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A Warm Invitation
A response to Mark Chan's 'Sowing Subversion in the Field of Relativism'
To facilitate a truly global conversation, we ask Christian leaders from around the world to respond to the Global Conversation's lead articles. These points of view do not necessarily represent Christianity Today magazine or the Lausanne Movement. They are designed to stimulate discussion from all points of the compass and from different segments of the Christian community. Please add your perspective by posting a comment so that we can learn and grow together in the unity of the Spirit.
As I ventured out on my prayer walk early one morning, I became aware of the earliest sounds of a waking world. In the midst of a cacophony of noises—birds, chickens, cows, and the occasional automobile in the distance—my ears also tuned in to the sounds of religious devotion. First the drums, cymbals, and chants from a nearby temple; then the distant strains of the Muslim maulvi's rising call to prayer from the mosque; and finally the sounds of worship from our own Bible College chapel as early risers gathered for morning devotions. Several burning questions that had haunted me for much of my life returned to me again.
Does God only hear the sounds of prayers from our chapel, and close his ears to the cries of the faithful Muslim worshipers and Hindu devotees? My closest neighbors and friends throughout my childhood were not Christians. Two of my close family members through marriage came to our family from other faiths: one, as a devout Muslim and the other, Zoroastrian. (One is today a radiant believer, the other has still not made a public profession of faith.) Much of my time in the early years of my ministry was spent on the streets and slums of one of the most densely populated cities in the world, Mumbai, and for the last four years I have lived in another of the world's most populated cities, Kolkata. As I walked and prayed, I reflected on how I struggle to respond to sincere seekers who ask questions like: If Jesus is the only way to God, what about my Hindu parents and grandparents who never had a chance to hear about him, and my ancestors who lived and died before Jesus was born?
My entire life's work has been devoted to communicating the gospel of Christ effectively to those who have never heard. Yet as I watch tens of thousands streaming in and out of a crowded train station or milling through the streets during festival seasons, it troubles me deeply as I realize the vast majority of them have never heard and may never hear the gospel. Will God send all of these millions to hell automatically just because I or others like me fail to tell them about Christ?
This response is meant to complement rather than critique Mark Chan's competent treatment of the contemporary assault of relativism on the notion of absolute truth, a foundational assumption of evangelical faith. As Chan's sound summary illustrates, relativistic pluralism is logically a house of straw built on epistemological sinking sand.
The average person, however, is attracted to the pluralistic response for socially pragmatic reasons rather than its logical appeal. Claims of superiority or finality in any religion seem to threaten peace and the delicate balance of social harmony in multicultural contexts. Religions which make absolute claims are seen as seeking to eventually eradicate every other religion from the face of the earth. If other religions take action to defend their survival, communal strife and social discord seem inevitable.
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Neal, USA
This article addresses the surface of the problem of relativism, but it doesn't address a solution. Vedanta is an entirely different worldview from the Judeo-Christian worldview with somewhat similar terms. How do you dialog with a person who simultaneously believes he should live a humble lifestyle that often looks more pious than yours, but believes that Brahman (or God) is the sustaining entity of existence? There is a real theological discrepancy that needs to be addressed. Does anyone know how to discuss the matter in a loving way?
Patrick Mitchel, Ireland
a very helpful description of the challenges and realities of living in a pluralist world. I would have loved a bit more reflection on the specific Asian context and lessons learnt over generations living with pluralism. The 'shock' of post-Christendom in the West is still being processed by churches here as they begin to get used to being on the margins. I suspect many are longing to 'go back' to 'simpler' times when Christianity was as the centre. Others fear the future. It would have been great to hear more on what they can learn from the long experiences of Asian brothers and sisters.
Carminha Speirs, Brazil
I agree with CD from USA, the same challenge has been throughout Christian history. The difference is in the resources used now a days to face it. In the Old Testament we see Moyses learning from God how he should convince the hebrews who were living amongst people who worshiped so many different gods and also Pharaoh about this Only God who was all powerfull and wanted His people out of Egypt. He didn't teach Moyses about intelectual arguments nor Paul used other then the Power of God (the Gospel) to convince his audiences. The Holy Spirit is the One to convince the pluralist and any other sinner about the Truth. God only needs men and women commited to Him and to His Kingdom who are ready to lose (when necessary) and take risks for Him, the rest of it is all with Him, as it has been throughout History.
CD, USA
Challenges to the claims, "Jesus is the truth", "no other name" is not something new. Throughout history of Christian movement/mission, these challenges were there. The issue is that Christians like to be respectable and accepted in the pluralistic society/world. We want to tone down a bit about these claims concerning Jesus Christ and Gospel/Evangel.
Alex Araujo, USA
Excellent help from Chan And McAllister (I have not yet read the others). McAllister in particular addresses Western trends, and I think we need to look at this a little more deeply. How much of the current reality is Western-initiated and superimposed on the rest of the world? Is it possible that we are projecting on non-Western Christians our own struggles over this issue? If they had initiated the dialogue, would they address it the same way? I understand Chan is Asian, but as an evangelical theologian, he seems to be part of that noble circle of internationals who grapple with issues considered priority to that group of people. Nothing wrong with that, but it may miss some realities that are outside that rather small and specialized circle. I am not saying that pluralism and relativism is only a Western concern. I am asking whether the degree of concern and the approach to the issue are not overly Western, responding to a Western awakening to the issue?
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