Ethics of Evangelism : A Philosophical Defense of Proselytizing and Persuasion

by Thiessen, Elmer J.

ISBN13:

9780830839278

ISBN10:

0830839275

Format:

Paperback

Pub. Date:

4/1/2011

Publisher(s):

Intervarsity Pr

Other versions by this Author

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Summary

Why do religious people attempt to persuade others of their beliefs? What are the current objections to the religious practice of proselytizing? Is proselytizing an ethically defensible practice? Are there kinds of proselytizing activities that are ethically questionable?Elmer John Thiessen responds to questions like these in an effort to provide a philosophical defense of proselytization, or religious persuasion, as an ethical practice. Thiessen examines and refutes current cultural and academic objections to religious proselytizing and offers a thorough ethics of evangelism.

Author Biography

Elmer John Thiessen is research professor of education at Tyndale University College and Seminary in Toronto, Canada. Thiessen is the author of Teaching for Commitment and In Defence of Religious Schools and Colleges and has published numerous articles in professional and scholarly journals.

Preface	p. ix
Some Introductory Considerations
Introduction	p. 3
Definitions	p. 8
Academic objections to proselytizing	p. 17
Objectives and approach	p. 20
Significance of this study	p. 23
Foundational Issues	p. 26
Religious impulse to proselytize	p. 27
Why the growing controversy over proselytizing?	p. 34
Some examples of immoral proselytizing	p. 37
Ethical foundations	p. 43
Consensus and relativism	p. 46
Objections to Proselytizing
Epistemological/Ethical Objections to Proselytizing	p. 53
Persuasion	p. 55
Arrogance	p. 59
Truth and religious pluralism	p. 62
Rationality and certainty	p. 71
Proselytizing and the Integrity/Freedom of Individuals and Societies	p. 77
Problems of question-begging	p. 80
Physical coercion and the problem of vagueness	p. 84
Psychological coercion	p. 88
Inducements to convert	p. 91
Coercion and informed consent	p. 94
Missionary colonialism	p. 96
Liberal Objections to Proselytizing	p. 104
Intolerance	p. 105
Consequences of proselytizing	p. 114
Questionable motivations	p. 118
Proselytizing and universalization	p. 124
Proselytizing and pluralism	p. 126
Conclusion	p. 128
A Positive Approach to Proselytizing
A Defence of Proselytizing	p. 133
John Stuart Mill's argument	p. 134
Contemporary liberalism	p. 135
Etiquette vs. ethics	p. 138
Dignity of the proselytizer	p. 142
Dignity of the proselytizee	p. 146
Epistemologico-ethical considerations	p. 147
Conclusion	p. 152
Distinguishing Between Ethical and Unethical Proselytizing
Criteria to Evaluate Proselytizing: Part I	p. 157
Dignity criterion	p. 161
Care criterion	p. 165
Physical coercion criterion	p. 167
Psychological coercion criterion	p. 169
Social coercion criterion	p. 176
Inducement criterion	p. 181
Criteria to Evaluate Proselytizing: Part II	p. 184
Rationality criterion	p. 184
Truthfulness criterion	p. 188
Humility criterion	p. 196
Tolerance criterion	p. 198
Motivation criterion	p. 200
Identity criterion	p. 201
Cultural sensitivity criterion	p. 204
Results criterion	p. 205
Golden Rule	p. 208
Conclusion	p. 211
Conclusion
Come Concluding Considerations	p. 215
Religious dialogue vs. proselytizing	p. 216
Encouraging ethical proselytizing: Resources within proselytizing religions	p. 219
Social reinforcement	p. 223
Legal reinforcement	p. 226
Religious freedom	p. 230
Summary of 15 Criteria to Distinguish Between Ethical and Unethical Proselytizing	p. 234
Literature Review on the Ethics of Proselytizing and Related Fields	p. 238
Bibliography	p. 154
Author/Name Index	p. 275
Subject Index	p. 280
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