Religious Pluralism and the Finality of Christ (Christological Reflections from Lesslie Newbigin)

Email

Whatsapp

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Copy link

About the Book India is probably the world's oldest and the most remarkable 'living laboratory' of religious pluralism. Our context is such that Christianity among other religious ideologies is a lived-in reality in India. Down the corridors of time the Church has grappled with the question of how to present the uniqueness and the 'Finality of Christ' in the context where Christians rub shoulders with people of other religious faith in daily life? As numerous approaches evolved through the last several decades, an evaluation of the Christian theology of religions is the need of the hour. Our approach should be biblically valid, theologically credible and contextually sustainable. It is there the Christological insights of Bishop Lesslie Newbigin attracts our attention. This book investigates into the all time relevant and the praxis oriented approach of Newbigin in doing Christian mission in India's pluralistic context.

About the Author Sijo Jacob obtained his MA from the University of Madras. He holds an M. Th. in Missiology from Believers Church Theological Seminary, Thiruvalla, India; where he was also awarded for the highest proficiency in academic excellence. He has traveled across the length and breadth of the mission fields of India and taught in many Bible Colleges including the Believers Church Theological Seminary where he served as the Chaplin and taught Christian Mission and Apologetics. He is currently the Director of Academics and teaching in the Department of Christian Mission and Ministry at Logos College of Theology, Trivandrum, India.

Foreword On one of my forays into Facebook. I came across a caption, under a picture of lifted hands, which rather condescendingly said: "Finally, this generation has understood what true worship is!" My rejoinder to this rather brash and confident claim was: "Each generation must discover for itself what true worship is!" In reading through Sijo Jacob's book Religious Pluralism and the Finality of Christ, I am compelled to make a similar assertion every generation must comprehend for itself what the uniqueness and finality of Christ means for Christian belief and practice! He has sought to do exactly this as he writes for a particular generation and specifically for the Indian context. Fortunately, each succeeding generation also has the benefit of the experience and wisdom of godly thinkers and biblical scholars from preceding generations. Sijo Jacob does well to consider and reflect upon the contribution of one such individual-Bishop Lesslie Newbigin, the great churchman and missionary-scholar.

Preface Down through the history, the Church has faced the question of how to present the uniqueness of Christ in a religiously pluralistic context? It's the need of the hour that we take into account the fact that people are becoming more and more religious conscious day by day. In India especially, the tolerant stance of the majority community seems to be replaced by communalism and fundamentalism. It calls for a fresh approach in the method of how we understand the theology of other religions and how we respond to the challenges paused by increasing intolerance. Today's context demands that we alter our methods but not the message. We must find contextually relevant and theologically credible forms of faith expressions without altering our commitment to Christ.

Introduction Whenever there has been diversified cultural environment, the Christian Mission has marked its impeccable presence. In the recent past, new perceptions are emerging in this multifaceted scenario, and this diversification or pluralism is fast assuming the character of an ideology. In the contemporary age of anti-dogmatism, post-modern radical subjectivity seeks to empty all religions of objective truth claims. Today, as long as the Church is content to offer its beliefs as simply one of the numerous brands available in the ideological no offence is taken. But any affirmation to claim Finality for Christ is considered offensive and comes into the sphere of arrogance or intolerance. In the face of such complexities arising out of varied truth claims of other religions, how can the Church give witness to Christ in a way that will both be justifiable to the Bible and contextually sustainable?

**Contents and Sample Pages**