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PARTIAL REPLACEMENT MODEL : PT.2 : Wolfhart Pannenberg

Another representative of this partial replacement paradigm is Wolfhart Pannenberg. Pannenberg insists that in true dialogue between Christianity and other religions, the essential differences between the religions should not be ignored. Even for the sake of unity, the representatives of diverse religions should not be expected to abandon conflicting truth claims. There is no advantage in pretending that parties present in interreligious dialogue are all speaking of the same deity. Pannenberg writes -These are not simply different approaches towards the same divine reality, as if they were related to that divine center without basic conflicts among themselves (Pannenberg, -The Religions from the Perspective of Christian Theology,- Modern Theology vol.9, Jan 1993, 286).- Dialogue then should not attempt to unite religions or help all religions see themselves as variations on one true religion. Instead, the humble purpose of dialogue is -to deal in civilized ways with the inevitable points of conflict.-

With these assumptions about the nature of dialogue, Pannenberg sets out to answer key questions about Christianity-s relationship to other religions. He first asks if other religions are concerned with the same reality as the Christian faith. After examining selected passages from scripture such as Paul-s encounter in Athens, Pannenberg concludes, -we may feel encouraged that people from other cultures and religions in their religious conceptions and behavior are indeed related to the same divine reality that the Christians know as the biblical creator God, the Father of Jesus Christ (289).- This is expressed in other religions through -refraction- and not with clear lucidity. In their worship of other gods, followers of other religions have at least some knowledge of the true God if for no other reason than their creation by that true God.

If those who follow other religions have some knowledge of the true God, Pannenberg goes on to ask if their participation in other religions can bring salvation. To this, he responds that the Christian answer has to be -No- if these religions try to -communicate religion without talking about Jesus (291).- This claim does not mean that there is no salvation outside of the church in the way the classic maxim has usually been interpreted. Pannenberg refers to Mathhew 8:12f and Luke 13:28f as texts that show there will be many who confess Jesus as Lord who will not enter into the kingdom.

Pannenberg goes on to say that there will be those do not know Jesus on earth but will arrive at the future kingdom without going through -the historical media of salvation (293).- He continues, -How, then, do they belong to God? Because their behavior corresponds to the criteria of God-s will to justice or more specifically to Jesus- teaching about God and his claim upon his creatures.- Those who honored God by the way in which they lived out kingdom principles, even if they consciously did not know Jesus, will enter into the kingdom. For Pannenberg, the ultimate criterion is -Jesus and his teaching- for participation in the kingdom.

Only those who explicitly reject Christ are excluded from the kingdom and it is only when the church faithfully presents the gospel message that it can truly be rejected. When the message is distorted, there is really not a rejection of Christ but of distorted doctrine. Thus, Christians must claim that humanity has no other access to salvation than through Jesus Christ (294). This is true of both those who have and have not been exposed to the gospel message in this life. Letting Jesus remain the criterion means removing the church and participations in its practices from that position. It also means humbly acknowledging that there are likely many non-Christians who are closer to the kingdom than many -nominal- Christians.

The partial replacement model, as advocated by Newbigin and Pannenberg, offer a different way of evaluating other religions while voicing the claim that Jesus Christ is the unique revelation of God and only source of salvation. God is certainly present in the great world faiths as every creature created by the true God is created in God-s own likeness. While God speaks through these other faiths, Christians cannot give up their missionary foundation that there is no salvation outside of Jesus Christ. This does not mean that Christians should be involved in deciding who is -saved- or -unsaved.- It also does not necessarily mean that one has to encounter Christ in this world to ultimately enter the kingdom through Christ. Many in this model want to leave the door open for salvation outside of the religion of Christianity. Unlike the total replacement model, this models advocated value in other religions, but a value that does not extend to a vehicle of salvation. Christ remains the sole source of eternal salvation, a claim that Christians must not give up for any reason, especially the call to unity and peace.

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Posted by mark at 1:42 PM | | perm