Inclusivism Revisited
Although not technically an article, I have decided to use my article template, partly because it has this photo of me which no-one seems to like (I am told it does not do me justice – I think they mean I am better looking), and partly because as sure as guns (or better, as sure as exclusivism is Biblical) these ‘closing comments’ will be as long as an article.
Firstly, let me express my amazement at how much discussion my initial flurry into the topic of inclusivism has generated. Largely, I am pleased with this. Perhaps at points we have generated more heat than light, yet the discussion has alerted us to a topic that Brett predicts, rightly in my view, will be the next big issue to confront evangelical Christians; in fact, in many quarters it has already.
One helpful guide to the direction of popular evangelicalism is the Christian best-seller list. A good number of the writers on the list have an explicit inclusivist agenda. Writers like Steve Chalke, Brian McLaren , and Rob Bell are obvious examples. Like Bruce, they tend to pit Jesus against Paul, hence titles like, ‘The Lost Message of Jesus’ by Steve Chalke. In fairness, the position of these writers is probably not quite as extreme as that of Bruce (at least I hope not). I think it is unlikely they believe atheists may be in heaven; however, they do appear to think that ‘a good life’ may fit people for heaven . Dismayingly, they separate Christ from faith; Christ is necessary for salvation but faith in Christ is not. Bruce, while extreme, is frank; the sometimes-cloaked inclusivism of popular writers is laid bare by Bruce .
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About John
Hi there - I am a member of Greenview and have been for over 20 years. For a number of these years I functioned as an elder, however, indifferent health forced me to take more of a back seat. I see this as an opportunity to do a little writing, often focussing on issues that are a matter of evangelical debate today. Naturally the views expressed are my own and may not reflect the views of the elders or church at large, though differences are likely to be in the detail and not the substance.
These articles and sermons were written partly to clarify my own thoughts and partly with the intention of provoking thought in others who may read them. If you read one I hope you find it stimulating. Please feel free to give me feedback or discuss my articles in the forums.
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