Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Is This a Modified Form of Universalism?

I've heard it claimed by some folks who critizes this theory that it is; but Rod Dreher balks. [Hat tip: Andrew Sullivan.]

I believe Orthodox Christianity is the fullest expression of the true path to salvation, liberation or paradise. But I don’t agree that only Orthodox Christians will find their way to salvation. My view is that God may save anyone, but that if anyone is saved, it is through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and through the mercy of God the Father, who, in his infinite wisdom and compassion, may choose to extend it to those who confessed Christ imperfectly, or who didn’t confess him at all. That, by the way, is the official teaching of the Catholic Church. It’s not the same thing as universalism, which holds that everyone will be saved, no matter what.

Dreher is a convert from Roman Catholicism to capital O Orthodox Christianity. It always helps to clarify terms. Note also that there are Trinitarian Universalists (like Benjamin Rush) who believed, indeed, everyone will be saved (eventually) no matter what, but it will be through Christ's universal (as opposed to limited) atonement.

Finally, Dreher's link interestingly shows a strong majority of folks in America and internationally disagree with the idea that salvation is found ONLY in their religion.

....“My faith or religion is the only true path to salvation, liberation or paradise.” Of people in all the countries polled, the only people who poll over 50 percent agreement are Saudis and Indonesians — and in Saudi Arabia, a stunning 25 percent disagree. In the US, only 32 percent agree with this statement.

6 comments:

Brad Hart said...

I think that a lot of Mormons (including myself)would agree with that first quotation. Are Mormons therefore Universalists? To a certain degree, I would say yes.

Phil Johnson said...

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It's interesting to me that some people are so sure that they know what cannot be known.
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bpabbott said...

Indonesians ? ... I didn't expect that. I'm skeptical that those who I know and others I've met would hold such an intolerant position. Perhaps those who have traveled far enough to meet with westerners, like myself, aren't representative ?

Phil Johnson said...

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Is Indonesia the largest nation in Islam?
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bpabbott said...

Phil, yes. Indonesia is the largest.

Socially, I find Indonesia and Malaysia to be very tolerant of others' beliefs. This is true of other Muslim nations as well, Turkey for example.

In my travels there, my impression is that being an open Christian, Buddhist, "free-thinker", or Atheist is a non-issue. Meanwhile, my Muslim friends in the US are typically guarded about their faith.

The political / legal perspective in Indonesia and Malaysia is different. For example, Muslims are entitled to advantages in employment, education, and housing. In addition, it is illegal to try to convert them away from their faith.

It makes for a strange dichotomy with the U.S.

Phil Johnson said...

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Everybody knows our governmental system is broken.
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I watched Jonathan Turley, a law professor at G.W.U., this morning. He spoke quite frankly on our problem.
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I don't recall where I read or heard it; but, there is talk that the Murdock defense in the News Corp trials in England goes something like this, "If it's o.k. for the government to hack into cell phones, then it's o.k. for private business to do it." There is favor shown for hiring here in the U.S.A. as much as there is in any Muslim society.
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