This is point 13 of resolution 0518 which passed at the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) General Assembly:
We find further theological incentive for interreligious engagement through our belief that all people share a common humanity, that is, all are created imago dei, (Gen. 1:27) in God’s image and have been already profoundly reconciled to God and to others, including the creation, in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:18ff.; Colossians 3:15ff.). Every person embodies something of the divine image and therefore may possess some ray of truth, some aspect of the Mystery of God we know to be revealed in Jesus Christ. Even while we know God through Jesus Christ, we affirm that all human understanding of truth is inherently limited and conditioned. The reality of God, in contrast, is intrinsically unlimited. God will always be greater than any human can comprehend or any religion can convey. We affirm that it is morally, ethically, and spiritually wrong for any person, group, or religion to claim exclusive access to God, God’s love, grace, or salvation. When Christians and others have made such claims to exclusivity, much suffering and degradation has often been the result.
I find this to be a very problematic resolution by the Christian Church (DOC). It is nearly incomprehensible to me for a church to "affirm that it is morally, ethically, and spiritually wrong for any person, group, or religion to claim exclusive access to God, God's love, grace, or salvation." Though we must be careful with our claims of exclusive and that we aren't prideful or hurtful in our claims, I do believe the church can with confidence claim that "Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but by him." Jesus himself speaks of exclusion.
Ultimately, it's a matter of proclaiming truth. As I have read this resolution it is clear that the Christian Church (DOC) wishes to love others and do it well. But is not speaking the truth a loving action? If we fail to speak the truth are we acting in a rather hurtful, hateful manner?
We must be loving. We must speak the truth. We must speak the truth in love!
1 comment:
Hi Steve,
Excellent observations on your part! But also very telling on their part:
There is an old addage that 'might makes right'. Another, 'To the victor goes the spoils'. and on the other side of the same coin, 'Beggars can't be choosers'. This is the essential understanding we must reach over our faith in God.
We are simply in no position to make up our own beliefs, and expect Him to honor them. How would be impose such terms on Him? How arrogant we would be for even thinking we could do this. But rather, we must accept the terms that He has offered us.
When you're God, you get to have things your way. Unless that's their whole point . . . hey . . .
Unless, to their mind, it's all about religiosity, and God doesn't really even exist; if it's only religiosity then maybe it's all the same after all, and this non-existant God is merely a figment of our collective imagination. As such, he is merely whay we all agree that he is.
So they've made a very important, very telling statement, since this is what it amounts to. I only hope that some of them will think better of it, show a little more humility in the proper direction, and separate themselves from them.
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