Thursday, December 3, 2009
Are Christian Perceptions Changing?
Throughout most of the 20th century, the Christian view of other religions has been that they are false, and all non-Christians are condemned to hell. Through time however, views have either expanded or reverted to older ideas.
The first different view is that other religions have some truth in them, but Jesus is the savior, and through his grace, all the moral people in THE WORLD will be saved. So Christianity still > other religions.
The second view is that Christianity is on par with other religions. That means that other religions are true and have God in them as well. Additionally, these people can reach salvation within their own faiths, although that salvation will be lower than the Christian heaven. Essentially, all the truth cannot be held in one religion alone, and that makes other religions valuable as well.
The final view includes the acceptance of all other religions. This view calls for increased dialogue between faiths and warns Christians that they must be ready in case conversion occurs. Here salvation is equal and achievable in all faiths.
One example of the second view, known as the mutuality model, is Newark Mayor Corey Booker. While taking a look around his office, one would see he has not just a bible, but the Koran, Bhagvad-Gita, and Torah as well. His reasoning? No one religion can capture the infinite.
It just goes to show you that even hundreds of years of precedent cannot stop people from expanding their religious boundaries.
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