A Reply to Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen’s Response

2007 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 269-275
Author(s):  
Tony Richie
Keyword(s):  
Religious Pluralism ◽  
World Religions ◽  
Theology Of Religions ◽  
Christian Mission ◽  
Early Stages ◽  
Pentecostal Theology ◽  
Interreligious Relations ◽  
Further Development

AbstractThis reply to Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen further affirms the importance of work in the theology of religions for Pentecostals and Charismatics today that first prompted the author’s original inquiry into the views of a major early Pentecostal leader, Bishop J.H. King, concerning interfaith encounter and understanding. This dialogue with Kärkkäinen supports suggestions that an overall program of rediscovering, reclaiming, restoring, and revisioning our Pentecostal theology of religions heritage seems advisable. King’s obviously optimistic theology of religions, however, must be carefully distinguished from pluralism and set in the context of its Wesleyan roots and Evangelical emphases. Further development of what King provides in embryonic form is demanded. King represents an optimistic but still Christocentric strain shared by other Pentecostals within early stages of the movement. Not at all amounting to an uncritical approbation of world religions, this revolutionary discovery does decidedly enlarge understandings of Christ’s lordship beyond the pale of any particular religion. Careful terminology in order to avoid misunderstanding is called for and conceded. Pentecostal hypersensitivity regarding theology of religions highlights the need for constant clarification of contrariness to liberal religious pluralism. King’s legacy invalidates any assumption that earlier (older) Pentecostal resources on religions are exclusively pessimistic. Implications are immense for Christian mission and interreligious relations.

Azusa-Era Optimism: Bishop J.H. King’s Pentecostal Theology of Religions as a Possible Paradigm for Today

2006 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 247-260 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tony Richie
Keyword(s):  
Religious Pluralism ◽  
Theology Of Religions ◽  
Pentecostal Theology ◽  
Special Stress ◽  
Salient Features ◽  
Azusa Street Revival ◽  
Azusa Street ◽  
Hand Contact

AbstractEven as we celebrate the centennial of the Azusa Street Revival, the ideology and reality of religious pluralism currently challenges Pentecostal Christians to articulate an adequate theology of religions. J.H. King was an important Pentecostal pioneer influenced by the Azusa Street Revival. Well educated and widely traveled, Bishop King had considerable first-hand contact with non-Christian religions and addressed theology of religions often and in depth. King’s theology of religions at its core is characterized by optimism, that is, by a positive and balanced but non-dogmatic sense of hopefulness. Completely consistent with classical Pentecostal values, King’s thought provides important possibilities for a contemporary Pentecostal theology of religions paradigm. This paper surveys salient features of King’s theology of religions before offering suggestions about appropriation and application. Special stress is placed on continuity of Pentecostal heritage with creativity in development of Pentecostal theology of religions today.

Continuing the Conversation on King: My Really Final Response to Tony Moon?

2010 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 170-179
Author(s):  
Tony Richie
Keyword(s):  
Jesus Christ ◽  
Christian Theology ◽  
World Religions ◽  
Theology Of Religions ◽  
Pentecostal Theology ◽  
Final Response ◽  
Per Se

AbstractTony Richie contends that Bishop J.H. King and a close circle of comrades and colleagues, influential in early Pentecostalism as leading administrators, educators, thinkers, and writers, and including G.F. Taylor and A.A. Boddy, exhibited various levels of (what today is known as) inclusivism regarding Christian theology of religions. He suggests this striking discovery has significant import for the developing field of Pentecostal theology of religions. However, as Tony Moon has rightly pointed out, King did not present non-Christian religions as direct divine instruments or agents of Christ's atonement benefits. Richie agrees with Moon that King primarily encourages hope for some of the humanly unevangelized. Yet Richie, in agreement with Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen, also argues that King's thought can be particularly complex. King's complexity especially shows in his perception of the trans-historical 'essential Christ' and 'religion of Christ'. Thus, Richie persistently suggests that at least King, but probably Taylor too, holds out a well-grounded but cautiously guarded optimism, not so much on world religions per se, as in the boundless Christ and an unbounded—but not boundary-less—religion firmly and forever rooted in the revelation of and redemption in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Convergence or Divergence in Theology of Religions?

2017 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 92-115
Author(s):  
Rolf Kjøde
Keyword(s):  
Cape Town ◽  
World Council Of Churches ◽  
Theology Of Religions ◽  
Christian Mission ◽  
The World ◽  
World Council ◽  
To Come ◽  
Global Church ◽  
Evangelical Theology

If there is an ongoing convergence in understanding of mission between the two traditions of the global church named as conciliar and evangelical, can we trace this in the theology of religions? This study investigates this question by studying two recent and comprehensive mission documents, Together towards Life (ttl) and the Cape Town Commitment (ctc). Theology of religions is a topic fundamental and decisive for understanding the nature of Christian mission. The article concludes that the World Council of Churches (wcc) seemed to come closest to the evangelical theology of religions in the years leading up to 1989. Through ttl, the wcc officially seems to confirm an inclusivism with a wider opening towards pluralist aspects. The evangelical emphasis on proclamation, truth and uniqueness of Christ in ctc is not compatible with this development. A shift of direction in theology of religions since 1989 is detectable in ttl, while evangelical theology of religions is relatively stable in its fundamental thinking. 如果在协会派与福音派这两种普世教会的传统中，对宣教的认识有融合的话，那么我们能否在它们的宗教神学中追溯到些什么呢？本文就此对Together towards Life (ttl) 和 Cape Town Commitment (ctc) 两份复杂的宣教文献进行研究考查。宗教神学是对基督教宣教本质的理解最基本也是最根本的课题。本文得出的结论是。普世协会 (wcc) 似乎在1989年前的几年，与福音派的宗教神学最贴近。透过 ttl，wcc 正式确认了其对多元主义完全敞开的包容主义，而福音派着重的宣告，真理及基督的独一性是与此发展互不兼容的。自 1989 年以来， 可以找到 ttl 里宗教神学的改变，而福音派的宗教神学其基本思想却是相对稳定的。 Si existe en realidad un proceso de convergencia en la comprensión de la misión entre las dos tradiciones de la iglesia mundial: la conciliar y la evangélica; ¿podemos descubrirlo en la teología de las religiones? Para responder a esta pregunta, este estudio analiza dos documentos exhaustivos y recientes sobre la misión: Juntos por la vida (ttl, siglas en inglés) y el Compromiso de Ciudad del Cabo (ctc, siglas en inglés). La teología de las religiones es un tema fundamental y decisivo para comprender la naturaleza de la misión cristiana. El artículo concluye que el Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (wcc, siglas en inglés) parece acercarse más a la teología evangélica de las religiones perteneciente a los años anteriores a 1989. A través de ttl, el wcc parece confirmar oficialmente un inclusivismo con una apertura más amplia hacia aspectos pluralistas. El énfasis evangélico sobre la proclamación, la verdad y la singularidad de Cristo en ctc no parece compatible con este proceso. Se detecta en ttl un cambio de orientación en la teología de las religiones desde 1989, mientras que la teología evangélica de las religiones es relativamente invariable en su pensamiento fundamental. This article is in English.

Swami Vivekananda and Bede Griffiths on Religious Pluralism: Hindu and Christian Approaches to Truth

Horizons ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 217-237
Author(s):  
Bradley Malkovsky
Keyword(s):  
Religious Pluralism ◽  
Divine Presence ◽  
Theology Of Religions ◽  
Final Goal ◽  
Christian Understanding ◽  
Swami Vivekananda ◽  
Human Liberation

AbstractThis article summarizes and compares the theology of religions propounded by two important modern participants in the Hindu-Christian encounter, Swami Vivekananda and Bede Griffiths. It will be seen that both thinkers construct theologies of religion in the form of hierarchies, and that, moreover, these hierarchies reveal a specifically Hindu and Christian understanding of spiritual truth and of divine presence. The article advocates the view that a comparison of these two understandings of truth can be beneficial to both Hindus and Christians by broadening each's understanding of divine presence and of what constitutes human liberation. At the heart of the comparison is the controversy over the meaning and final goal of creation and history.

Karl Barth's Theology of Reconciliation in Dialogue with a Theology of Religions

2008 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 211-228
Author(s):  
Paul Chung
Keyword(s):  
Religious Pluralism ◽  
Karl Barth ◽  
Christian Theology ◽  
Theology Of Religions ◽  
The World ◽  
Theology Of Mission ◽  
God's Mission ◽  
Conservative Evangelical ◽  
Christian Witness

AbstractKarl Barth has influenced Christian theology of mission in terms of his Trinitarian concept of God's mission. His theology of reconciliation retains inter-religious implication in missional context. However, Barth's theology of reconciliation is not explored in the context of religious pluralism. The reason is due to the neo-orthodox charge against him and theologians' one-sided critique of Barth as a conservative-evangelical theologian. In this paper at issue is to retrieve hermeneutically Barth as a theologian of reconciliation who stands for Christian witness to the grace of God in the world of religions.

Missio Inter Gentes: Towards a New Paradigm in the Mission Theology of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC)

2004 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Tan
Keyword(s):  
Religious Pluralism ◽  
New Paradigm ◽  
Religious Traditions ◽  
Christian Mission ◽  
Dialogical Approach ◽  
Mission Theology ◽  
The Past ◽  
Rich Diversity ◽  
Sitz Im Leben ◽  
Theology Of Mission

AbstractThis essay seeks to investigate the mission theology of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC) as presented in its official documents during the past three decades of its existence and evaluate its implications. In its official documents, the FABC has proceeded on the basis that the Asian milieu, with its rich diversity and plurality of religions, cultures and philosophical worldviews require a distinctively Asian approach to the proclamation of the Gospel that is sensitive to such diversity and pluralism. To this end, this essay surveys and examines the principal aspects and foundational principles of the FABC's theology of mission. It also explores the implications of the FABC's missiological approach for meeting the challenges of the task of carrying out the Christian mission in the diverse and pluralistic Asian Sitz-im-Leben, especially the FABC's consistent insistence that the Christian mission in Asia is best carried out through a threefold dialogue with the myriad of Asian religious traditions, Asian cultures and the teeming masses of Asian poor and marginalized. It then suggests that the FABC's missiological approach is best described as missio inter gentes (mission among the nations) rather than the traditional missio ad gentes (mission to the nations), because of how the FABC perceives the issue of religious pluralism in Asia and its preferred non-confrontational dialogical approach for dealing with it.

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