault of their own do not know the Gospel of Christ…yet sincerely
seek God’
Follows logically from central Christian beliefs – belief that God desires salvation for all
Retains central role for Jesus & emphasises necessity of crucifixion & resurrection
Presents solution to issue of what happens to good non-Christians & explains presence of
miracles, good moral values & religious experiences found in non-Christian religious
2
Challenges from pluralism and diversity within a tradition
Exclusivism = view that one’s own religion is only way to salvation & liberation
Inclusivism = view that one’s religion is ‘final’ way to salvation/liberation; there may be other
religions which have partial/incomplete truth
Religious pluralism = view that all religions, in different ways, reflect divine truth/ultimate reality
Exclusivism
Hebrew scriptures, God called out group of people to follow
him & commanded that they dedicated themselves to exclusive
worships
o ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart’ –
Deuteronomy 6:5
To turn away from this exclusivist worship had negative consequences
o ‘you shall perish quickly from the good land’ – Joshua 23:16
NT, Jesus seems to echo exclusivist views
o ‘I am the way, the truth and the life’ – John 14:6
Salvation is to be found via Jesus
o ‘No one comes to the Father, except through me’ – John 14:6
Christianity provides only path to God
Anonymous Christian = doesn’t identify as Christians, responds to God’s presence but may not be
aware of God & not aware of God’s full expression in JC
Contribution of Karl Rahner
Roman Catholic theologian
Major influence on documents produced by Vatican 2 [council of RC leaders]
All have awareness of something beyond finite realm – God
o Therefore, possible for all to have implicit awareness of God without explicitly
knowing that’s case
Anonymous Christianity
o God’s active everywhere, offering grace to all
o Church shouldn’t view those outside of it as merely ‘non-Christians’ but as
‘Anonymous Christians’
Someone who responds to God’s presence but not be explicitly aware of
God & isn’t aware of God’s expression in Christ & church
Rahner accepted notion that without Christ – impossible to have achieve salvation – couldn’t
accept notion that people who never heard of Jesus would be condemned
Argues that
1
, Theme 3: Significant historical developments in religious thought
Challenges from pluralism and diversity within a tradition
o Christianity one absolute religion
o Jesus died for human sin & enables people to be saved via grace – Jesus’ died
necessary for salvation
o This grace mediated via non-Christian religions – religions which mediate God’s
grace are lawful religions
o Non-Christians who behave in ‘Christian’ type of way already have God’s grace
acting in life & should be regarded as anonymous Christians
o In this way – Church isn’t confined to visible institution of Church but is comprised of
those whose behaviour & values reflect those of Christian
‘Christianity & the Non-Christian Religions’
o 1st Thesis = ‘Christianity understands itself as absolute religion’
Only Christianity true
o 2nd Thesis = ‘a non-Christian religion can be recognised as a lawful religion (although
only in different degrees)’
Other religions may reflect truth in less/greater degrees
o 3rd Thesis = ‘respect as an anonymous Christian’
Non-Christians should be treated with respect as ‘anonymous Christians’
o 4th Thesis = ‘socially constituted explicitly expression of what the Christian hopes’
Visible Church continues to have very central role even if not necessary to
be part of to be saved
Support for Inclusivism
Bible passages – OT describes ‘God-pleasing pagans’
o Act 17, Paul refers positively to pagans
o ‘my father’s house has many rooms’ – John 14:12
Impacts of Vatican II – other religions ‘reflect a ray of that truth’ – ‘those can attain
salvation who through no fault of their own do not know the Gospel of Christ…yet sincerely
seek God’
Follows logically from central Christian beliefs – belief that God desires salvation for all
Retains central role for Jesus & emphasises necessity of crucifixion & resurrection
Presents solution to issue of what happens to good non-Christians & explains presence of
miracles, good moral values & religious experiences found in non-Christian religious
2
