Product Description

Four views, from salvation in Christ alone to the belief that all ethical religions lead to God, presented by advocates of each, help Christians understand and meet the challenges of our pluralistic culture.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #81501 in Books
• Published on: 1996-08-19
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780310212768
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
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From Booklist
Rooted in a 1992 theology conference at Wheaton College, which brought together young Evangelicals to discuss challenges posed by "normative pluralism and inclusivism," this book, like the conference, responds to pluralism as a challenge. The book is a symposium, with chapters by John Hick, Clark Pinnock, Alister McGrath, and R. Douglas Geivett together with W. Gary Phillips. In general, Hick issues the pluralist "challenge," and the other participants respond with inclusivist, particularist, and exclusivist approaches. That Geivett and Phillips, who call their position "evidentialist particularism," get the last word is significant. The book is intended for a conservative Evangelical audience likely to be most sympathetic to the Geivett-Phillips perspective. Putting that perspective last is likely to confirm the audience's sympathy. Putting it in the context of a symposium is likely to raise provocative and constructive questions that might otherwise be overlooked. Steve Schroeder

From the Publisher
Increasingly, Christianity is seen as just one among many valid paths to God. Four views - from salvation in Christ alone to the belief that all ethical religions lead to God - presented by advocates of each, help Christians understand and meet the challenges of our pluralistic culture.

From the Back Cover
Religious pluralism is the greatest challenge facing Christianity in Western culture today. The belief that Christ is the only way to God is being challenged, and increasingly, Christianity is seen as just one among many valid paths to God.

In Four Views on Salvation in a Pluralistic World, four perspectives are presented by a major advocate of each:

Normative Pluralism: all ethical religions lead to God (John Hick)

Inclusivism: salvation is universally available, but is established by and leads to Christ (Clark Pinnock)

Salvation in Christ: agnosticism regarding those who haven’t heard the gospel (Alister McGrath)

Salvation in Christ alone: (R. Douglas Geivett and W. Gary Phillips)

This book allows each contributor to not only present the case for his view, but also to respond to the critiques of the other contributors and to critique their views in turn.

The Counterpoints series provides a forum for comparison and critique of different views on issues important to Christians. Counterpoints books address two categories: Church Life and Exploring Theology. Complete your library with other books in the Counterpoints series.

Customer Reviews

OK
This is book is part of Zondervan's Counterpoints series. According to the editors of this work, the purpose is to bring Christian thinkers together to discuss the question of the salvation of non-Christians. The contributors are: (1) John Hick, advocating pluralism; (2) Clark Pinnock advocating inclusivism; (3) Alister McGrath advocating a somewhat exclusivistic position; and (4) R. Douglas Geivett & W. Gary Phillips advocating exclusivism.

As is often the case with this series, the book suffers from poor editing. All of the essays are worth reading, but they generally don't deal with the alleged topic of the book. For example, Prof. Hick tells us that he believes in universal salvation and that he has written a book arguing for this position, but he doesn't give his reasons in the essay. Prof. McGrath touches on the issue, but not in any great detail. Prof. Pinnock deals with the topic in a limited manner. It is only Profs. Geivett & Philips who actually go into the question in some detail. They provide an exegesis of Acts 4:12 and some other passages. However, none of the other contributors responds with any detailed exegesis. What is often seen as the key passage concerning the salvation of non-believers -- Romans 2 -- is only mentioned in passing. So, this book is really a discussion of religious pluralism, not salvation.

In spite of my criticism, I think this book is helpful to anyone who wants a background on the general issue of religious pluralism. If you are looking for a discussion of evangelical views of the salvation of non-believers, then this isn't the place to look.

Very Good Compilation -- Should Have Been More Readable
Having studied these four views previously, I was disappointed after finishing this particular title. All of these authors could have made their arguments much more concise and readable, but none of them chose to do so.

Hick basically states that many different religions lead to the same God. Pinnock holds that salvation in Christ may be found through other religions. McGrath asserts salvation is found in a relationship with Christ, and persons who have had no chance to enter that relationship MIGHT receive God's mercy in some unknown way. Geivett and Phillips maintain salvation is ONLY found in a relationship with Christ, and persons who have had no chance to enter that relationship will spend eternity separated from God.

This book could have and should have been written in such a manner to appeal to the average layperson. These individuals are the ones who struggle with these issues and want to be better informed. Instead, all of these essays are directed towards other scholars. The overly-technical manner in which they are written will not appeal to most persons without professional theological training.

For pastors and well-versed teachers, this book provides a helpful summary of four current views on salvation. For everyone else, this volume will be confusing and hard to follow.

Great insight into Popstmodern Soteriology
If you want to see first-hand how postmodernism has infected the Doctrine of Salvation within evangelical Christianity - this is the book. Coming from a conservative evangelical background it was interesting and informative to have a concise overview on the other schools of thought all in one volume. It also provides an excellent affirmation of the exclusivity of salvation through Christ. I particularly enjoyed how the contributors interacted with each other on the four views. A must read for anyone who wants to be equipped to evangelize in the 21st century.