if, then {without violent war}



It very well may be, that JC is indeed the fullest expression of G d, the norm above all other norms.

This is a possibility which cannot be ruled out in advance. At the same time, however, it cannot be said
a priori that JC is the normative revelation of G d. On what grounds could we claim this? Should not the reasons for this universal claim be universally accessible - to all peoples! When we start from inclusivist premises, can any dialogue between people of different faiths be a real dialogue? When it is assumed that, though the other religions offer genuine paths to salvation, the Christian faith or JC is the way par excellence, do we treat the adherents of other religions really seriously? If we opt for a christocentric approach to the world religions, this problem can be stated succincly: if Christianity [because of Christ] is the definitive truth, the absoluteness of G d's revelatiuon to mankind, it only remains for all the other religions to convert to Christianity, and what we have, in fact, is a dialogue between the elephant and the mouse?! How many ways of salvation can you count on the fingers of two hands? The pluralist, sometimes
called the 'liberal' or 'theocentric,' approach to the world religions is, certainly in comparison with the other two models, a rather new paradigm. It seems only since the Enlightenment that this new and rather comparative interest in religions has emerged. It also had its effects on the evaluation of non-christian
religions. Many of the later theories of religious pluralism have their roots in the rational doubt of the Enlightenment and the science of religion. In modern times, theories of religious pluralism have been proposed by lots of scholars who were extremely interested in the history of religions and civilizations;
whilst at pains to cope wiith the relativism which historical knowledge brings. This reconception theory also
represents the arrival of radical approaches to the theology of religions. The quest for the real essence of religion, which became more and more notable, can even already be seen clearly in many earlier writings.

On the groundwork of these and others, newer theories have been formulated, as with all other sciences.

Pluralism in the form of a paradigm which seriously addresses the enormous variety of religious experience and all kinds of other philosophical ideologies is now rapidly gaining ground amongst many a leading thinker; even though it seems to be still a minority position? Pluralism is often described as a
'paradigm shift'; 'a Copernican revolution'; 'the crossing of the theological Rubicon.' In several publications
this paradigm shift is described from a Christian-centered or Yeshua-centered to a G d-centered 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. The various pluralist models aim at doing justice to the plurality of all religious traditions!

It is often assumed that there is one Reality, whatever its name, at the centre of things. Those different
perceptions of truth in the various religions may be true in their own way; but, at the same time, they are
limited perceptions which cannot be imposed upon others. Truth perceptions are complementary and 'real'
Reality beyonf those perceptionsd may be called "G d"; but only if the term G d stands both for the funny particular concept of the theist as well as for the transcendent reality of the non-theists. G d still has many names and thus we can state that the pluralist paradigm has not come so abruptly and revolutionary as is
sometimes claimed by some of us. We cab describe evolutionary changes in Christian consciousness from
ecclesiocentrism to christocentrism to theocentrism. Thus, nowadays, theologians do not propose to place the "Church" of "JC" at the centre, but G d. This implies a reinterpretation of all traditional doctrines, and
especially the doctrine of "Jesus Christ". In pluralist theories, traditional understandings of the finality and
normativity of JC are challenged. I guess that is also exactly what 'he himself' would have wanted us to do.

engel
23 aug 2010 - bewerkt op 23 aug 2010 - meld ongepast verhaal
Weet je zeker dat je dit verhaal wilt rapporteren? Ja | Nee
Profielfoto van Asih
Asih, man, 80 jaar
   
Log in om een reactie te plaatsen.   vorige volgende