Is Christianity Arrogant? -Part 2

by Israel Wayne

A well-known Christian leader was asked on a major secular talk show if people who do not trust in Jesus, (Jews and Muslims were given as examples of people who are devoutly religious, but don't follow Jesus), would go to hell when they die. Being known for its exclusivist claims (i.e. that Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation and eternal life: John 14:6), the host wanted to push the issue with his guest to see if he would make a universal statement about who will, and who will not, be in heaven. The guest repeatedly avoided answering the question directly, choosing to say that those decisions are up to God and not to us. He repeatedly answered tough questions with, “I don't know.”

With this in mind, I had a chance to talk recently with Dr. D.A. Carson on a radio show about his contribution to a book entitled, Only One Way? Reaffirming the Exclusive Truth Claims of Christianity.
I mentioned to him an argument that I read recently in a book by a popular Emergent Church (EC) author. (EC is a movement that claims that Postmodernism, the step-child of Modernism, should be adopted as a new paradigm or system that we follow for church life.)

The Emergent author was saying that it is arrogant to claim that we can know who will be in heaven and who won't be, or that we can know the truth, or that we can even define what it means to say that Jesus is the only way.

Because of this, the EC author has been accused of being a Relativist (there is no ONE way, all truth is relative) and a Universalist (everyone goes to heaven). However, in one of his books, he categorically denies relativism by saying: "(W)e believe that radical relativism is absurd and dangerous, as is arrogant absolutism."

I was initially shocked when I read this disclaimer because Postmodern writers often defend and extol relativism. In this statement, the author is deviating from traditional relativism in favor of a different paradigm I will soon explain.

Relativism
Here is how the traditional Christian/Relativist argument could go:

Relativistic Assertion: "All religions are essentially the same. They are all equally valid truth claims, none is better than another."

Christian Assertion: "Jesus is The Way, The Truth, The Life. No one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). Everyone who doesn't believe in and follow Jesus is eternally lost."

Relativistic Refutation: "You can't possibly claim that because you would have to have omniscient knowledge to make a universal assertion like that. In other words, you would need to take every single road to its end and discover that at the end of each road was an eternal hell, except for Christianity. You have not done that. You can't do that until you die, and even then, you may only know your own road. Therefore you are arrogant to make such claims."

(Do you see the “Fact/Value Dichotomy” here?)

On the surface, this Relativistic Assertion seems like a sensible argument but it contains a couple of major flaws.

1. The Relativistic Assertion is an EQUALLY absolutist, and in their words, "arrogant" statement. It assumes that they have been down every road and at the end they found that all religions are true and everyone goes to heaven (or is right). This, according to their own argument, is impossible. This is called a self-refuting argument.

2. They aren't usually content to say that ALL beliefs are equal and valid, because Christianity makes claims that are opposed to all other religions. Therefore, they usually say that all religions EXCEPT for Christianity are true. This is equally arrogant and absolutist. This argument draws the same line as Christianity, leaving some in and kicking some out, it just reverses the sides of who goes and who stays. It is not any more tolerant or open-minded, it is merely more tolerant and open-minded toward those who are not Christians.

Embracing Skepticism
So...this Emergent author is creating a new category of argument that sounds very Christian and very humble. It goes like this:

The New Postmodern/Emergent Position: We do not claim to know absolutely who is right or wrong, or who will be in heaven or not in heaven. Any claim to know such things (which only God and not finite humans can know) is arrogant and anti-Christian. To be truly humble, the only correct answer is: “I don't know.”

Therefore, it is David Hume, the skeptic, who seems to be winning the day. “Truth is unknowable.”

They ultimately deny God's revelation. The good news is that the ultimate Metaphysical Reality has stepped into the Physical world and revealed to us The Truth (1 John 1:1).

Copyright 2007, by Israel Wayne. All Rights Reserved.

Israel Wayne was home educated and currently serves as Marketing Director for the national publication Home School Digest, and the site editor for www.ChristianWorldview.net. He is the author of the book, Homeschooling From A Biblical Worldview, published by Wisdom’s Gate. Israel and his wife Brook (also a homeschool graduate) have five young children. Write to: Wisdom's Gate, P.O. Box 374, Covert, MI 49043. 1-800-343-1943 or www.WisdomsGate.org

By Israel Wayne Click here for bio and archived articles