...Is Jesus the Only Savior?, author Robert Nash goes into great detail in explaining the views and positions held by inclusivists. Inclusivism is the affirmation that Jesus Christ is, in fact, the only savior; however it declines the notion that a person must first know and then subsequently accept the gospel message. Nash writes, “While pluralists believe that sincere followers of non-Christian religions can experience salvation through those religions, inclusivists insist that devout believers in other religions will be saved, but only on the basis of Christ’s atoning work,” (p. 104). Simplified, inclusivism maintains that Jesus Christ is the only savior and that the simple reality of his death is sufficient for the achievement of eternal life, regardless of what religion people belong to. It claims that Buddhists, Hindus, or Muslims have the same end result of salvation as Christians. Jesus died for all, and through his death all people are saved. Unlike the first half of the book addressing pluralism, Nash begins his discussion of inclusivism with an introduction to its claims. This is helpful and provides a better playing field to dispute inclusivism’s validity than his analysis of exclusivism. When he addresses pluralism, Nash starts by focusing on Hick’s beliefs and how he attempts to support them. With inclusivism, he first addresses inclusivism as a whole, then moves on to refer to various supporters’ opinions and inclusivism’s specific claims. This system of progression...
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...Courtney Religious Diversity, in many words, is the multiplicity of many different religions in society today and around the world . Within Sweetman's Religion: Key Concepts in Philosophy, he categorizes religious diversity into three sections: exclusivism, pluralism, and inclusivism. In Sweetman's opinion, these three things are responses to the problem of religious diversity. Exclusivism, Sweetman describes, is the view that the path to salvation can be found in only one religion, Pluralism is the view that there are many different ways to salvation in the various world religions, and so, all religions have a certain legitmacy, and Inclusivism is the view that there is only one true way to salvation, but people from other religions will be able to reach salvation still. While reading both Hick and Sweetman's articles, you get the idea that religious diversity is a fact. For Instance, within Hick's article On Conflicting Religious Truth Claims, he states an example: “Christians believe that Jesus died on the cross, whilst Muslims believe that he only appeared to die”, with this example Hick shows us how different sets of religions consists of “differences of historical belief which carry significant theological implications”. This simply states how religious diversity is in fact, real and worldwide. However, in Sweetman's case, he feels religious diversity is a philospical “problem”, in the sense of exclusivism and plurlism. He feels as though religious exclusivism is that...
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...A Study on Violence Against Buddhism by Korean Protestantism: Centering on the Wonmyeong Temple and Bongeun Temple Incidents Introduction: Violent Attacks on Buddhism by Protestants In the past, there have been numerous incidents where extremist Korean Protestants have damaged statues of the Buddha or Buddhist temples. Such incidents pose serious risks to society as these examples of destruction do not only disregard a certain religion, but are also highly violent in nature. Many high-profile cases have been reported: Arson of the Daejeokgwangjeon of Geumsansa Temple in 1986; the destruction of a stone pagoda and lantern of Okcheonam Temple in Hongeun-dong in 1989; the damaging of the Tangible Cultural Asset No. 17 stone-carved Buddha Statue in 1989; the enclosing of a shrine and burning of a Buddha statue by an army officer in Siheung, Gyeonggi-do in 1993; the arrest of a pastor and his fellows by local police officers for destroying a Buddha statue in Thailand in 1994; a Buddhist accidently killed while he was trying to prevent a Christian from intruding into a Buddhist monastery to distribute Christian missionary materials in 1996; the destruction, damage of 750 Buddha statues in Jeju by a Christian (named Kim) in his attempt to transform Wonmyeong Temple into a church in 1998; the damaging of the Buddha statue at Dongguk University in 2000; and the frenzy over a video clip about missionary students doing a performance involving stepping on the Bongeun Temple site...
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...An Analysis of "Is Jesus the Only Savior?" By: Ronald H. Nash By: Gregory Baize, Sr. Student #23344343 May 9, 2012 THEO 313-D03 Prof. Chuck Tabor An Analysis of "Is Jesus the Only Savior?" Part II Inclusivism Nash started his work with an in depth analysis of pluralism, the beliefs and arguments developing his thesis as well as developing a strong case against pluralism. Now in the second part of the book “Is Jesus the Only Savior?” Nash leads us in a study of inclusivism. Defined as or the belief that “The work of Jesus is ontologically necessary for salvation (in other words no one would be saved without it) Nash indicates not epistemologically necessary (in other words a person need not be aware of the work in order to benefit from it).” [1] One must keep in mind that Exclusivism is in disagreement with any second proposition. Strength of his Argument As you read through Nash’s work you find that Nash quotes a number of Inclusivists extensively. He also notes that one has sufficient evidence of their view points and the many arguments made by their own writings. This author displays great integrity in that he identifies even the elements of disagreement between inclusivists. Those of the Inclusivists thought believe that a general revelation is sufficient to bring an individual unto salvation. As Nash began to look into scripture he found Romans chapters 1-3 supported his ideology that a person’s broad revelation is not quite...
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...Nash Chapters 7-11 Is Jesus the Only Savior Delores Underwood THEO 313-B02 Dr. Daubert October 12, 2013 Ronald Nash wrote a book called Is Jesus the Only Savior. It discusses his gathered findings and distinctions between Pluralism and Inclusiveness. This paper will explore some of Ronald Nash’s observations and the arguments, logics and Scripture used to support his writings. This paper will discuss several Religious leaders some pluralist others inclusivists, non-Christians, Christians and their beliefs, philosophies or opinions. In this paper the details of inclusiveness is discussed. It seems that everyone has a somewhat varied definition of inclusiveness. Nash has in his book that “inclusivism because its adherents believe that the scope of God’s salvation is significantly wider than that held by exclusivists-so wide in fact that it includes many people that have not explicitly believed in Jesus” (Nash,1994, p. 9). Actually inclusivists believe that salvation is impossible without Christ and they agree He is the only Savior. But they differ from the many in saying that limiting salvation can’t be right. They question what happens to those who have not heard of Christ or don’t believe because they simply have not been taught. (Nash, 1994) Nash talks a lot about others and their way of thinking such as John Hick, Gavin D’ Costa, John Sanders, Clark Pinnock, Stuart Hackett, Karl Rahner, Michael Barnes and others. “Gavin D’Costa...
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...figure out a pluralist model for religious dialogue, it must first be observed in practice, rather than putting forth proposals that are conflicted in reflection. In the end, the best step towards religious pluralism is in practice, rather than in thought and reflection. Cohn-Sherbok, from the Judaic perspective, starts with the basics, with the history of Jewish inclusivism, before he turns to show how that could turn into pluralism. He explains how, before the Holocaust, Judaism has had a comparatively tolerant attitude towards other religions, while still believing that Judaism was the one true faith. They did not condemn other religions for their practices, as their prophets said that in the end of days all people would accept their God (Cohn-Sherbok, 121). After the Holocaust however, Jewish thinkers distanced themselves from Christianity (Cohn-Sherbok, 123) Unlike the exclusivist view of Christianity, Jews have a long tradition of toleration, with the belief that God’s will extends to other faiths, even while they are the chosen people (Cohn-Sherbok, 124). Even with a history of relative religious inclusivism, the shift into pluralism requires more of the faith. Cohn-Sherbok points out that the inclusivist position is not without its faults. It seems to include two conflicting convictions: the belief in God’s universal concern and the belief that divine revelation was given...
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...of the 21st century." This is an especially salient point when considering the exclusivist, inclusivist, and pluralist approaches to religious pluralism. As I learned in a debate in a philosophy of religion course, each of these positions has shortcomings but they can also all be argued for very convincingly. The exclusivist approach is aptly named. Those who believe that salvation is only made available through Jesus Christ fall into this category (McMahon 194). Faith in Jesus is essential and "there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). While our author states otherwise, it seems less than surprising that this is still a popularly held approach to religious pluralism (McMahon 195). Inclusivism shares similarities with exclusivism but deviates in some important ways. While maintaining that Christ is savior, salvation is available to those who do not profess or even know Jesus (McMahon 200). Inclusivists are accepting of the religious truths present in other faith traditions (while maintaining Jesus' and Christianity's preeminence) and stress the importance of interfaith cooperation, as seen in the resultant documents from Vatican II (McMahon 195; 197-198). For inclusivists, a Christian is not just one who is nominally so, but also whoever is one in spirit (McMahon 199). This concept reflects Karl Rahner's Anonymous Christian theology, in which he reasons for the existence of a primordial capacity to apprehend God (McMahon 198)...
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...Analysis In the book Is Jesus the Only Savior?, author Ronald Nash does an excellent job in presenting his arguments in a comprehensive, thorough method. In the preface, he does well to address the important clarification of terms needed when discussing whether or not Jesus is the only savior. It is essential to understand these terms—exclusivism, pluralism, and inclusivism—when diving into the various beliefs and interpretations concerning Christ and His claim that, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me,” (John 14:6). While the intention of the book is to address such beliefs and interpretations, it is important to establish early in the text, as he does, what the different beliefs are and to define them in a very basic form. In the first chapter, Nash lays the foundation for the rest of his book—exclusivism. Similar to the importance of defining all three of the different general views in the preface, it is incredibly important for him to establish a baseline of good theology, initially, in order to effectively discuss and argue the views of pluralism and inclusivism. This is certainly one of the greatest strengths of the book as a whole. Nash lays out the main purpose of the book on page 25, stating, “The major question I will seek to answer in the rest of this book is whether pluralists or inclusivists have produced arguments strong enough to justify the repudiation of exclusivism, which is the position of historic Christianity...
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...Analysis of Ronald Nash’s “Is Jesus the Only Savior?” Analysis In Chapter one Nash goes about laying the foundation for what is to be the focal point of his book, the argument and defense of the fact that Jesus Christ is the only Savior. Along with this Nash shines a light on the three views that are central to the debate. They are Christian exclusivism, pluralism, and inclusivism. This paper will focus on the difference between Christian exlusivism and pluralism. The bulk of the first chapter is spent focusing on Christian exclusivism. By way of evidences found in scripture and the stance of biblical authority Nash establishes its definition. He places such a strong emphasis on this view that the reader is put in a place of analyzing the other views against the view of Christian exclusivism, and does so in a way that it is understood the other views will more than likely come up short with regard to proving their case. Nash makes this clear with the statement, ““The major question I will seek to answer in the rest of this book is whether pluralists or inclusivists have produced arguments strong enough to justify the repudiation of exclusivism, which is the position of historic Christianity.” It is important to note that a key element when it comes to what is known as Christian exlusivism is its view of Theology. The book states, theology “has been replaced by personal encounter, religious feeling, trust, or obedience.” These thoughts are evident throughout Nash’s expressed...
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...UNIVERSITY OF NAMIBIA LIZEL MUTELO 201207003 RELIGION AND SPIRITUALITY ASSIGNMENT 2 Explanation and Interpretation: three accounts When we are dealing with human subjects, their forms of thought, their types of practice, what are the respective roles of explanation and interpretation, however finely or coarsely they are distinguished? This summary discusses three accounts that can help us understand the roles of explanation and interpretation in studying or dealing with human subjects and these are the exclusivism account, the inclusive account, and the interactionism account. The exclusive account/position holds that interpretation and explanation exclude one another. The inclusive position maintains that explanation is and must be subordinated to interpretation. Inclusivists hold that the enterprise of interpretation always encapsulates explanatory pursuits. The interactionism account, proposes that interpretation and explanation inform each other. Novel interpretations employ the categories of theories already in place, whereas novel explanations depend upon the discovery of new theories which, in turn, depends upon the sort of reorganization of knowledge that interpretative pursuits involve. On the interactive view these two processes complement one another. The Exclusivism Account Exclusivism takes two forms, one emphasizing the centrality of explanation, the other the centrality of interpretation. The...
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...audience. Take into consideration at least 2 of the following: the problem of evil; 2–3 theistic arguments; defense of the resurrection of Jesus; defense of objective truth and moral values. This section of the paper must be 3–4 pages. In addition to these requirements, the paper must have a proper introduction and conclusion and must follow the structure of a standard academic essay. When including both the proper introduction and conclusion, the total length of the paper must be 10–13 pages. Target Audience Choices: 1. False Theistic System: focus on a cult (i.e. Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses) or Islam. 2. Atheism: focus on scientific naturalism, non-religious, or secular groups. 3. Post-modernism: focus on pluralism/inclusivism or spiritual views that include pantheistic or earth religions. Outside...
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...The purpose of this paper is to explain how the chaplain/pastor leads in worship using the world of technology and how evangelical chaplains can provide worship in the military or corporate setting. Bryant and Brunson quotes George Barna in his book “Boiling Point” that, “10 to 20 percent of the population will rely on the Internet for their spiritual input by the year 2010 and if a church doesn't have a presence on the Web, then that church does not exist for most people.” It doesn’t matter if your church is a small or mega church, traditional, hybrid, or attractional church, there is a tremendous benefit in using technology to remain connected to people and spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Brunson and Bryant points out that using “emails as a quick effective way to respond to questions and issues or to announce important events within the church, and many pastors are using “blogs” as a sounding board to clarify their thoughts and the direction of their churches or simply to share insights into current events.” Additionally, some pastors and churches utilize graphics via data projection systems, and online streaming as a means of leading worship not only to the local congregation but to others viewing the worship service from around the world. For example, my pastor is extremely focused on the utilization of technology in how worship is lead. One of the tools we use is “Live Stream.” We broadcast our Sunday services, Wednesday night services as well as most of our special...
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...THE DESTINY OF THE UNEVANGELIZED DEBATE PRESENTED TO PROFESSOR OGEDI OMENYINMA FOR THEO 350 – DO4 BY REV. JOSEPH T. WHITAKER, III LU23755920 LIBERTY UNIVERSITY LYNCHBURG VIRGINIA JULY 31, 2014 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2 NO OTHER NAME (THE RESTRICTIVE VIEW)---------------------------------------------------- GOD DOES ALL HE CAN DO (THE UNIVERSAL OPPORTUNITY VIEW)------------------- HOPE BEYOND THE GRAVE (THE POSTMORTEM EVANGELISM VIEW)---------------- HE HAS NOT LEFT HIMSELF WITHOUT A WITNESS (THE INCLUSIVE VIEW)--------- CONCLUSION--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BIBLIOGRAPHY------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 Introduction The terrible reality of hell and the possibility that human beings can find themselves in that horrific location is a very serious and sobering consideration. An examination of some of the opinions/views will be made in this paper, with special attention given to the authoritative Word of God, as Scripture...
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...LIBERTY UNIVERSITY BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY “A Select Issue in Contemporary Theology: God-Is-Dead Theology” Submitted to Dr. Eunice Abogunrin In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of THEO 510-B05 Survey of Theology By John Kohler Whitley October 5, 2014 Introduction Friedrich Nietzsche believed God is dead, and he has based his theology around these three words. Why does he believe God is dead? Friedrich Nietzsche could have called his theology God does not exist and easily conveyed his message. Nietzsche purposefully chose these three words to send a message to the Christian faith. Since the beginning of time the existence of God has been questioned. Science has attempted to provide humanity with an explanation for human origin and has failed. Atheists argue that God does not exist and do not really offer any strong counter argument to the contrary. Muslims, Jews, and Christians each claim they serve the one supreme Creator of the universe. Who is right and who is wrong? If God is dead, why is religion alive and well? This paper will attempt to answer these questions by providing examples and counter examples. By taking a closer look at the life of Friedrich Nietzsche, his beliefs, morals and values, one will find that he does not possess any evidence that God is dead. Friedrich Nietzsche The life of Friedrich Nietzsche started out rather sadly. Nietzsche’s father, Karl Ludwig Nietzsche, developed a problem in the brain...
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...UNRAVELLING THE NORTH-SOUTH DIVIDE DISCUSSION GROUP IV Content Page Content Page 1. Introduction.…………………………………………………………………………… 1 1.1 Methodology…………………………………………………………………. 3 2. North-South Divide 2.1 Language Binary..…………………………………………………………….. 2.1.1 Northern Indians, Sanskrit, Hindi and Influence of English.………..4 2.1.2 Northern Indians, Sanskrit, Punjabi and Influence of English………4 2.1.3 Southern Indians, Tamil and Influence of English….…………...…. 5 2.1.4 Southern Indians, Telugu and Influence of English…………………6 2.2 Religious Binary.………..………………….………………………………… 7 2.2.1 Hinduism ………….……………………………………………….. 7 2.2.2 Islam.………….……………………………………………………. 12 2.2.3 Inter-religious Interaction.…….…….……………………………… 13 2.2.4 Evaluation..…………………………………………………………. 13 2.3 Economic Binary.………………………………....…………………..……… 14 2.3.1 Introduction………………………………………………………… 14 2.3.2 Indians in Colonial Singapore……………………………………… 14 2.3.3 During Japanese Occupation……………………………………….. 17 2.3.4 Post War to Present Day Singapore………………………………… 17 2.4 Cultural Binary.………………………………………………………………. 18 2.4.1 Word “Raga”.………………………………………………………. 19 2.4.2 South Indian Music…………………………………………….…… 21 3. Conclusion ……………………………………………………………………….…….. 23 4. Bibliography …………………………………………………………….……………... 26 5. Appendix A…………………………………………………………….……………….. 28 1. Introduction India, the second most populous country in the world, is home to a rich diversity...
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