6. Religious Pluralism and Theology - Pluralism

Theological Pluralism

The view that many different religions or traditions can offer a path to salvation.

Exclusivism

The belief that Christianity is the only means of salvation.

Inclusivism

The belief that Christianity is the normative path to salvation, acknowledging other paths.

Salvation

The concept of being saved from sin and its consequences, often associated with attaining enlightenment or ultimate truth.

The Parable of the Blind Men and the Elephant

A story illustrating that different religions can lead to the same spiritual truth, similar to how blind men touch different parts of an elephant and describe it from their limited perspective.

John Hick

A philosopher renowned for advocating pluralism and proposing the concept of 'unitary pluralism' in relation to religion.

Unitary Pluralism

John Hick's approach that suggests all religions are different versions or paths to the same divine reality.

Noumenal and Phenomenal

Philosophical concepts by Kant; noumenal refers to things-in-themselves which we cannot directly perceive, while phenomenal refers to things as experienced through perception.

Transcendent Idealism

Kant's view that our understanding of reality is shaped by our experiences, which limit our knowledge of things-in-themselves.

Epistemologically Kantian approach

An approach that suggests knowledge of God and religion is shaped by our perceptions and experiences, influenced by Kant's philosophy.

Demythologised Christianity

Hick's argument that traditional Christian claims, such as the divinity of Jesus, should be interpreted as metaphorical rather than literal historical facts.

Cultural expressions of God

Hick's view that every religion is a particular historical and cultural form in which humans attempt to understand the divine, falling short of the full truth.

God is Love

A fundamental Christian belief that Hick argues is preserved in pluralism, suggesting many religions can facilitate a relationship with the divine.

Wittgenstein's Rabbit-Duck Illusion

A visual illusion that can be seen as either a rabbit or a duck, illustrating how perception influences our understanding, highlighting the concept of 'family resemblance' in Wittgenstein's philosophy.