Responsible Christian Witness in Pluralistic Contexts.

Assignment
Submitted to
Rev. Laltlankima
Asst. Professor of Theology
Faculty of Theology: Serampore Collage

In partial fulfilment of
BID06: Christian Faith and Witness in Pluralistic Societies

By
June Cherian Kurumthottickal

Roll No.38

4th August 2022

Serampore College, Faculty of Theology

Introduction
Pluralism means a situation in which a single community contains different groups of
people, sometimes from different races, who practice different religions and have different ways
of behaving. 1The notion that the world is becoming a global village implies personal contact
between persons of different religious and cultural affiliations. The existence of other in any area
can be treated as a pluralistic option. The postmodern man, by contrast, lives in a world of
choice. He has more choices of occupation, marriage partner, place of residence, passing his
leisure time, etc. It implies difference (plurality), variety (pluriformity) and unattainable harmony
(diversity). 2 Religious pluralism is the fact that different religions respond to the mystery of this
ultimate reality.In other sense, the problem of pluralism is related with the problem of the other
and arises when finds it difficult to convert the theories and opinions (theoria) to actions (praxis).
Throughout the history, exclusivism, inclusivism, and pluralism are some of the approaches
through which Christianity deals with people of other beliefs. 3

Christian Witness

We become a living witness is another way to profess Christian faith in a religiously pluralistic
context like India. The way of living as a true witness spread the value of Christianity than
making words and shearing sermons. We must follow the way of Jesus Christ. If we follow the
way of Jesus Christ in its true sense pave a way to make changes in the acceptance of other
religions with respect. We have to become a living Christ and it’s a challenging process. But it is
more effective than other ways. So, we are living Christian witness.

Pluralism

Pluralism has been characterized as one that maintains that other religions are equally salvific
paths to the one God, and rejects Christianity’s claim that it is the only path (exclusivism) or the
fulfillment of other paths (inclusivism). 4
John Hick, a Pluralist theologian, terms his pluralistic scheme a Copernican Revolution.
As the sun replaced the earth at the centre of the planetary universe so too God ought to replace
Christ and Christianity at the centre of the religious universe. He states that “And we have to
realize that the universe of faiths centers upon God, and not upon Christianity or upon any other
religion. He is the sun, the originative source of light and life, whose all the religions reflect in

1
David.A.Brown, A guide to Religion ( London: The Camelot Press, 1987), 231.
2
Raimon Panikkar, ed, Invisible Harmony-Essays on Contemplation and Responsibility (Minneapolis: Fortress,
1995), 60-62.
3
Alan Race. Christians and Religious Pluralism, 8
4
Gavin D’Costa, Theology and Religious Pluralism, translated by Basil Blackwell, 22.
their own ways.”Hick’s primary theological argument for his Copernican theocentric revolution
is based on the affirmation of the universal salvific will of God. He asks that whether a God
could have ‘ordained those men must be saved in such a way that only a small minority can in
fact receive this salvation?’ His answer is ‘No’.Hick maintains that the world’s religions can be
seen as ‘encounters from different historical and cultural standpoints with the same infinite
divine reality’, and thereby acknowledged as equally effective and valid paths to salvation. 5

Jesus Approach towards people of other Faith

Jesus is the best example of the responsible Christian pluralistic context. The response of Jesus is
the core of Christian identity and Christianity derives inspiration from the life and message of
Jesus. Jesus stands firm in the prophetic and wisdom tradition of the Old Testament. He is both a
mystic and a prophet. He experienced God as ABBA loving and compassionate and he
proclaimed it for all. His mission and message were to help all to realize the presence of God in
their midst. It was he who utilized the insight that all are created in the image of God (gen.1:27).
His claim to be one with the Father (John; 10:30, 14:10) leads to this vision of inclusivism. He
revealed what God is, but he revealed much more about what human beings could be and
capable of John 10:6 could be summarized as Jesus’ life of love and service as an authentic way
of being human. He was born again (John: 3:3-6) in the sense of awakening to and aligning with
the divine he was free, compassionate, and courageous free from his ego-mind, compassionate
towards those who were marginalized. He saw life much more than the physical and the
biological and that is why he was courageous enough to embrace death rather than compromise
with truth.

The context and factors of religious pluralism

The contemporary experience and views of religious pluralism seems to show us that
Christianity is no longer self-evident, no longer the ‘only way’ or no longer the ‘only option.’
Christianity has become one option amidst a whole range of options, one of the many ways to
give meaning to life. Moreover, these other ways are not only simply available, they rather clam
our for our attention. They are sensitive to market trends. And they often look like more ‘fun’
than Christianity. The practitioners of these other ways are familiar to us. We live beside them,
we work with them, we know them personally – and they are fine, upstanding citizens, men and
women of integrity, who are as idealistic and spiritually sensitive as most of the Christians we
know. In other words, our daily experience makes clear to us the fact that there are not only other
options available to us, but they also bear fruit, virtuous living and spiritual depth.

5
Gavin D’Costa, Theology and Religious Pluralism, translated by Basil Blackwell, 28.
Reason for the emergence of religious pluralism
1. Geographical Exploration: It would seem that the age of European geographical
explorations in the 15th to 17th centuries stimulated a new interest in other religion. So, for the
western, the world had felt Christianity to be the only religion applicable to all people, place, and
time and hence they were so immersed in their missionary zeal. As a result, they were keen on
meeting new phenomena to present their religion. Geographical exploration helps people to
realize that there were people other than Christians.
2. Collapse of Colonial power: V.F. Vineeth says that, after the collapse of colonial power
many nations witnessed revival in their national, cultural, and religious life. People found
freedom to express themselves in matters of religion and culture. According to S. Samartha, the
new freedom helps even the church to come up with its own position regarding other faith-
traditions. He says ‘it is not without significance that it was only a couple of decades after the
dismantling of colonialism that both the Vatican (1965) and the world Council of Churches
(1972) came out rather reluctantly with more positive statements about people of other faiths.’
3. Global Village: Modern Technology, scientific developments and advancements in
communication have reduced the world to a village. Of course, religiosity too is no longer a
secret affair. People from different religious traditions have not only come into greater contact
but are also being exposed to mutual claims and commitments.
4. Rise of Islam: Rise of Islam, with its conquest, monotheistic understanding of God and
missionary orientation was another challenge to the missionary activity of Christianity. Owen C.
Thomas writes, “With the rise of Islam the Christian church was faced for the first time with a
new and powerful missionary religion.”
5. Failure of Christianity: Early Christians and missionary were on the opinion that, a good
number of missionaries could convert the whole humanity to Christianity given the time. To their
dismay, it never happened. Another failure is that, in attempting to change the world, Christianity
perpetuated ‘exploitation and oppression’ on a large scale. The best example is Christian
crusades.6

Conclusion
The church founded by Jesus Christ came to realized very early on that its mission was
the same as that of his own and, like his that, this involved breaking out of the barriers imposes
by race and culture, language and religion. Since Christian mission is continuation of Christ, then
as such it has its origin in the hearth of God himself, in his gracious decision to share his love,
his life with other created being.7 So also our mission in the context of pluralistic world must
always rooted in the Bible the word of God and it must be in line with the life of Jesus Christ.

6
Robertson, Approaching Religion in a Pluralistic Context. 87-92.
7
John Patrick Brennann, Christian Mission in a Pluralistic World (Bombay: Better Yourself Books, 1991), 110.
Bibliography

Thomas, M.M. Risking Christ for the sake of Christ (Delhi: ISPCK, 1999) 3.

Coward,Harold G. Pluralism: Challenge to World Religions, Delhi: Sri Satguru Publications, 1996.

Panikkar,Raimundo “Indian Christian Theology of Religious Pluralism from the Perspective of

Interculturation,” In Pluralism: An Indian Christian Perspective Edited by KuncheriaPathil
Delhi: ISPCK, 1999.

Brown, David.A.A guide to Religion, London: The Camelot Press, 1987.

Costa, Gavin D. Theology and Religious Pluralism, translated by Basil Blackwell