A World of Religions

Within a pluralistic society there are multiple coexisting worldviews and religions and an unspoken pressure to avoid conclusive answers in matters of religion, in fact, to avoid religious conversation altogether. It’s thought better to be tolerant than to be right, but tolerance in this sense is cheap and truth-avoiding.

In A World of Religions, Dr. Groothuis takes a different approach, believing that “truth” is more desirable than false belief, religious ignorance, or vain superstition. In this essay, Professor Groothuis looks unflinchingly at the world’s major religions—Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, and Buddhism—comparing them to Christianity, and finding them wanting. While favoring Christianity, the open analysis still provides a platform for dialogue and disagreement.

Critics of historic Christianity speak of its “scandal of particularity.” How could one religion claim to be the one true religion? While some theological liberals have tried to soften this claim by escaping from the absolute affirmations of Christianity, the Bible itself evinces a confident stance on the verity, normativity, and exclusivity of the Christian message. And before explaining and defending the Christian worldview, I think it’s important to see that the claims of exclusivity come from Jesus himself, and Jesus’ disciples.

Shortly before Jesus’ crucifixion, the Apostle Thomas asked him: “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”