This document discusses three common challenges to the truth claims of Christianity from other religions: 1) That all religions are basically the same. It asks how Christianity is different from other major religions and religious beliefs. 2) That religions each point to parts of a larger, deeper spiritual truth. The document asks how we know if there is a single, unified truth. 3) That religious beliefs are culturally conditioned. It discusses whether someone born in a different culture would hold different religious beliefs, and questions whose view is shaped more by culture. The document explores definitions of religion and whether all religious views are equally valid. It asks how Christianity can be considered inclusive while also making exclusive truth claims, and proposes

1. Other Religions
1

2. Why do people often accuse Christians of
being arrogant and bigoted for making
exclusive claims about Jesus Christ?
How do people use the fact of other religions
?
to challenge Christian truth claims?

3. Three challenges
3

4. 1
‘All religions are
basically the same’
4

5. How can we respond to the challenge that all
religions are basically the same?
What significant differences are there?
?

6. A right-wing extremist . . .
. . . believes that there are inferior races.
. . . believes that there are inferior religions.
Joe Klein

7. is this true only of
the major religions?

8. what about historical religions?

9. © Swamibu, used under a Creative Commons licence
9

10. what about cults/extreme sects?

11. how do we define a religion?

12. are all religious beliefs valid?

13. are all religious practices valid?

14. 14

15. do all religions lead to the same
ultimate reality?

16. 16

17. do all religions even have the
same view of what reality is?

18. do all religions have the same
view of morality?

19. do all religions see salvation in
the same terms?

20. 2
‘Religion focus on parts
of a bigger truth’
20

21. How can we respond to the challenge that
there is some bigger, deeper truth to which all
religions point?
?

22. The blind men and the
elephant
22

23. how do we know that
there is a bigger truth?

24. 3
‘Religions are
culturally conditioned’
24

25. does a specific cultural
background mean something
can’t be true?

26. isn’t this criticism a product of
western secular culture?

27. . . . if I had been born of Muslim parents in
Morocco rather than Christian parents in
Michigan, my beliefs would have been
quite different. [But] the same goes for the
pluralist. . . . If the pluralist had been born
[in Morocco] he probably wouldn’t be a
pluralist. Does it follow that . . . his pluralist
beliefs are produced in him by an
unreliable belief-producing process?
Alvin Plantinga

28. The real problem of
religion
28

29. all beliefs are exclusive

30. which set of exclusive
beliefs is most inclusive?

31. Why are all beliefs exclusive?
How would you show that Christian beliefs
are actually inclusive or are best at helping
?
people to flourish?

32. Religion is a problem
32

33. religion leads to legalism

34. religion can lead to arrogance

35. religion can lead to hard-
heartedness and division

36. Jesus is the
answer
36

37. gospel = grace

38. gospel humility

39. gospel openness/compassion

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