PLURALISM by steve johnson
C
anada is a mosaic of people from all over the world with many different ideologies and religious beliefs. Because of this we describe our country as pluralistic. As our society becomes even more ethnically diverse, pluralism is something we will experience in greater measure. Beyond the varieties of beliefs and ideologies existing in our society, there is a kind of religious pluralism that is promoted. Combined with relativism, it asserts that all these diverse religious beliefs are equally valid and that there is more than one path to God. While it’s touted as tolerant and therefore superior and more enlightened, asserting this is itself a doctrinal statement and excludes all other beliefs. So the proponents of religious pluralism are guilty of
the exclusivism they forbid in others. It’s really just another religion with a specific view of salvation contrary to Christianity. Christians take issue with this because Christianity makes, and always has made, the exclusive claim that faith in Jesus Christ is the only way to God and salvation. There are two questions we must answer when confronting this type of religious pluralism. 1. Is Jesus the only way of salvation? 2. Is faith in Christ required? From a pluralist’s standpoint, the exclusivity of Jesus as the only way of salvation is intolerant. It assumes the existence of absolute truth, that it may be known, and it delegitimizes all competing religious claims. Exclusivism does not fly well in a secular
