Sharing the Truth in Love

by Fernando, Ajith

• ISBN13: 9781572930544
• ISBN10: 1572930543
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-04-01
• Publisher: Discovery House Pub

Summary

As Christians, we have been called by Christ to serve Him in a multi-faith world. But how can we effectively relate to and share the gospel with people of other faiths? This outstanding cross-cultural guide to evangelism in the twenty-first century directs Christians to respond sensitively and wisely to the cultures and beliefs of non-Christians of any nation. Christians, with the love of Christ, must oppose deception with the truth of God's Word. This excellent book will convince readers of the distinctiveness of the Christian faith, and spur them to be effective witnesses for Christ in the world today.

Table of Contents

Preface	9	(4)
The Present-Day Scenario	13	(18)
Grappling with the Uniqueness of Christ
Religious Pluralism
A Copernican Revolution?
Modernism and Postmodernism
``Fundamentalism'' and the Persecution of Christians
``Liberal Fundamentalism''
Inclusivism
Affirming Uniqueness in This Environment
Paul's Example
Dialogue and Persuasion	31	(10)
Distress, Restraint, and a Passion for People
Dialogue
Persuasion
Respect and Humility	41	(14)
The Charge of Intolerance
Is Christianity an Extension of the Imperialist mentality?
Past Wrongdoing of the Church
Christians as Patriots
Religious Freedom for Those of Other Faiths
The Charge of Arrogance
Joyous Enthusiasm, Not Arrogance
Humble Servanthood
Sensitivity to Others	55	(14)
When in Athens, Do as the Athenians Do
Scratch Where It Itches
From Felt Needs to the Gospel
Truth in Other Religions	69	(16)
Meeting Them at Their Highest
Sources of Truth in Other Religions
General Revelation and Special Revelation
Learning from Other Faiths?
Unacceptable Systems
Cooperating in Common Causes
Traditional Arts and Alternative Medicine
Getting to Know Other Faiths	85	(10)
Means of Learning
Some Pitfalls
Avoiding the Pitfalls
The God of the Bible and Other Gods	95	(18)
The Christian View of God
The Origins of Religion
Who Are the Gods of the Other Faiths?
Pantheism: All Is God	113	(12)
The Appeal of Divinity
A Reaction to Radical Individualism
The Deification of Nature
Pantheistic Spirituality in a Pluralistic Environment
The Distant God	125	(18)
The Transcendent God of Islam
Atheism: There Is No God
Buddhism, Communism, and Secular Humanism: No Need for a God
Protection, Help, and Guidance from the Divine	143	(16)
Help from the Gods
Toward a Biblical Response
Astrology, Palmistry, Psychic Readers
Spirituality: Christian and Non-Christian	159	(12)
Defining Spirituality
Defective Evangelical Spirituality
The Dangers of Identifying Christianity with One Culture
Biblical Spirituality: Relating to a Holy and Loving God
An Opportunity for the Church
The Uniqueness of Christ	171	(18)
The Bible Affirms It
Pluralists Reject It
The Gospels Express of the Faith of the Early Christians
Don't Build Theology from a Few Proof-Texts
Jesus did not Address the Issue of Other Religions and Salvation
Jesus: Lord of the Universe
Incarnation and Avatar
Repentance and Judgment? Or Karma and Reincarnation?	189	(22)
The Importance of Repentance
Baptism as a Crucial Step
Retaining Ones Original Culture
The Gospel Command and Warning
Tough Convictions Bring about Painful Feelings
Karma
Reincarnation
Those Who Have Not Heard?	211	(26)
One Way to Salvation
Must They Hear?
Living According to the Light Received: Romans 2
Cornelius and Other Sincere Seekers
Salvation in Old Testament Times
Degrees of Responsibility
Unanswered Questions about God's Fairness
Lostness and Evangelism
Appendix: Sketches of Other Faiths	237	(28)
Atheism and Non-theism
Baha'i
Buddhism
East Asian Religion
Traditional Religion
Confucianism
Taoism (Daoism)
Ancestor Worship
Shinto
Hinduism
Islam
Judaism
New Age
Religious Pluralism
Postmodernism
``Primal'' or Tribal Religions
The Sikh Religion
Bibliography of Christian Books on World Religions
Bibliography	265	(6)
Acknowledgments	271	(1)
Index	271