Are There Many Paths to God?
description
Transcript of Are There Many Paths to God?
Are There Many Paths to God?
The Most Important Question
Who is Jesus?
Caesarea Philippi Retreat Center?
Mt. Hermon
Caesarea Phillipi
Pan
Greek god of shepherds, nature,
and sexuality
Who Do You Say That I Am?
Inescapable Question in the Context of Religious Pluralism
Most Important Question of Life
Thirty-Seven Percent of White
Evangelicals agree with Hindus that there are many Paths to God. Lisa Miller, “We Are All Hindus
Now” - Newsweek
Religious Pluralism and Evangelicals
Jesus is the closest thing the
world has to a universal Religious Figure – Craig Hazen, Biola University
Almost every religion attempts to bring Jesus into their religious system.
Jesus in World Religions
Virginally Conceived Miracle Worker Sinless Prophet End-Time Figure Mentioned nearly 100 times in the Qur’an
Who Does Islam Say that Jesus Is?
Jesus measures up as a Sadhu, a holy man. He preached a universal message, love of God and love of brother, which was beyond any sectarianism or selfishness. Jesus was one of those people who appealed from heart to heart, and that's what makes him such a good Hindu Saint.
Who Does Hinduism Say that Jesus Is?
In some forms of Hinduism, Jesus is one of
ten (eighth) avatars of Vishnu. Vishnu: god of love, benevolence, and
forgiveness Avatar: a Hindu term meaning “descent.”
The manifestation of a god on earth in human or animal form.
Who Does Hinduism Say that Jesus Is?
Shaunaka Rishi Das
Director of the Oxford Centre of Hinduism
In my particular tradition, and among other Hindus, He is seen as much more, as an Avatar, specifically a Shaktavesha Avatar or an empowered incarnation. This means that God has sent Him to us for a specific mission to fulfill God’s will on earth
In the Mahayana tradition, Jesus is a
bodhisattva Bodhisattva – an enlightened being –
someone who has refused liberation from the wheel of samsara and out of compassion returns to assist others toward enlightenment.
Who Does Buddhism Say Jesus Is?
Who Does Buddhism
Say Jesus Is? Dali Lama claims
he is not worthy to be compared with Jesus because Jesus is a fully enlightened being
Since Jesus is by any measure the only
universal religious person, a figure so towering that almost every religious body has to find a way to bring Him aboard in some capacity, it makes perfect sense to me that anyone on a religious quest should know where to start. Craig Hazen, Biola University
Who Do You Say Jesus Is? The Point
Analogies of Religious Pluralism
Blind Men and the ElephantDifferent Paths to Top of Mountain
MedicinalMaze
Blind Men and the
Elephant
Humans are similar to blind men groping in
the darkness. Christianity Agrees With This Claim
Each religion provides a unique answer to the riddle of the elephant of religious truth.
No blind person can arrogantly claim to possess exclusive truth
Lessons from the Blind Men and the
Elephant
Claim: Every religion is valid and we need to combine our
answers to arrive at complete religious truth
A mosaic of answers to the riddle of the nature of the elephant does not accurately describe the truth about the elephant.
An assembly of spear, hose, fan, wall, pole, and rope does not equal an elephant.
Problems with the BlindMen and the Elephant
At least one man knows the truth – the rajah
The rajah (God) could tell the blind men the truth (revelation) about the nature of the elephant (religious truth)
The claim that no religion can know the truth is not a relativistic claim. This claim is an absolute claim.
The religious pluralist then believes in absolutes
Problems with the Blind Men and the Elephant
Maybe the elephant represents God
What if the elephant does not keep silent?
What if God communicated to groping blind men?
If so, Would the men be intolerant for passing on the communiqué from God?
Problems with the Blind Men and the Elephant
Different Paths Up a
Mountain
The followers of various religions ascend to the summit of the mountain (God) by different approaches
Some paths are more winding; some paths are more direct
All paths reach the summit eventually Popularity: promote tolerance
Different Paths Up a Mountain
Justifies Indifference to Truth Claims
Does not respect people – does not take people seriously
Does not promote tolerance. Crushes Dissent
Problems with the Mountain
Ignores Differences in Understanding Ultimate Reality
Christianity: Triune, Personal God
Hinduism: Impersonal God (Brahman)
Buddhism: Atheistic
Problems with the Mountain
Ignores Differences in the Human Condition
Christianity: Created In God’s Image, Fallen, Sinful
Hinduism: Divine but Ignorant
Buddhism: Nothingness
Problems with the Mountain
Ignores Differences in the Path of Spiritual
Liberation Christianity: By grace alone through faith
alone in Christ alone Hinduism: Knowledge of Who You Really Are Buddhism: The Loss of Desire Leading to
Nirvana
Problems with the Mountain
Who Awaits You at the Top of the Mountain? Buddhism: No One Islam: Allah – non-Triune, Love not an
attribute Christianity: Jesus Hinduism: Brahman (you)
Problems with the Mountain
Favors One Religion: Hinduism is the Default Position
“Whatever path men travel is My path; no matter where they walk it leads to Me.” – Krishna – Bhagavad-Gita
Other Religions Must Give Up Distinctives Islamic Confession Christians: Trinity, incarnation, atonement,
resurrection
Problems with the Mountain
Set forth by Abu Qurrah – 8th century Arab Christian A sick man receives various treatment proposals from a
number of medical experts with differing qualifications (religious experts)
Decision Factors Qualifications of Caregiver Understanding of the Disease Reasonableness of the Treatment Likelihood of Success
Medical Treatment
Qualifications of Caregiver: The sinless life
and resurrection mean that Jesus surpasses all other religious teachers (contrast others teachers)
Understanding of the Disease: Disease is Sin not Ignorance (Hinduism) Sin is the only empirically verifiable
religious truth
Medical Treatment Applied to Christianity
Faith is Reasonable since
humans are powerless to heal Likelihood: Testimony of
Transformed Lives
Medical Treatment Applied to Christianity
Maze
The religious landscape can be compared to a
maze One entrance into the maze and one way out
of the maze Many dead ends and obstacles Is it intolerant to claim one way is superior to
other ways?
Maze
Defender of Christianity – Rev.
Cook Illustrated the Truth of
Christianity by Quote from Shakespeare
What can remove the spot?
World Parliament of Religions Chicago
Virginally Conceived Victoriously Sinless Vicarious Substitutionary Death Visible Ascension Triumphant Return
Who Do You Say That I AM?