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1
Moe, David Thang. "From a Trinitarian Theology of Religion to a Trinitarian Theology of Religions: Bridging ‘First Theology’ and ‘Second Theology’." Expository Times 130, no. 7 (November 5, 2018): 285–304. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0014524618812267.
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This paper examines the problem of a theology of religions without the Trinity and the problem of overemphasizing interreligious dialogue without taking the inner communion identity of the church seriously. This paper argues that central to an authentic Trinitarian theology of religions is the question of how the church is rightly to be understood in relation to the Trinity as the doctrinal ground and guide for its inner communion of first theology (a trinitarian theology of the Christian religion) and in its external communion of second theology with the religious world as the realm of the trinitarian reign (a trinitarian theology of religions). Building on this framework, this paper explores the right hermeneutics of the triple identity of the Trinity, Christian faith and other faiths as the ground and guide for Christian right approaches to other faiths for the right goals of mission.
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Fredericks, James L. "A Universal Religious Experience? Comparative Theology as an Alternative to a Theology of Religions." Horizons 22, no. 1 (1995): 67–87. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0360966900028942.
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AbstractThis article examines Liberal Theology's claim regarding a universal religious experience and George Lindbeck's rejection of this claim. Since a universal religious experience is frequently put forth as the basis for the transcendental unity of religions, the theological debate regarding such an experience is very pertinent to the current discussion of religious diversity. The author argues that neither Liberal Theology's appeal to religious experience nor Lindbeck's rejection of this appeal is helpful. In lieu of a comprehensive theology of non-Christian religions based on an appeal to a universal religious experience, the author proposes a comparative theology as the best candidate for dealing responsibly and creatively with the plurality of religions.
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Danz, Christian. "Religious Diversity and the Concept of Religion." Neue Zeitschrift für Systematische Theologie und Religionsphilosophie 62, no. 1 (March 2, 2020): 101–13. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/nzsth-2020-0004.
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SummaryThe article deals with the concept of religion in the contemporary theology of religions. Many theologians in the current debate work with a general concept of religion. Such a conception of religion unifies the distinctive religious diversities. This article argues that against the background of the previous debate, a theology of religions must proceed from a concept of religion as communication. This concept emerges out of the Christian religious tradition: it carries a particular meaning and hence should not be treated as universally applicable. Starting with a concrete concept of religion, a theology of religion has the task neither to give a foundation for other “religions”, nor that of Christianity. Only this could be a basis for a real pluralistic conception. From this starting point follows the question on how other religions understand religion.
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Thomas, Owen C. "Religious Plurality and Contemporary Philosophy: A Critical Survey." Harvard Theological Review 87, no. 2 (April 1994): 197–213. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0017816000032788.
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The fact of religious plurality and how to interpret this fact have in the last decade become central issues in contemporary theology and philosophy of religion. The discussion in recent years has been focused on the debate between the pluralists and the inclusivists, as represented respectively in the volume edited by John Hick and Paul F. Knitter, The Myth of Christian Uniqueness: Toward a Pluralistic Theology of Religions and that edited by Gavin D'Costa, Christian Uniqueness Reconsidered: The Myth of a Pluralistic Theology of Religions.
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Pickard, William M. "A Universal Theology of Religion?" Missiology: An International Review 19, no. 2 (April 1991): 143–51. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/009182969101900202.
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The fact of a plurality of religions implies for many Christian theologians that we must develop a “universal theology of religion” based on relativism. This article rejects relativism and questions whether there can be a universal “theology” when beliefs and values of some religions are actually non-theistic. Religions as parts of culture are indeed relative to one another. However, this article maintains that absolutes are essential in all of life and that holding to religious absolutes does not imply superiority attitudes so long as we are open to recognize and respect contradictory absolutes we disagree with, and to dialogue with those who hold to these opposing absolutes.
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Richie, Tony. "Azusa-Era Optimism: Bishop J.H. King’s Pentecostal Theology of Religions as a Possible Paradigm for Today." Journal of Pentecostal Theology 14, no. 2 (2006): 247–60. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0966736906065457.
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AbstractEven as we celebrate the centennial of the Azusa Street Revival, the ideology and reality of religious pluralism currently challenges Pentecostal Christians to articulate an adequate theology of religions. J.H. King was an important Pentecostal pioneer influenced by the Azusa Street Revival. Well educated and widely traveled, Bishop King had considerable first-hand contact with non-Christian religions and addressed theology of religions often and in depth. King’s theology of religions at its core is characterized by optimism, that is, by a positive and balanced but non-dogmatic sense of hopefulness. Completely consistent with classical Pentecostal values, King’s thought provides important possibilities for a contemporary Pentecostal theology of religions paradigm. This paper surveys salient features of King’s theology of religions before offering suggestions about appropriation and application. Special stress is placed on continuity of Pentecostal heritage with creativity in development of Pentecostal theology of religions today.
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Sukamto, Amos. "Teologi Kristen Protestan Terhadap Agama-Agama Lain di Indonesia 1966-1990." Religió: Jurnal Studi Agama-agama 9, no. 2 (September 20, 2019): 197–221. http://dx.doi.org/10.15642/religio.v9i2.1205.
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This paper discusses the Ecumenical Protestant-Christian theology toward other religion which is strongly influenced by the context. Sidjabat has slightly concerned about the problem of religious pluralism since inter-religious relation in his time were still relatively respectable. Victor I. Tanja paid more attention to interfaith dialogue because the Indonesian Government has been promoting a lot of interfaith dialogue and activism. Tanja is an arm of the government, in contrast to Sumartana, a theologian associated with an upsetting period where several riots, such as conflict between Christian and Muslim, raised in Surabaya, Situbondo, Tasikmalaya, Ambon and Poso. He thinks it is needed to apply on what so-called theologia religionum, theology of religions.
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Bilad, Cecep Zakarias El. "Asal-Usul Teologi: Pelacakan Historis Filosofis." Jurnal Ilmiah Ilmu Ushuluddin 17, no. 1 (June 30, 2018): 58. http://dx.doi.org/10.18592/jiu.v17i1.2048.
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This study attempts to examine the origin of theology. In every religion, it is the most substantial element, because it is the intellectual discourse around the divinity and belief of that religion. We know the terms such as Christian Theology, Jewish Theology, Islamic Theology, Hindu Theology and so on. From here, howeover, it raises the question of what theology is intrinsically? Etymologically the term theology is in fact derived from the Greek whose people are the worshipers of the gods and do not recognize the conception of divinity as other religions do. How can it exist in these religions? From this historical-philosophical search it is found that theology in its generic meaning is defined as the discourse of the exalted supranatural being. It is born naturally in every society from time to time. It can take a variety of forms according to the religious tradition of its people, but in essence it is the discourse on the One who organizes and manages the universe.
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Duffy, Stephen J. "A Theology of the Religions and/or a Comparative Theology?" Horizons 26, no. 1 (1999): 105–15. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0360966900031558.
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AbstractAn important but little-noticed debate is quietly going on between some theologians of the religions and some comparative theologians. The former, without negating the need for comparative theology, insist on the need for a theology of the religions; the latter call for a moratorium on construction of theologies of religion and a focus instead on comparative work. This essay sides with the theologians of religion and argues that contrary to the one-sided position of the comparativists and the premature judgments of some theologians of the religions, there is a need for both a theology of the religions and comparative analysis and synthesis because the two are the distinct but inseparable and integral a priori and a posteriori moments of a single theological project which aims at bringing Christianity into fruitful engagement with the non-Christian traditions. Because this engagement is essential to Christianity, the present debate is an important one even though it goes on in a field little tended, unfortunately, but many theologians.
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Hodgson, Peter C. "The Spirit and Religious Pluralism." Horizons 31, no. 1 (2004): 22–39. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0360966900001055.
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ABSTRACT“Spirit” is a more universally available religious symbol than “Christ,” found in various forms in most of the religions of the world. It helps to open Christian theology to a genuine religious pluralism, and, in the framework of the doctrine of the Trinity, provides a Christian way of construing this pluralism, relating it to the purposes, activity, and being of God. The pneumatic Trinitarianism proposed in this essay contrasts with the christocentric Trinitarianism recommended by advocates of an inclusivist theology of religions. The concrete incarnation of God in Christ is not lost but placed in a larger context. The Spirit proceeds not just from Christ but from the interaction of God and the world, including a diversity of religious figures and practices. The idea that a theology of the Spirit might serve as the basis of a pluralist theology of religions is tested by looking at the modalities of Spirit that are present in Hinduism and Buddhism, and that enrich a Christian understanding of the Spirit.
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Lazar, Aryeh. "The Challenges of Research in the Psychology of Religion among Jewish (Israeli) Samples." Journal of Empirical Theology 33, no. 1 (June 19, 2020): 39–64. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/15709256-12341409.
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Abstract Measures and conceptualizations in the psychology of religion have been developed on predominantly Christian samples and their transportation to the study of other religions can be problematic. A review of empirical research on Israeli Jewish samples in different research areas—measuring religiousness, religious motivation, mystical experience, prayer, religious support, religious fundamentalism, and religiousness & sexuality—is presented and the significance of differences in orthodoxy / orthopraxy orientation, religious theology and belief, religious practice, and sociological aspects of religious life for empirical research in the psychology of religion is demonstrated. Methodological recommendations in each instance are provided. Many of the insights and recommendations presented here are applicable to the study of additional non-Christian religions.
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Copeland, E. Luther. "Christian Theology and World Religions." Review & Expositor 94, no. 3 (August 1997): 423–35. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/003463739709400308.
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Ito, T. "Christian Theology of Religions and Dialogue among Religions." THEOLOGICAL STUDIES IN JAPAN, no. 28 (1989): 43–55. http://dx.doi.org/10.5873/nihonnoshingaku.1989.43.
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Richie, Tony. "A Reply to Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen’s Response." Journal of Pentecostal Theology 15, no. 2 (2007): 269–75. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0966736906069262.
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AbstractThis reply to Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen further affirms the importance of work in the theology of religions for Pentecostals and Charismatics today that first prompted the author’s original inquiry into the views of a major early Pentecostal leader, Bishop J.H. King, concerning interfaith encounter and understanding. This dialogue with Kärkkäinen supports suggestions that an overall program of rediscovering, reclaiming, restoring, and revisioning our Pentecostal theology of religions heritage seems advisable. King’s obviously optimistic theology of religions, however, must be carefully distinguished from pluralism and set in the context of its Wesleyan roots and Evangelical emphases. Further development of what King provides in embryonic form is demanded. King represents an optimistic but still Christocentric strain shared by other Pentecostals within early stages of the movement. Not at all amounting to an uncritical approbation of world religions, this revolutionary discovery does decidedly enlarge understandings of Christ’s lordship beyond the pale of any particular religion. Careful terminology in order to avoid misunderstanding is called for and conceded. Pentecostal hypersensitivity regarding theology of religions highlights the need for constant clarification of contrariness to liberal religious pluralism. King’s legacy invalidates any assumption that earlier (older) Pentecostal resources on religions are exclusively pessimistic. Implications are immense for Christian mission and interreligious relations.
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Chung, Paul. "Karl Barth's Theology of Reconciliation in Dialogue with a Theology of Religions." Mission Studies 25, no. 2 (2008): 211–28. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/157338308x365378.
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AbstractKarl Barth has influenced Christian theology of mission in terms of his Trinitarian concept of God's mission. His theology of reconciliation retains inter-religious implication in missional context. However, Barth's theology of reconciliation is not explored in the context of religious pluralism. The reason is due to the neo-orthodox charge against him and theologians' one-sided critique of Barth as a conservative-evangelical theologian. In this paper at issue is to retrieve hermeneutically Barth as a theologian of reconciliation who stands for Christian witness to the grace of God in the world of religions.
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Tan, Kang-San. "The Inter-Religious Frontier." Mission Studies 31, no. 2 (July 14, 2014): 139–56. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/15733831-12341330.
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The article explores the phenomenon of Christians who seek to maintain forms of multiple religious identity. It offers a dual-belonging theology from an Evangelical missiological perspective, with special reference to Christian and Buddhist traditions. The article seeks to offer some trajectories whereby softer forms of dual religious identity may not be incompatible with Evangelical faith. It uses theology of religion as a framework for understanding the phenomenon of multi-religious belonging. First, various types or expressions of multi-religious belonging are described in order to provide a more precise tool for analyzing various forms of religious belonging. Secondly, some of the apparent issues surrounding insider movements are framed in relation to the three typologies of pluralism, inclusivism and exclusivism, demonstrating how different paradigms in the theology of religions raise different sets of questions, add new perspectives and hopefully contribute toward theological clarity on some pastoral or mission issues. Finally, some brief considerations are offered for building a dual-belonging theology.
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Cohn-Sherbok, Dan. "Ranking Religions." Religious Studies 22, no. 3-4 (September 1986): 377–86. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0034412500018394.
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Recently there has been considerable debate about the relationship between the religions of the world; in particular Christians have been anxious to formulate a theology of other religions which transcends the traditional Christian belief that God's revelation and salvation are offered exclusively in Jesus Christ. In this context a number of theologians have questioned the finality of Christ and Christianity. Professor John Hick for example - the leading proponent of this view - speaks of a Copernican revolution in theology which involves a radical transformation of the concept of the universe of faiths. It demands, he writes, ‘a paradigm shift from a Christianity–centred or Jesus–centred to a God–centred model of the universe of faiths. One then sees the great world religions as different human responses to the one divine Reality, embodying different perceptions which have been formed in different historical and cultural circumstances. Similarly, the Roman Catholic priest, Raimundo Panikaar, endorses a new map of world religions. Advocating a revised form of ecumenism which strives for unity without harming religious diversity, Panikaar argues that the fundamental religious fact of the world's religions is the mystery known in every authentic religious experience. For Panikaar, this mystery within all religions is both more than and yet has its being within the diverse experiences and beliefs of the religions: ‘It is not simply that there are different ways of leading to the peak, but that the summit itself would collapse if all the paths disappeared. The peak is in a certain sense the result of the slopes leading to it.… It is not that this reality has many names as if there were a reality outside the name. This reality is the many names and each name is a new aspect.’ Such a vision of the universe of faiths implies that no religion can claim final or absolute authority.
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Klootwijk, Eeuwout. "Christian Approaches to Religious Pluralism: Diverging Models and Patterns." Missiology: An International Review 21, no. 4 (October 1993): 455–68. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/009182969302100408.
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After giving a brief overview of different patterns in the Christian attitudes toward other religions, the author focuses upon three main responses to religious plurality: exclusivism, inclusivism, and pluralism. Some tentative lines for a trinitarian-oriented theology of religions are developed. This approach opens up the possibility of a pluriform and contextual response without compromising the Christian faith. Such a theology has different points of entry: there is the Christ-centered approach and a pneumatological perspective on religious pluralism. Both are related in a theocentric framework. Though distinct, these three perspectives on religious plurality should not be detached from each other.
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Bokwa, Ignacy. "Trinitology towards Challenges of Pluralistic Theology of Religion Systematical, Moral and Theological Reflection." Teologia i Moralność 9, no. 2(16) (January 1, 2014): 167–81. http://dx.doi.org/10.14746/tim.2014.16.2.12.
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Nowadays pluralistic theology of religion is rightly regarded as one of the greatest threats to Christianity. It specifically concerns Christology. A threat to the Christian belief in the Trinity, which is created by pluralistic theology of religion, is seen more rarely. Many scholars consider pluralistic theology of religion as a further step of the modern fight against Christianity and the Church. The increasing spread of religions of the Far East plays a significant role. Pluralistic theology of religion refers to the basic ideas of Buddhism, trying to create a universal religion of the world. Pluralist theology of religion treats every religion of the world with affection- with the exception of Christianity. It is Christianity that is supposed to be tolerant and to adapt to other religions by means of losing its own identity. Pluralistic theology of religion relativizes the Person of Jesus Christ, undermining the uniqueness of the incarnation of God. Jesus of Nazareth was only a prominent man standing near Reality itself (God). Since Jesus Christ was not an ontological Son of God, the doctrine of the Trinity is being undermined. Representatives of pluralistic theology of religion reject the idea of a personal God, at the same time hitting in all monotheistic religions. From their point of view, God is for the human mind unattainable reality which no revelation is able to bring. Various religions are only stages of searching for the final Reality itself. Father, Son and Spirit are nothing more than a projection of human yearnings and religious pursuits. Faced with such claims, Christian theology cannot remain silent. One should be reminded of development of faith in the Triune God in the life of the Church. This is a theoretical- scientific dimension of the problem. It also has its practical and existential meaning. Although Immanuel Kant claimed that the doctrine of the Trinity has no practical importance, contemporary theological reflection presents a new aspect of this problem. Communio- theology comprehends the mystery of the Trinity as an event of constant communication in which Father gives Himself to the Son and so they create the Holy Spirit. The mystery of diversity reconciled in the unity stands at the beginning of every reality. The mystery of the Holy Trinity has its significance not only inside (life of the Church) but also outside (life of the secular, political and economic community). Nowadays the latter has a special meaning in particular. It is a theological and moral surface of the reflection, showing that one should not be afraid of multiplicity and diversity but treat them as an opportunity. In the era of new conflicts and divisions that are increasing and the renewal of the old traumas, it turns out that appeals of the representatives of pluralist theology of religion are fake and are supposed to challenge the principles of Christianity, whereas Christian theology offers modern societies interesting proposals acceptable not only for those who believe.
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Almeida, Nadi Maria de. "TOWARDS A CHRISTIAN APPROACH TO AFRICA TRADITIONAL RELIGION." INTERAÇÕES 16, no. 1 (March 28, 2021): 118–31. http://dx.doi.org/10.5752/p.1983-2478.2021v16n1p118-131.
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Inter-Religious dialogue is a demand for the mission. Based on the theological investigation of scholars who explore and write on the subject, the article analyses the theological challenge of Inter-Religious dialogue especially in approaching African Traditional Religions. The discussion concerns the Christian theology of religious pluralism with the local religion in Africa looking at the theological progress, not just from the abstract world of books, but also, from connecting with the life of the people, appreciating and connecting points of convergences with the local culture and religions. Still, a long way to go on the reflection and there needs to open wider our vision concerning the action of the Spirit that has been always present in Africa.
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D'Costa, Gavin. "The Pluralist Paradigm in the Christian Theology of Religions." Scottish Journal of Theology 39, no. 2 (May 1986): 211–24. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0036930600030568.
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With increasing contact and knowledge of non-Christian religions and in the light of colonialist missionary endeavours, a number of Christians have recently advocated what I shall call a pluralist approach to non-Christian religions. This pluralist paradigm may be characterised as one which maintains that non-Christian religions can be equally salvific paths to the one God, and that Christianity's claim to be the only way (exclusivism), or the fulfilment of all other religions (inclusivism), should be rejected for good theological, phenomenological, and philosophical reasons. This view is shared by Christians from different denominations, and is best expressed in the works of Professors John Hick, Paul Knitter, Wilfred Cantwell Smith, and Mr Alan Race.
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Youngblood, Peter W. "The Problem of Global Interfaith Chaplaincy: The Case of Hong Kong." International Journal of Asian Christianity 1, no. 2 (September 11, 2018): 329–45. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/25424246-00102009.
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In theU.S.and Europe, clinical spiritual care (hospital chaplaincy) is a non-sectarian ministry meant to provide support to all persons, regardless of faith. This model faces a challenge in religiously pluralistic settings like Hong Kong, where caregiving is provided by devout practitioners from conservative Christian traditions. Conflicts regarding ultimate Truth, salvation, and ethics—largely avoided by pastoral theology—are laid bare in such contexts. The theological approaches of academic fields like theology of religions and comparative/interreligious theology are useful for understanding the various perspectives involved, but do not resolve the tension between individual religious beliefs and the demands of a public interfaith ministry. The unique characteristics of Chinese spirituality and religion further complicate matters. Ultimately, what is needed is a theological paradigm of care that does not neglect the critical truth-claims of those religions involved, including the desire to evangelize.
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Kwok, Wai Luen. "Theology of Religions and Intertextuality: A Case Study of Christian–Confucian and Islamic–Confucian Dialogue in the Early 20th-Century China." Religions 10, no. 7 (July 3, 2019): 417. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/rel10070417.
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In this paper, I will propose an intertextual theology of religions from a non-Western cultural perspective through the works in The True Light Review, an official magazine of Chinese Baptist churches, and Yue Hua, a prominent and long-lived Muslim magazine. My aim is to show that the religious discourses in these Chinese religious periodicals inform us of an alternative understanding of literary construction of religious plurality and challenge the current versions of theology of religions. With the concept of intertextuality, the differentiation and integration of religious identities indicates that language-constituted realities are multi-dimensional and multi-directional. In some respects, religious believers would like to differentiate themselves in the search for an authentic and meaningful life, but, they are nonetheless already interconnected and interrelated. In some other respects, they approach and embrace each other for integration to assert a common identity among religions in that area, but that could transform their religions with new meaning. Our case study will also further theological reflection of the nature of Christian life in predominantly non-Christian societies as an intertextual religious reality.
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Griffioen, Dirk. "The Relevance of God's Covenant for a Reformed Theology of Religion." Societas Dei: Jurnal Agama dan Masyarakat 3, no. 2 (October 24, 2017): 183. http://dx.doi.org/10.33550/sd.v3i2.35.
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ABSTRACT: In God's Revelation, the structure of the covenant consists of God's promises and Israels answer to them. In the covenant God has revealed Himself personally to both individuals and his chosen people. In the theology of religion developed by Hendrik Kraemer, there are two types of religion: The (prophetic) religion based on Gods revelation and the other (naturalist) religions are based on efforts to grasp the identity of his real self with divine reality, this is called as trans-empirical self realization. What is the essence of religion based on God's self revelation? God's revelation is the only source of all knowledge about true spirituality and the salvation in Christ. The Bible as the witness of God's revelation to prophets and apostles is the criterion of all religious truth. The Bible relates the history of redemption, gives a foundation to personal faith, and is the only guidebook to the life and work of the Christian community. From this starting point I try to analyze the Biblical concept of religious truth as the standard for determining religions, and to give a real answer to Gods self revelation. KEYWORDS: covenant, revelation, faith, religion.
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Zamakhsari, Ahmad. "Teologi Agama-agama Tipologi Tripolar; Eksklusivisme, Inklusivisme dan Kajian Pluralisme." Tsaqofah 18, no. 1 (June 28, 2020): 35. http://dx.doi.org/10.32678/tsaqofah.v18i1.3180.
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Tripolar typology is one of the approaches to theology of religions that was popularized by Alan Race. This typology is used as a standard in theological studies of religions, and is still widely used in the theological discourse of religions. Tripolar typology used to map various approaches theologians and theologians non-Christian on the relation of Christianity with religions. other This mapping is based on the similarities and differences in their perspective on other religions outside Christianity. The three typologies are exclusivism, inclusivism and pluralism.Komarudin Hidayat stated that there are five typologies of religious attitudes, namely "exclusivism, inclusivism, pluralism, eclecivism, and universalism". These five typologies do not mean that each is separated and disconnected from the other nor permanent, but rather it is said to be a prominent trend, considering that every religion or religious attitude always has the potential to produce the five attitudes above. Even though there are differences in theological types of religion with other religious scholars, such as Panikkar, who mentions three typologies: exclusive, inclusive, and parallelism, essentially the typological mentions contain the same meaning and meaning. Therefore, we will discuss the typologies of religion.
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Oyekan, Adeolu Oluwaseyi. "John Mbiti on the Monotheistic Attribution of African Traditional Religions: A Refutation." Filosofia Theoretica: Journal of African Philosophy, Culture and Religions 10, no. 1 (June 3, 2021): 19–34. http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ft.v10i1.2.
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John Mbiti, in his attempt to disprove the charge of paganism by EuroAmerican ethnographic and anthropological scholars against African Traditional Religions argues that traditional African religions are monotheistic. He insists that these traditional religious cultures have the same conception of God as found in the Abrahamic religions. The shared characteristics, according to him are foundational to the spread of the “gospel” in Africa. Mbiti’s effort, though motivated by the desire to refute the imperial charge of inferiority against African religions ran, I argue, into a conceptual and descriptive conflation of ATRs with monotheistic faiths. In this paper, I challenge the superimposition of Judeo-Christian categories upon African religions. I argue that monotheism is just a strand, out of many, that expresses belief in God(s), and that it differs substantially from the polytheistic pre-colonial African understanding of religion. I provide a panentheistic paradigm using traditional Igbo ontology and religion to refute Mbiti’s generalization.
Keywords: Monotheism, African Traditional Religion, Igbo, Paganism, Theology.
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Meyer, John R. "John Hick's Theology of Religions and Inter-Religious Dialogue: a Critique." Religion and Theology 8, no. 3-4 (2001): 274–97. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/157430101x00134.
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AbstractWhile denying that belief in Jesus Christ is an essential element for personal salvation, John Hick presupposes Christian concepts of salvation. Even though he denies the universality of Christ vis-à-vis other world religions, the Christian doctrine of salvation is at the very heart of his project, albeit in a controversial form (as universal salvation or apocatastasis). I explore the influence of Immanuel Kant and Friedrich Schleiermacher in Hick's thought and discuss how his theology of religions and his concept of inter-religious dialogue are related to Christianity and yet are divorced from some of its central tenets.
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Johnson, Roger A. "Idealism, Empiricism, and “Other Religions” Troeltsch's Reading of William James." Harvard Theological Review 80, no. 4 (October 1987): 449–76. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0017816000023786.
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Troeltsch studies, and new translations of his writings, have become increasingly prominent during the past fifteen years. Theologians reflecting a wide range of positions have begun to discover in Troeltsch their own issues and concerns. Some found in Troeltsch the prototype for a “fundamental theology,” grounding the particularity of Christian faith in a more universal philosophical framework. Others took up Troeltsch's role as “theologian of the history of religions school” as a model for the interaction of theology and religious studies in our own time. Theologians concerned with the status of Christian truth claims in the context of religious pluralism have grasped hold of Troeltsch as the pioneer in this endeavor, at least within the history of Christian theology. In brief, Troeltsch now seems to be very relevant, a nineteenth-century thinker who somehow anticipated a multitude of religious concerns prominent in the late twentieth century and hence, the subject of more interest and activity than at any time since his death.
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Moore-Keish, Martha. "Divine Freedom and Human Religions." Theology Today 75, no. 3 (October 2018): 281–96. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0040573618791732.
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This print version of an address given in February 2018 at Columbia Theological Seminary pursues the question, How do we follow Jesus the Christ in this religiously plural world? Martha Moore-Keish tells the story of how Presbyterians, as one particular Christian family, have wrestled with this question for the past 500 years. After reviewing five historical interpretations of religious diversity, the essay introduces the emerging field of comparative theology, as a promising next step in engaging a world of many religions. Finally, it offers a trinitarian Reformed theological rationale for engaging in comparative theology.
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Loughlin, Gerard. "Noumenon and Phenomena." Religious Studies 23, no. 4 (December 1987): 493–508. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0034412500019077.
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How is Christian theology, as the self-understanding of the Christian life, to understand the world religions? How is it to understand them in relation to itself? In recent years Professor John Hick has proposed a pluralist paradigm of the world religions which would, if acceptable, answer these sort of questions. In this article we are going to consider the acceptability of Hick's paradigm to Christian theology. The question we want to put to it is simple: Will it do as a model for how Christian theology may begin to think its relation to the world religions?Our discussion is in three parts. In the first part we present Hick's paradigm in, what we take to be, it's strongest form, defending it against certain criticisms. In the second part we consider its phenomenological foundations and the possibility of its judicious evaluation. Finally, in the third part, we offer a critique and come to a conclusion about it's acceptability to Christian theology. However, our answer is only a small contribution to a much larger task: ‘the theological understanding of non-Christian religions’.
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Gaspersz, Steve, and Nancy Novitra Souisa. "TEOLOGI AGAMA-AGAMA DI INDONESIA, MENELISIK PENGEMBANGAN DAN TANTANGANNYA." Harmoni 18, no. 2 (December 31, 2019): 7–27. http://dx.doi.org/10.32488/harmoni.v18i2.365.
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Artikel ini membahas konteks sosial-budaya masyarakat Indonesia yang majemuk sebagai arena berteologi kontekstual. Salah satu pokok masalah dalam kemajemukan sosio-budaya masyarakat Indonesia, terutama sejak masa kolonial hingga pascakolonial, adalah perjumpaan berbagai tradisi keagamaan baik religiositas lokal masyarakat nusantara maupun interaksi dengan dan/atau konversi menjadi agama-agama besar dari luar. Artikel ini tidak melakukan kajian dogmatis tetapi menggunakan dialektika teologi kontekstual dan teologi agama-agama dari sudut pandang Kristianitas. Perspektif teologi agama-agama digunakan untuk menguji secara dialektis eksperimentasi teologi kontekstual Kristen di Indonesia. Model “antropologis” Bevans dipilih sebagai lensa kajian sekaligus sebagai kritik terhadap tipologi tripolar (exclusivism-inclusivism-pluralism) yang diperkenalkan oleh Alan Race. Tiga konteks kewilayahan dan kebudayaan, yaitu Yogyakarta (Jawa Tengah), Bali (Bali) dan Tana Toraja (Sulawesi Selatan), digunakan sebagai basis pengalaman berteologi. Eksperimentasi dan elaborasi teologis berbasis pengalaman pada tiga konteks itu dimunculkan sebagai proses awal untuk menemukan postur teologi agama-agama yang khas dalam kebudayaan majemuk masyarakat Indonesia.
Kata kunci: teologi agama-agama, pluralitas sosio-budaya, identitas sosial
This article elaborates theological issues in socio-cultural context of Indonesian society as the arena for doing theology contextually. One main issue of socio-cultural plurality in Indonesia, primarily since the colonial up till post-colonial era, is about the encounter of various religious traditions either local community’s religiosity or interaction with and/or conversion into so-called world religions from outside. This article shall not conduct dogmatic exploration but using the dialectics of contextual theology and theology of religions from Christian viewpoints. Perspective of theology of religions shall be implemented firstly to examine an experimentation of Christian contextual theology in Indonesia. Bevans’ anthropological model has been chosen as the analytical lens as well as criticism against tripolar typology (exclusivism-inclusivism-pluralism) introduced by Alan Race. Three geographic and cultural contexts, namely Yogyakarta (Central Java), Bali (Bali) and Tana Toraja (South Sulawesi) are utilized as the basis for doing contextual theology. Experience-based of theological experimentation and elaboration in those three contexts have been constructed as the beginning process to discover a model of theology of religion in Indonesia.
Keywords: theology of religions, socio-cultural plurality, social identity
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Oviedo, Lluis. "Theology in Times of Pandemic." Studia Humana 10, no. 1 (February 1, 2021): 34–40. http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/sh-2021-0003.
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Abstract A question arises regarding theology and its functions when trying to cope with the coronavirus pandemic. Surely Christian faith – along with other religions – can play a role in helping to deal with this crisis, both for individuals and collectively. Theology connects with the effort religious faith and Churches perform and provides models and ideas to highlight the Christian sense of what is happening, that is, in reference to a saving God. Four keys, rooted in the Christian tradition, are proposed that allow us to understand these difficult times in a meaningful way, that is, as revealing “signs of the times” for believers, assisting them in their struggle to cope with these challenging circumstances.
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Anderson, Gerald H. "Book Review: Christians and Religious Pluralism: Patterns in the Christian Theology of Religions." International Bulletin of Missionary Research 10, no. 1 (January 1986): 29–30. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/239693938601000109.
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Donovan, Peter. "The Intolerance of Religious Pluralism." Religious Studies 29, no. 2 (June 1993): 217–29. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0034412500022216.
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The pluralistic approach to religions has come in for some serious criticism in recent writings. I shall consider two examples in particular. The first is the book Christian Uniqueness Reconsidered. The Myth of a Pluralistic Theology of Religions, edited by Gavin D'Costa. This is a collection of essays offered in response to The Myth of Christian Uniqueness, edited by John Hick and Paul Knitter. The second example is an essay by Paul Morris, ‘Judaism and Pluralism: the Price of “Religious Freedom”’, in Religious Pluralism and Unbelief, edited by Ian Hamnett.
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Chung, Paul. "The Asian Pursuit of Trinitarian Theology in a Multireligious Context." Journal of Reformed Theology 3, no. 2 (2009): 144–56. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/156973109x448706.
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AbstractDoes the Christian theology of the Trinity in an Asian context mesh with a “life horizon” of religious pluralism? Like an endeavor of the Asian face of Christology, several Asian scholars have attempted to construct an Asian conceptualization of the Trinity with respect to spirituality, wisdom, and minjung in a life horizon of world religions. This writing introduces an Asian theology of the Trinity and constructs a theology of the Trinity from an Asian irregular perspective.
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Richie, Tony. "Continuing the Conversation on King: My Really Final Response to Tony Moon?" Journal of Pentecostal Theology 19, no. 1 (2010): 170–79. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/174552510x489955.
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AbstractTony Richie contends that Bishop J.H. King and a close circle of comrades and colleagues, influential in early Pentecostalism as leading administrators, educators, thinkers, and writers, and including G.F. Taylor and A.A. Boddy, exhibited various levels of (what today is known as) inclusivism regarding Christian theology of religions. He suggests this striking discovery has significant import for the developing field of Pentecostal theology of religions. However, as Tony Moon has rightly pointed out, King did not present non-Christian religions as direct divine instruments or agents of Christ's atonement benefits. Richie agrees with Moon that King primarily encourages hope for some of the humanly unevangelized. Yet Richie, in agreement with Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen, also argues that King's thought can be particularly complex. King's complexity especially shows in his perception of the trans-historical 'essential Christ' and 'religion of Christ'. Thus, Richie persistently suggests that at least King, but probably Taylor too, holds out a well-grounded but cautiously guarded optimism, not so much on world religions per se, as in the boundless Christ and an unbounded—but not boundary-less—religion firmly and forever rooted in the revelation of and redemption in the Lord Jesus Christ.
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Rennie, Bryan. "After This Strange Starting: Method, Theory and the Philosophy of Religion(s)." Method & Theory in the Study of Religion 22, no. 2-3 (2010): 116–35. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/157006810x512329.
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AbstractThis paper argues for the ineluctably philosophical nature of “method and theory” in the academic study of religion. More to the point, it encourages a significant re-consideration of what passes for the “Philosophy of Religion,” a subfield whose concentration on mediaeval and contemporary Christian philosophical theology has impeded the development of an effective philosophical treatment of global human religious behavior. The paper seeks a History of Religions that is more informed by and about philosophy as a tradition and as a method and which therefore includes a disciplinary Philosophy of Religion(s) that is more relevant, practical, far-ranging, and productive.
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Moon, Tony. "Richie Misses the Point: A Reply to Tony Richie's 'A Moderate Move or Missing the Point?'." Journal of Pentecostal Theology 17, no. 1 (2008): 110–32. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/174552508x332005.
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AbstractContra Tony Richie, J.H. King's theology of religions proper was not 'optimistic'. 'At its core', it was pessimistic because he viewed the non-Christian faiths as products of demonic inspiration. King's theology of the humanly unreached, on the other hand, was inclusively hopeful, but he did not affirm the non-Christian religions as playing any role in the unevangelized accessing the atoning grace of Christ.
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Kärkkäinen, Veli-Matti. "Trinity and Religions: On the Way to a Trinitarian Theology of Religions for Evangelicals." Missiology: An International Review 33, no. 2 (April 2005): 159–74. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/009182960503300203.
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A new paradigm is emerging in the Christian theology of religions, namely a trinitarian approach to other religions. Taking a critical look at existing proposals, this article argues that Trinity is the uniquely Christian resource for interfaith dialogue and provides needed guidelines for dialogue that helps avoid the typical fallacies of pluralisms and exclusivistic attitudes.
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Tan, Kang-San. "Dual Belonging: A Missiological Critique and Appreciation from an Asian Evangelical Perspective." Mission Studies 27, no. 1 (2010): 24–38. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/157338310x497973.
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AbstractMulti-religious belonging is a phenomenon of individuals who identify themselves as followers of more than one religious tradition. People of faiths may find themselves in dual or multi-religious backgrounds due to inter-religious marriages of parents, exposures to multi-religious traditions or conversions to another faith. In Asia, there is a growing phenomenon of insider movements or devotees of Jesus from other religious traditions such as Islam and Hinduism. Previously, Christian theology has tended to treat non-Christian religions as tight and separate religious systems. Such a treatment is increasingly problematic as it does not reflect the multi-religious realities in Asia where influences and cross fertilization of religious beliefs are daily faith experiences. In particular, there is a need to take into account the experiences and struggles of Christian converts from Asian religions, namely, the converts’ own relationship with their previous faiths.The paper seeks to explore the notion of multi-religious belonging and evaluate whether it is theologically possible for a Christian to follow Christ while retaining some form of identification with one’s previous religion such as Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism or Chinese religions. Instead of a total rejection of past faiths, is it possible for a Christian, without falling into syncretism, to belong to more than one religious tradition?Firstly, the paper will evaluate three models of multi-religious belonging. Secondly, after discussing some methodological considerations, we will explore whether dual belonging is syncretistic. Finally, we hope to suggest a critical and missiological appreciation of dual belonging.
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Phan, Peter C. "Ignacio Ellacuría, S.J. in Dialogue with Asian Theologians: What Can They Learn from each Other?" Horizons 32, no. 1 (2005): 53–71. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s036096690000219x.
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AbstractAs liberation theology spread across the globe in the seventh and eighth decades of the twentieth century, the need was felt for mutual learning and teaching among its proponents in various continents. The Ecumenical Association of Third World Theologians (EATWOT) was founded at Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, in 1976 to facilitate such a dialogue. This article explores the ways in which the thought of Ignacio Ellacuría, S.J., (a Spanish philosopher and theologian who was murdered in El Salvador in 1989) and Asian liberation theology can enrich each other.After situating Ellacuría, especially his activities as rector of the Jesuit University of Central America, in the context of political and military conflicts of El Salvador, the essay expounds Ellacuría's philosophy of realidad historica, his theology of the People of God as el pueblo crucificado, and his understanding of a Catholic university as a “social force,” and shows how these three ideas can enrich Asian liberation theology. The essay then presents Asian liberation theology in the socio-political and religious contexts of Asia and explains how it can enrich Ellacuría's thought and by extension Latin American liberation theology in three areas: theological method, through the use of non-Christian religious sources, especially popular religion; theology of liberation, by attending to the efforts of non-Christian activists for justice and peace; and a new way of being church, through a triple dialogue: dialogue with the Asian people, especially their poor; dialogue with Asian cultures; and dialogue with Asian religions.
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van Lieburg, Fred. "In saecula saeculorum." Church History and Religious Culture 98, no. 3-4 (December 12, 2018): 319–43. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/18712428-09803025.
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AbstractThis article offers a personal perspective on religious history after the institutionalisation of this field in the History Department at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in 2015. In essence and method, religious history is like history of religion(s). In German and Dutch, one can speak of Religionsgeschichte or religiegeschiedenis/godsdienstgeschiedenis. Different terms are in use in English and French, reflecting the different traditions in the disciplines of theology and history. History of religion(s)/histoire des religions is commonly associated with comparative studies of (non-Christian) religions, while religious history/histoire religieuse developed as a specialisation within general history (mostly concerned with Christianity and therefore close to what is known as church history or ecclesiastical history). While understanding religious history as general history with a focus on the religious factor in cultural, social, and political realities, various research traditions should be converged and integrated by means of conceptual exchange, cross-disciplinary approaches, and linked scholarly networks. Given the interest in global dimensions and long-term developments, computer-assisted research of digitalised sources is recommended for doing religious history today.
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D'Costa, Gavin. "Elephants, Ropes and a Christian Theology of Religions." Theology 88, no. 724 (July 1985): 259–67. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0040571x8508800403.
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TAIVĀNE, ELIZABETE. "MULTI-RELIGIOUS BELONGING AND CHRISTIAN IDENTITY IN THE WEST: CONTEXTS AND PERSPECTIVES." Study of Religion, no. 2 (2021): 87–96. http://dx.doi.org/10.22250/2072-8662.2021.2.87-96.
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Double and multiple religious belonging (MRB) is one of the most popular fields of research in Religious Studies and Theology in the West. It is curious that Russia does not utilize the notion of MRB being acquainted just with the notion of double belief (Rus. dvoeverie ). The latter has almost nothing in common with double and multiple religious belonging in the Western sense of the word. So, what is MRB? Although the term does not seem to be ambiguous it does not mean a complete form of belonging to two or more religious traditions, it rather implies formal belonging to one religion and some extent of fragmentary participation in another religion or other ones. The notion of MRB is linked to the postmodern contextual interpretation of religion beyond any essentialism, which allows speaking about the hybridity of religions and religion as such, as well as about the option to relativize or broaden the notion of Christian identity. What interreligious models allow to make use of the notion of MRB and how can MRB co-exist with Christian identity in its traditional exclusivist understanding? In the protestant environment, the notion of MRB is a derivative of pluralism whereas inside Roman Catholicism it collaborates with inclusivism, which in its turn tries to restrict itself to the performative aspect of foreign religions...
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Cook, Rob. "Would the discovery of alien life prove theologically embarrassing? A response to Paul Davies." Evangelical Quarterly 84, no. 2 (April 30, 2012): 139–54. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/27725472-08402004.
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Beginning by describing and assessing Paul Davies’ religious views this paper seeks to contest his claim that the Christian worldview would find it difficult to accommodate the discovery of life elsewhere in the universe. Using the resources of the Christian theology of religions, the various available strategies for deciding how God could bring salvation to ensouled extraterrestrials is discussed to counter Davies’ charge of confusion amongst Christians on this matter. Finally, the author’s preferred approach based on the notion of the cosmic Logos is advanced.
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Feldmeier, Peter. "Is the Theology of Religions an Exhausted Project?" Horizons 35, no. 2 (2008): 253–70. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0360966900005478.
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ABSTRACTTheology of religions, which grounds a theological approach to non-Christian traditions, has become widely dismissed recently as irrelevant, and even challenged to be inimical to authentic dialogue. This article addresses the critiques and defends the viability and even necessity of a theology of religions. It does so by showing how postmodern insights provide the key to break the deadlock previously constraining theologies of religions.
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Balagangadhara, S. N. "On the Dark Side of the “Secular”: Is the Religious-Secular Distinction a Binary?" Numen 61, no. 1 (2014): 33–52. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/15685276-12341303.
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AbstractRecent scholarship claims to have revealed the problematic nature of the religious-secular distinction: (1) the distinction is slippery or fluid; (2) the meanings of the words “religious” and “secular” have changed over multiple historical contexts; (3) the distinction is a binary; (4) it is essentialist in nature. Analyzing these objections, the article shows that it is very difficult to find a clear problem statement. To whom is the religious-secular distinction a problem and why? The distinction was originally made within Christian theology, where it concerned a triad rather than a binary: true religion, false religions, and the secular. The notion of the secular always required the presence of the opposition between truth and falsity in religion, because it was the sphere that remained after true and false religion had been demarcated. In this sense, the secular had a “dark side,” namely, idolatry or false religion. To a Christian believer, there is no conceptual problem involved in making the religious-secular distinction, because his or her theology helps him specify what true and false religion are and, as a consequence, what the secular is. However, because of its neutrality in religious matters, the liberal state has tried to reduce the theological triad to a binary opposition between religion and the secular. The inevitable failure of this attempt has created a formless secular sphere that is haunted by its dark side: the notion of false religion.
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Cornille, C. (Catherine). "Faith Among Faiths: Christian Theology and Non-Christian Religions (review)." Buddhist-Christian Studies 21, no. 1 (2001): 130–32. http://dx.doi.org/10.1353/bcs.2001.0009.
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Kjøde, Rolf. "Convergence or Divergence in Theology of Religions?" Mission Studies 34, no. 1 (March 1, 2017): 92–115. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/15733831-12341485.
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If there is an ongoing convergence in understanding of mission between the two traditions of the global church named as conciliar and evangelical, can we trace this in the theology of religions? This study investigates this question by studying two recent and comprehensive mission documents, Together towards Life (ttl) and the Cape Town Commitment (ctc). Theology of religions is a topic fundamental and decisive for understanding the nature of Christian mission. The article concludes that the World Council of Churches (wcc) seemed to come closest to the evangelical theology of religions in the years leading up to 1989. Through ttl, the wcc officially seems to confirm an inclusivism with a wider opening towards pluralist aspects. The evangelical emphasis on proclamation, truth and uniqueness of Christ in ctc is not compatible with this development. A shift of direction in theology of religions since 1989 is detectable in ttl, while evangelical theology of religions is relatively stable in its fundamental thinking. 如果在协会派与福音派这两种普世教会的传统中，对宣教的认识有融合的话，那么我们能否在它们的宗教神学中追溯到些什么呢？本文就此对Together towards Life (ttl) 和 Cape Town Commitment (ctc) 两份复杂的宣教文献进行研究考查。宗教神学是对基督教宣教本质的理解最基本也是最根本的课题。本文得出的结论是。普世协会 (wcc) 似乎在1989年前的几年，与福音派的宗教神学最贴近。透过 ttl，wcc 正式确认了其对多元主义完全敞开的包容主义，而福音派着重的宣告，真理及基督的独一性是与此发展互不兼容的。自 1989 年以来， 可以找到 ttl 里宗教神学的改变，而福音派的宗教神学其基本思想却是相对稳定的。 Si existe en realidad un proceso de convergencia en la comprensión de la misión entre las dos tradiciones de la iglesia mundial: la conciliar y la evangélica; ¿podemos descubrirlo en la teología de las religiones? Para responder a esta pregunta, este estudio analiza dos documentos exhaustivos y recientes sobre la misión: Juntos por la vida (ttl, siglas en inglés) y el Compromiso de Ciudad del Cabo (ctc, siglas en inglés). La teología de las religiones es un tema fundamental y decisivo para comprender la naturaleza de la misión cristiana. El artículo concluye que el Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (wcc, siglas en inglés) parece acercarse más a la teología evangélica de las religiones perteneciente a los años anteriores a 1989. A través de ttl, el wcc parece confirmar oficialmente un inclusivismo con una apertura más amplia hacia aspectos pluralistas. El énfasis evangélico sobre la proclamación, la verdad y la singularidad de Cristo en ctc no parece compatible con este proceso. Se detecta en ttl un cambio de orientación en la teología de las religiones desde 1989, mientras que la teología evangélica de las religiones es relativamente invariable en su pensamiento fundamental. This article is in English.
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Komulainen, Jyri. "Theological reflections on multi-religious identity." Approaching Religion 1, no. 1 (May 2, 2011): 50–58. http://dx.doi.org/10.30664/ar.67470.
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This article attempts to provide a theological assessment of multireligious identity, especially in the context of the Hindu-Christian encounters. The paper rests on recent post-colonialist literature on religion and assumes that the so-called ‘religions’ are open-ended cultural traditions and that the Christian tradition is capable of encompassing different world-views and cultural traditions. Following the initial observations, which highlight the ambiguity of the concept ‘religion’ as well as the radical diversity of the so-called religious traditions, the possibility of delineating a Christian identity in the midst of cultural and religious dynamics is explored. If the common feature of Jesus of Nazareth and the theological idea of incarnation are taken into account, the most vital tenets of the Christian faith entail a constant call for contextualization. Since all cultures also display religious dimensions, i.e. a fundamental openness to transcendence, this contextualization embraces also those traditions that have been labelled traditionally as ‘religions’. In addition to these theoretical observations, two instances of Hindu-Christianity—Brahmabandhav Upadhyaya (1861–1907) and Raimon Panikkar (b. 1918)—are presented and discussed. The article concludes that from the point of view of Christian theology, the Christian faith can also adopt such forms that could be labeled ‘multi-religious’. The decisive factor is, however, whether the Christian narrative may provide the meta-narrative of multi-religious identity, i.e. whether it is the one that transforms other cultural narratives.Jyri Komulainen is Docent in Dogmatics in University of Helsinki, Finland. Website: http://www.mv.helsinki.fi/home/jykomula/