Nice Quote from Dennis

Here is a nice quote cited by DD in a talk he just gave:

There is a necessary awkwardness about Christian ministry because we are ambassadors of a disputed authority!

Goldingay and Wright's article "Yahweh our God Yahweh One"

Goldingay, John E., and Christopher J. W. Wright. ""Yahweh Our God and Yahweh One": The Oneness of God in the Old Testament." In One God, One Lord: Christianity in a World of Religious Pluralism, ed. Andrew D. Clarke and Bruce Winter, 43-62. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1992.

Goldingay and Wright explore the topic of Israel's attitudes towards foreign religions, seeking illumination to the questions from perspectives found in 6 sections in the OT: i) OT material relating to creation, ii) stories of Israel's ancestors, iii) material concerning exodus and Sinai, iv) story of Israel's life in Canaan, and v & vi) books which relate to the Babylonian, Persian and Greek periods. (43)

They (Foreign religions in the bible) are sometimes recognized as reflecting truth about God from which Israel itself may even be able to learn. But they are always in need of the illumination which can only come from knowing what Yahweh has done with Israel (43)

i) OT material relating to creation

In either case non-Israelite insight is set in a new context within the religion of Yahweh (cp Prov 1:7), but the implications of the parallels is that pagan thought has its own insight. (44)

The Wisdom literature is thus evidence of the ability of Yahwistic faith to incorporate the insights of other cultures, recognizing its human value while purging it of idolatrous or polytheistic elements. Indeed, several scholars have urged that we pay more attention to the Wisdom tradition as a starting point for cross-cultural communication of biblical faith and interreligious dialogue. (44-45

)

Gerald R. McDermott's God's Rivals

McDermott, Gerald R. God's Rivals: What Has God Allowed Different Religions? Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2007.

In 1983, Alan Race developed a typology that has been used to understand this question until recently: Pluralism, inclusivism, and exclusivism (also know as restrictivism). Pluralism is the position that there are many saviors, and Jesus is just one of them. Exclusivists content that jesus is the only savior, and explicit confession of Jesus as savior is necessary before one dies. Inclusivists maintain that while Christ is the only way to the Father, explicit knowledge of him is not. They believe ‘good’ Buddhists can be saved by Jesus if they recognize their inability to save themselves and cry out for mercy. Inclusivists say these Buddhists are casting themselves upon Christ, who is God’s mercy-but without knowing the same. More recently this typology has collapsed...23

Daniel Block's "Other Religions in OT Theology"

Block, Daniel I. "Other Religions in Old Testament Theology." In Biblical Faith and Other Religions: An Evangelical Assessment, ed. David W. Baker, 43-78. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregal, 2004.

Block's analysis of OT scripture leads him to conclude that the OT has three descriptions/responses to other religions. He examines the subject under three headings:

Yahwistic parallels to pagan religious ideas and practices
• Shared beliefs
• Shared practices

Yahwistic exploitation of pagan religious ideas and practices
• Yahweh's exploitation of pagan practices
• Yahweh's exploitation of pagan perceptions
• Yahweh's exploitation of roles attributed to pagan gods
• Yahweh's exploitation of divine epithets

Yahwistic repudiation of pagan religious ideas and practices
• Pejorative designations for idols and the gods they represent
• Explicit prohibitions of idolatry and the worship of other gods
• Hostile actions against idols and idolaters
• Polemic portrayals of idols and idolaters

Block's conclusion synthesizes the points and leads us to note that unlike the other nations,

i) nature and knowledge of their God
ii) the cause of the divine offense
iii) the means of salvation and grace

clearly and publicly made known and reiterated to his people.

This portrayal of Yahweh and his relationship with his people is privileged knowledge and a gift, which the nations are in envy of.

Block ends that God's people should never lose sight of these facts - we should be grateful and respond in grateful and obedient hears and responsible behaviour!

Richard Plantinga's "God So Loved the World"

Plantinga, Richard J. "God So Loved the World: Theological Reflections on Religious Plurality in the History of Christianity." In Biblical Faith and Other Religions: An Evangelical Assessment, ed. David W. Baker, 106-137. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregal, 2004.

Plantinga's article is interesting for its division of history of Christianity into pre-Christiandom, Christiandom, and post-Christiandom instead of the more traditional Patristics, Medieval, Renaissance/Reformation, and Modern/Postmodern eras. Part of the rationale for doing this is because there is a sense that there is more critical and sustained thought on Christianity's relation with other religions and philosophical systems simply because Christianity at these points of history is not the dominate religion. Hence this quote:

The most sustained and interesting Christian reflection on the status of non-Christian religious and philosophical traditions occurs in the two bookend periods -– pre- and post-Christiandom –– for in these periods Christianity was one religious tradition––and by no means the dominant one-- amongst many, and was in general rather concerned about religious plurality. In the meddle period, by contrast, Christianity was the chief religious tradition of the West, largely dominant, and not very cognizant of religious plurality. (108)

An Initial Bibliography

Baker, David W., ed. Biblical Faith and Other Religions: An Evangelical Assessment. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregal, 2004.

Beale, Gregory K. "Other Religions in New Testament Theology." In Biblical Faith and Other Religions: An Evangelical Assessment, ed. David W. Baker, 79-105. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregal, 2004.

Block, Daniel I. "Other Religions in Old Testament Theology." In Biblical Faith and Other Religions: An Evangelical Assessment, ed. David W. Baker, 43-78. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregal, 2004.

Browning, Don S. "Empty Inclusivism: A Report on Church and Family." Christian Century 120, no. 13 (2003): 8-9.

Chan, Mark. "The Church and Community Engagement: Theological Reflection for Praxis." Church and Society in Asia Today 10, no. 1 (2007): 1-14.

Clarke, Andrew D., and Bruce Winter, eds. One God, One Lord. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1992.

Escobar, Samuel. The New Global Mission: The Gospel from Everywhere to Everyone. Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2003.

Fernando, Ajith. Sharing the Truth in Love: How to Relate to People of Other Faiths. Grand Rapids, MI: Discovery House, 2001.

Forell, George W. The Proclamation of the Gospel in a Pluralistic World: Essays on Christianity and Culture. Philadelphia, PA: Fortress Press, 1973.

Gaybba, Brian. "Christology and Religious Pluralism: The Search for a Route between Inclusivism and Pluralism." Journal of Theology for Southern Africa no 87 (1994): 3-10.

Goldingay, John E., and Christopher J. W. Wright. ""Yahweh Our God and Yahweh One": The Oneness of God in the Old Testament." In One God, One Lord: Christianity in a World of Religious Pluralism, ed. Andrew D. Clarke and Bruce Winter, 43-62. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1992.

Hess, Richard. "Yahweh and His Asherah?: Religious Pluralism in the Old Testament World." In One God, One Lord: Christianity in a World of Religious Pluralism, ed. Andrew D. Clarke and Bruce Winter, 13-42. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1992.

McDermott, Gerald R. God's Rivals: What Has God Allowed Different Religions? Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2007.

McWilliams, Warren. "Spirit Christology and Inclusivism: Clark Pinnock's Evangelical Theology of Religions." Perspectives in Religious Studies 24, no. 3 (1997): 325-336.

Plantinga, Richard J., ed. Christianity and Plurality: Classic and Contemporary Readings. Oxford, UK: Blackwell, 1999.

________. "God So Loved the World: Theological Reflections on Religious Plurality in the History of Christianity." In Biblical Faith and Other Religions: An Evangelical Assessment, ed. David W. Baker, 106-137. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregal, 2004.

Stetson, Brad, and Joseph G. Conti. The Truth About Tolerance: Pluralism, Diversity and the Culture Wars. Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2005.

Winter, Bruce. "In Public and in Private: Early Christians and Religious Pluralism." In One God, One Lord: Christianity in a World of Religious Pluralism, ed. Andrew D. Clarke and Bruce Winter, 125-148. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1992.


Summary of Mark Chan's essay
In this article, Dr Mark Chan shares thoughts on "a) the foundational beliefs of the Church vis-a-vis God's intentions for humankind and her place in the divine agenda"; and "b) some implications for Christian leadership on implementing the mission of the Church within the religiously pluralistic context of Singapore." (2)

On the FOUNDATIONAL BELIEFS (or biblical-theological foundations), Mark names 5 points. There is therefore

i) a "Creation and the Cultural Mandate" which compels ownership of and participation in the affairs of created world

ii) a community orientation or a "created sociality embedded in the very nature of humans as God's image bearers" (4) which invites engagement in society

iii) A world marred by "Sin which has social ramifications" into which Christians are called to bring the gospel and reconciliation

iv) A vision of redemption of the world which is centered on Christ and which involves participation both as recipient of reconciliation and agent (or ambassador) of reconciliation

and

v) The call for the church to be missional agent of God's kingdom.

On IMPLICATIONS FOR CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP AND PRAXIS, Mark names 7 points to note:

a) That community engagement begins in the church

b) That church leaders demonstrate their commitment to the life-affirming and world-forming gospel

c) That church leaders should encourage, instruct, and equip their members to be responsible and involved citizens

d) That the church should participate readily in social structures to build up the community with critical discernment

e) That the church on this side of the final realization of God's kingdom should be restless and discontented with the brokenness of our world

f) That the Church should learn to know, respect and love her religious Neighbours

g) That despite the clear differences that separate the church from other faiths, there are nevertheless areas of agreement that can form the basis for collaboration

Mark concludes with a missional call for the church in Singapore. I leave the quotation found on p 13-14 below together with another nice opening quote found in p 2:

The Church in Singapore exists and fulfills her mission in an environment that is ethnically and religiously pluralistic. How then do Christian believers maintain their distinctive beliefs, proclaim the message of Jesus Christ through word and deed, and at the same time be responsible citizens working collaboratively with people of other (or no) religious persuasions to build society? In other words, what can Christians do to hold on to their identity as the called out people of God, and at the same time respond constructively to God's call to go into the world and serve God's redemptive purposes there? (2)

The Church as God's servant in our day and age is called to be an agent of reconciliation and transformation. Standing on the conviction that the Gospel of Christ liberates from sin, death, and evil, the Church moves into the world to care for the earth, her neighbors and the community structures to which she belongs. God's salvation involves both the vertical dimension of reconciliation with God and the horizontal dimension of mending broken fences between human beings.

All who have made peace with God through Christ are called to be peacemakers in the world. And all who have the hope of glory in them are invited to be purveyors of God's hope for our broken world. In articulating the Christian hope for new and transformed relationships in human society, the Church offers an alternative to the rhetoric of hopelessness that seems to have colonized so much of contemporary discourses on society.

The reality of the Church's spiritual relationship with God is evident by the way she brings the restorative good news of the Gospel to bear on the community of which she is a part. Community engagement is thus a necessary implicate of the Church's life in Jesus Christ and of her belief that the God who created all things has in mind the restoration of all things. He has great plans for planet earth and for the communities of this world! (13-14)