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?