Christian Beliefs about Rights, Equality and Social Justice » Christians, Other Faiths and Other Denominations

Three Christian views of other religions

In The Multi-Faith Society and Interfaith Relationships you met exclusivism, inclusivism and pluralism, and why they matter in a multi-faith society. This lesson shows how each one appears among Christians, and what Christians do about it. Christians do not all agree, so you will need to describe more than one view.

Key terms:

• Gospel: the good news about Jesus. It is also the name of the four books at the start of the New Testament.
• Great Commission: the instruction Jesus gave his followers at the end of Matthew's Gospel to spread his teaching.
• Mission: the work of sharing the Christian faith and of serving people in the name of Jesus.
• Ecumenical movement: the effort to bring the different Christian denominations closer together.
• Denomination: a branch of the Christian Church, such as Catholic, Orthodox, Methodist or Baptist.

Exclusivism. Many evangelical and other conservative Christians hold this view. Alongside John 14:6 they quote Acts 4:12, which says salvation is found in no one else but Jesus. They believe that sharing the Gospel is the most loving thing they can do, because it offers others the way to God. They can still be warm and respectful towards neighbours of other faiths.

Inclusivism. Catholic teaching since the Second Vatican Council is often described as inclusivist. A document of the Second Vatican Council called Nostra Aetate (1965) says the Church rejects nothing that is true and holy in other religions. Inclusivists often point to 1 Timothy 2:4, which says God wants all people to be saved. They believe that God is bigger than any one religion, but that Jesus is still the way. Many Anglican and Methodist Christians, and some Orthodox Christians, also hold forms of this view.

Pluralism. Some liberal Christians reject the idea that one religion has the only truth. They say that no human religion can fully describe God, so many faiths show part of the picture. Other Christians reply that pluralism ignores what Jesus said about himself, and that it changes what Christianity teaches.

Mission, evangelism and proselytisation

Most Christians see sharing their faith as part of being a Christian. The main passage is the Great Commission, Matthew 28:19-20, where Jesus tells his followers to go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them what he has commanded. You met evangelism, telling others about Jesus, in Christian Responses to Belief, Doubt and Unbelief.

Many Christians therefore make a difference between respectful witness and proselytisation. In 2011 the World Council of Churches, the Catholic Church's Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and the World Evangelical Alliance published a joint statement, Christian Witness in a Multi-Religious World. It said Christians should share their faith honestly, without force or deception, and should respect the freedom of others to choose. Pluralists would go further and say that Christians should not try to convert people of other faiths at all, and should focus on understanding and shared action.

Christian teachings that support a multi-faith society

Whichever position they take, Christians have teachings that push them towards respect for people of other faiths. You met two of them already: people are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), and Christians are told to love their neighbour (Mark 12:31). Acts 10:34-35 adds that God shows no favouritism but accepts people from every nation who do what is right. Many Christians say these teachings mean they should listen to neighbours of other faiths, defend their freedom to worship, and work with them for the good of the whole community.

Christians and other faiths in practice

The general examples of local interfaith forums, shared food banks and visits to places of worship are in The Multi-Faith Society and Interfaith Relationships. Christians take part in all of these, whether they are exclusivists, inclusivists or pluralists. One famous Christian example is Pope John Paul II inviting leaders of many religions to Assisi in Italy in 1986 for a day of prayer for peace. Each group prayed in its own way, so nobody was asked to join in another faith's worship. Exclusivists are often happy to cooperate in service, while still choosing not to join in the prayers of other faiths.

Christians and other denominations

The spec also asks about relationships between Christian groups. Throughout history, Christian denominations have disagreed and sometimes treated each other badly. Many Christians now believe that this division goes against Jesus' prayer in John 17:21, that all his followers "may be one". Ephesians 4:4-5 also speaks of one body and one faith.

• World Council of Churches (WCC): founded in Amsterdam in 1948, with its headquarters in Geneva. It brings together a large number of Protestant and Orthodox churches. The Catholic Church is not a member, but it sends observers and works with the WCC.
• Churches Together: local, regional and national groups across Britain and Ireland, where Catholic, Anglican, Methodist and other churches share worship and plan joint projects, for example a shared Good Friday service or a community food project.
• Week of Prayer for Christian Unity: held every year in January, when churches pray and worship together.
• Taizé: a community in France, founded by Brother Roger in 1940, whose brothers come from Catholic and Protestant backgrounds and pray together. Many young people from many denominations visit it for prayer and reflection.

Not all Christians support the ecumenical movement. Some worry that working together will mean ignoring real differences about belief, such as how the Church is led or what happens in communion. Catholic and Orthodox Christians in particular want agreement on core beliefs, not just friendship.

Exam-style question

(a) Identify three Christian ways of working with people of other faiths or other denominations. [3 marks]

(b) Outline two Christian views about whether other religions can lead to God. [4 marks]

(c) Explain why many Christians support interfaith and interdenominational work. [6 marks]

(d) "Christians should not try to persuade people of other religions to become Christians." Evaluate this statement, showing you have considered different points of view. In your answer you should refer to at least one religion. [12 marks]