Christianity and Plurality Classic and Contemporary Readings

by Plantinga, Richard J.

• ISBN13: 9780631209140
• ISBN10: 063120914X
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1999-09-09
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Summary

This selection of source readings brings together diverse materials from the Christian tradition in order to help students think theologically about the implications of religious plurality. Beginning with the Bible, the volume goes on to present primary texts from the history of Christian thought, ranging from Justin Martyr in the second century to John Paul II in the late twentieth century. Whilst showing students that the issue of religious pluralism is not new, the selection accentuates discussions in the twentieth century in which this has become a pressing area of theological inquiry. The volume fosters a comparative approach by including the works of major Catholic and Protestant thinkers.

Author Biography

Richard J. Plantinga is Professor of Religion and Theology at Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	vii
Introduction: Religious Pluralism Old and New	1	(8)
Part I Biblical Texts	9	(18)
The Bible and Religious Pluralism	11	(16)
Part II Patristic Texts (c.100--c.500)	27	(64)
``The First Apology''	29	(33)
Justin Martyr
from The City of God	62	(24)
St Augustine
The Athanasian Creed	86	(5)
Part III Medieval Texts (c.500--c.1350)	91	(36)
from Summa Theologiae	93	(30)
Thomas Aquinas
``Unam Sanctam''	123	(4)
Boniface VIII
Part IV Renaissance and Reformation Texts (c.1350-c.1600)	127	(40)
``Preface to the Complete Edition of Luther's Latin Writings''	129	(8)
Martin Luther
from Institutes of the Christian Religion	137	(26)
John Calvin
The Creed of the Council of Trent	163	(4)
Part V Modern and Postmodern Texts (c.1600 to the present)	167	(204)
Herbert of Cherbury, ``Common Notions Concerning Religion''	169	(13)
from Nathan the Wise	182	(6)
G. E. Lessing
from The Christian Faith	188	(21)
Friederich Schleiermacher
``The Place of Christianity among the World Religions''	209	(14)
Ernst Troeltsch
``The Revelation of God as the Abolition of Religion''	223	(20)
Karl Barth
``An Attempt at an Answer''	243	(24)
Hendrik Kraemer
``General Revelation and the Religions of the World''	267	(12)
Joachim Wach
``Christianity Judging Itself in the Light of Its Encounter with the World Religions''	279	(9)
Paul Tillich
``Christianity and the Non-Christian Religions''	288	(16)
Karl Rahner
The Second Vatican Council, ``Declaration on the Relationship of the Church to Non-Christian Religions''	304	(5)
``The Church in a Religiously Plural World''	309	(13)
Wilfred Cantwell Smith
``Whatever Path Men Choose Is Mine'' and ``A Philosophy of Religious Pluralism''	322	(25)
John Hick
``The Gospel and the Religions''	347	(11)
Lesslie Newbigin
from Crossing the Threshold of Hope	358	(13)
John Paul II
Further Reading	371	(4)
Index	375