An Introduction to the Theology of Religions

by Karkkainen, Veli-Matti

• ISBN13: 9780830825721
• ISBN10: 083082572X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-10-01
• Publisher: Ivp Academic

Summary

Early in the nineteenth century Ernst Troeltsch, the great German liberal thinker, published the influential essay "The Place of Christianity Among the World Religions." The question of the relation of Christianity to other religions is every bit as relevant as and perhaps even more urgent today than it was then. Beginning with a consideration of the biblical perspective, Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen surveys the variety of diverse answers proposed by teachers of the church down through the ages. His reviews include the writings of Justin Martyr, Irenaeus and Clement of Alexandria, as well as those of Augustine, Luther, Calvin, and a broad selection of later Protestant and Catholic thinkers. He completes the historical section with an astute look at the radical challenges of Enlightenment and classical liberalism and the emergence of the fulfillment theory of religions. The bulk of Kärkkäinen's work provides a detailed and comprehensive survey of major confessional movements and theologians' opinions on the contemporary scene. Kärkkäinen provides succinct and trenchant descriptions of a wide diversity of theologians, including Karl Barth, Hendrik Kraemer, Paul Althaus, Karl Rahner, Hans Küng, Jacques Dupuis, Gavin D'Costa, Paul Tillich, Wolfhart Pannenberg, Lesslie Newbigin and M. M. Thomas, as well as Sir Norman Anderson, Clark Pinnock, Amos Yong, John Hick, Stanley Samartha, Raimundo Panikkar, Paul Knitter, Millard Erickson, Harold Netland and Vinoth Ramachandra.An Introduction to the Theology of Religionsis an indispensable guide for anyone seeking to grasp and work their way through the full range of alternatives offered in answer to the question, What is the relation of Christianity to other religions?

Author Biography

Veli-Matti Karkkainen is associate professor of systematic theology at Fuller Theological Seminary. He has published numerous articles in international journals of theology

Table of Contents

Outline	9	(8)
Introduction: Christian Theology of Religions as a Theological Discipline	17	(16)
PART ONE-BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVES: The Ambiguity and Promise of the Biblical Testimony
1 Overview of Biblical Testimony	33	(3)
2 The Old Testament	36	(5)
3 The New Testament	41	(6)
4 Religion(s) in the Bible	47	(8)
PART TWO-HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENTS
5 Limited Openness to Other Religions Among Some Early Church Fathers	55	(8)
6 "Outside the Church No Salvation": The Consolidation of the Exclusive Attitude	63	(15)
7 The Meaning of Extra Ecclesiam Nulla Salus for the Contemporary Church	78	(4)
8 Positive Attitudes Toward Other Religions After the Early Fathers	82	(8)
9 The Radical Challenge of the Enlightenment and Classical Liberalism	90	(13)
10 The Fulfillment Theory of Religions	103	(8)
PART THREE-THE CURRENT SCENE: Ecclesiastical Approaches
11 The Response of the Roman Catholic Church	111	(12)
12 The Response of the Anglican and Episcopalian Churches	123	(4)
13 The Response of Mainline Protestant Churches	127	(8)
14 The Response of the Free Churches	135	(9)
15 The Response of the Evangelical Movement	144	(7)
16 The Response of the Ecumenical Movement	151	(14)
PART FOUR-THE CURRENT SCENE: Theologians' Interpretations
17 Orientation to the Study of Theologians of Religion	165	(9)
ECCLESIOCENTRISM: EARLY APPROACHES
18 Karl Barth: Religion as Unbelief	174	(7)
19 Hendrik Kraemer: Jesus Christ as the Way, the Truth and the Life	181	(6)
20 Paul Althaus: "Original Revelation" in Religions	187	(3)
CHRISTOCENTRISM 1: ROMAN CATHOLICS
21 Karl Ratener: "Anonymous Christians"	190	(7)
22 Hans Kung: Religions as the "Ordinary Way of Salvation"	197	(8)
23 Jacques Dupuis: "Toward a Christian Theology of Religious Pluralism"	205	(11)
24 Gavin D'Costa: Trinitarian Theology of Religions	216	(8)
CHRISTOCENTRISM 2: MAINLINE PROTESTANTS
25 Paul Tillich: The Dynamic-Typological Approach to Religions	224	(11)
26 Wolfhart Pannenberg: Religions Competing for the Universal Truth	235	(10)
27 Lesslie Newbigin: The Gospel as Public Truth	245	(11)
28. M.M. Thomas: "Risking Christ for Christ's Sake"	256	(5)
CHRISTOCENTRISM 3: EVANGELICALS
29 Sir Norman Anderson: Unique Savior but Nonexclusive Salvation	261	(8)
30 Clark Pinnock: A Wideness in God's Mercy	269	(8)
31 Amos Yong: A Pneumatological Theology of Religions	277	(5)
THEOCENTRISM
32 John Hick: The Copernican Revolution of Religions	282	(12)
33 Stanley J. Samartha: One Christ, Many Religions	294	(8)
34 Raimundo Panikkar: The Unknown Christ of Hinduism	302	(7)
35 Paul F. Knitter: Jesus and the Other Names	309	(9)
ECCLESIOCENTRISM: CONTEMPORARY (EVANGELICAL) APPROACHES
36 Millard J. Erickson: No Other Name	318	(6)
37 Harold Netland: The Enigma of Pluralism	324	(9)
38 Vinoth Ramachandra: The Recovery of Mission	333	(9)
39 The Current Scene: Critical Reflections and Questions	342	(11)
Epilogue: The Way Forward	353	(3)
Bibliography	356	(11)
Indexes	367