Americans: My Faith Isn't the Only Way to Heaven
Have you read this story yet?
The AP is reporting that most Americans don't believe that their religion is the only way to get to heaven.
Here's an excerpt:
America remains a nation of believers, but a new survey finds most Americans don't feel their religion is the only way to eternal life — even if their faith tradition teaches otherwise.
The findings, revealed Monday in a survey of 35,000 adults, can either be taken as a positive sign of growing religious tolerance, or disturbing evidence that Americans dismiss or don't know fundamental teachings of their own faiths.
The findings, revealed Monday in a survey of 35,000 adults, can either be taken as a positive sign of growing religious tolerance, or disturbing evidence that Americans dismiss or don't know fundamental teachings of their own faiths.
Among the more startling numbers in the survey, conducted last year by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life: 57 percent of evangelical church attenders said they believe many religions can lead to eternal life, in conflict with traditional evangelical teaching.
In all, 70 percent of Americans with a religious affiliation shared that view, and 68 percent said there is more than one true way to interpret the teachings of their own religion.
"The survey shows religion in America is, indeed, 3,000 miles wide and only three inches deep," said D. Michael Lindsay, a Rice University sociologist of religion.
"There's a growing pluralistic impulse toward tolerance and that is having theological consequences," he said.
To read more: Click Here
This is so disturbing and reflects a complete ignorance of one of the clearest teachings in the Bible.
In John 14: 5,6 we read:
Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
I just finished a meeting with one of our ministry leaders. In our meeting we discussed the importance of a strong discipleship program as a part of our ministry.
I'm convicted that we must do more to give our people a strong foundation of biblical knowledge.
This article is confirmation that more churches should do the same.
posted by Arron Chambers @ 10:16 AM
6 comments
6 Comments:
Often times, I think the trend toward pluralism even among believers isn't necessarily an intentional disregard for Scripture (although many times it certainly can be). Rather it's often a reaction against the times when the Church has failed to reflect the love and goodness of Christ. I heard this argument all the time at university.
In practice, often Christianity hasn't fared much better than other religions throughout history, in regard to perpetuating oppression, ignorance racism, hypocrisy. For everytime the Church has triumphed it has also utterly failed. And so some people feel compelled to say "Who's to say Christianity is any more true than any other religion. I think that's where the pluralistic attitude often steps in, unfortunately. Also we are a bit too PC for our own good...
We get sidetracked by the frequent failure of Christians when we really should be looking to Christ and the extraordinary (and undeniably exclusive) claims He made and life He led and death that He died. THIS is where the distinguishing truth sets Christianity apart from all other religions. It's not about one system of belief being more right or superior than another. It's about the ultimate truth--Logos--being a Person (the God Man) and Him extending relationship and intimacy with God to us.
[I haven't made up my mind on this issue.]
I agree with Melissa that the pluralistic trend isn't ignorance or disregard of Scripture or teaching.
My guess is rather than simply dismiss John 14:6, most "pluralistic" evangelicals (I doubt they would all consider themselves such or wear the label proudly) would disagree with your interpretation of the verse, or at least the strict exclusivism you draw from it. In fact, I wonder if you hold to it as strongly as your post indicates. For example, what happens in the case of the death of an infant? I assume you would affirm that the infant goes to heaven, even though he or she is not a Christian. If you insist that the infant still "comes to the Father" through Jesus (and I don't see why you wouldn't), then I don't see what would stop a pagan (one with a circumcised heart?) from doing the same.
I do not claim to have just proven that any religion is just as good as Christianity. I do hope to have problematized the tendency to dogmatically demarcate who cannot "get to heaven."
I recommend Lesslie Newbigin's _The Gospel in a Pluralist Society_, particularly chapter 14 ("The Gospel and the Religions").
As a side note, I urge you to refrain from declaring your position in an argument as "one of the clearest teachings in the Bible." The fact that other Christians disagree with you implies that this issue may not be that clear after all. Moreover, resolving the issue may not be as simple as pointing to one verse.
Matt Dabbs did a really nice (in my opinion) evaluation of this study on his blog.
http://tinyurl.com/43u9ug
I left comments there.
"Pluralism" in the sense that people are in the United States from many different backgrounds and religions is a fact of life. I would consider it problematic if Christians really were going over to a watered-down view that all roads lead home. I'm not entirely sure that's what is happening, though.
Who says anyone is or has gone to heaven. Prove this first then the issue will probably become mute. We are promised a resurrection not heaven. Prove from scripture that anyone goes or has gone to heaven this comes from singing to many unscriptural songs.
anonymous,
Yes, we are promised a resurrection, and not heaven after that (rather, New Heavens/New Earth) and I get your point about many songs not reflecting this truth of Scripture. However, few who understand what I've just explained would deny that there is some sense in which those who die "in Christ" will be with the Lord until He comes.
We can blame the whole thing to Oprah' "new Gospel": a tasteless soup with enough ingredients to please anyone!
If there be any new gospel other than the Gospel of Jesus Christ, let it be accused...
Post a Comment
<< Home