This document discusses views on salvation and interreligious dialogue from a Christian perspective. It outlines several views on salvation, including particularist (through a specific church), exclusivist (through Christ alone), inclusivist (Christ is the means but some may be saved without knowing him), pluralist, and universalist. Most evangelicals fit between exclusivism and inclusivism. The document also presents three approaches to interreligious dialogue - apologetic, relativistic, and clarification - and argues that the clarification approach seeks mutual understanding without being antagonistic or relativistic.

1. Views on Interreligious Dialogue
and Salvation
By Robert H. Munson
Adjunct Faculty
Philippine Baptist Theological
Seminary

2. Goal
● This presentation looks at two issues: (1) Who
can be saved, and (2) How do we have dialogue
with people of other faiths.
● These two issues have a strong relationship with
each other-- people tend to relate to other faiths
differently based on their understanding of
salvation.
● This presentation was developed for a theology
class in an Evangelical Christian seminary-- so,
presumably, it would be most understandable to
said audience.

3. Views on Salvation (from a
Christian Perspective)

4. Particularist
● Salvation is only through Christ
● However, Christ is only accessible through
one specific church/denomination

5. Exclusivist
● Salvation is only through Christ.
● Only those who knowingly respond to
Christ are saved.
● The specific church/group is not important

6. Note:
● Some people use the terms “Particularist”
and “Exclusivist” interchangeably.
● However, it is useful to consider them
separately.
● Particularists, then, would go beyond
Exclusivists by adding the need for
mediation by a specific group or person to
have access to Christ.

7. Inclusivists
● Salvation is through Christ, and it is generally
accepted that Christ is the only means to
salvation.
● However, some groups may have access to
salvation who do not personally know Christ.

8. Pluralists
● Some are .much like Inclusivists, but would
expand the availability of salvation to pretty much
all groups.
● Salvation may be through Christ, but knowledge
or response to Christ is not necessary.

9. Pluralists
● Other Pluralists are more relativistic regarding
Christianity. Christians have no advantage over
other groups.
● Salvation may be seen in terms of goodness, or
embracing the best in their own faiths.

10. Universalists
● God saves everyone regardless of their
behavior or their beliefs.
● There are different variations on this as to
whether it is through Christ, or whether
their may be a time of suffering, or some
form of another chance.

11. Where do Evangelicals fit into
this?
● There are people who describe themselves
as Evangelicals in all of the above
categories.
● However, some of the categories do not
really fit well with an Evangelical viewpoint
of faith and the Bible.

12. Evanglicals
● Particularism is problematic, because it
appears to say that faith in Christ is not
enough. One must be part of a specific
group, or do a sacrament in a certain way,
or have some secondary sign.
● Pluralism and Universalism downplay the
role of Jesus as the way, truth, and the
life... as well as reducing the importance of
faith for salvation.

13. Evangelicals
● Most Evangelicals would fit somewhere in the
area where Exclusivism and Inclusivism overlap.
● We must have faith in Christ, and salvation is
through Christ alone.
● But many Evangelicals would say that those who
have not heard, or who are mentally retarded, or
die as infants, may be saved by the blood of
Christ, without personally know Christ. Some may
add other groups, such as devout members of
the Jewish faith.

14. Inter-religious Dialogue
● Interreligious Dialogue often relates to the
views of salvation (though not always).

15. Apologetic Approach
● Those who are more Particularistic or
Exclusivistic tend to see other religions as
false and deceptive. Therefore, the goal is
not to learn anything from them, but to
convert them to faith in Christ, or allegiance
with one's religious group.
● Therefore, there is a tendency to
emphasize differences, and to debate with
those of other faiths.

16. Relativistic Approach
● Those who are more Pluralistic or
Universalistic, tend to take a more positive
or hopeful view of other faiths. As such,
they tend to look toward similarities
between Christianity and other faiths, and
seek to “see God” in those faiths.
● As such, there is a tendency to discuss
non-judgmentally, without presuming truth
or falseness of individual beliefs.

17. Clarification Approach
● In between the Apologetic and Relativistic
Approach, is the Clarification approach.
● It seeks neither an antagonistic or
relativistic view of dialogue. Rather, it
recognizes that there are both similarities
and differences between Christianity and
other faiths.
● The goal is mutual understanding.

18. In this class...
● The presumption is that the Clarification
Approach is most often the best.
● The Relativistic Approach does not promote truth
or transformation.
● The Apologetic Approach is divisive and actually
may inhibit conversion. (“Backfire Effect”)
● Clarification makes the Gospel clearer to those of
other faiths... while removing barriers of
stereotypes and misunderstandings.

19. Views on Interreligious Dialogue
and Salvation
By Robert H. Munson
Adjunct Faculty
Philippine Baptist Theological
Seminary
www.munsonmissions.org