The Authority Of The Gospel And Interreligious Dialogue -- By: Peter Beyerhaus

Journal: Trinity Journal
Volume: TRINJ 17:2 (Fall 1996)
Article: The Authority Of The Gospel And Interreligious Dialogue
Author: Peter Beyerhaus


The Authority Of The Gospel And Interreligious Dialogue

Peter Beyerhaus *

One of the most divisive issues between liberal and conservative missiologists today is the question regarding the nature, place, and function of interreligious dialogue. In fact, this question can be answered differently even within the two camps themselves. Therefore, many conferences are held and numerous publications appear in which theological clarification is sought and methodological instructions are worked out. Both the World Council of Churches and the Vatican have issued important documents with guidelines on dialogue, which, however, have not yet settled the burning issue. The question can be stated as follows: “How does the Church’s task to proclaim the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ to all mankind relate to the modern call for dialogue among the followers of all religions in order to further mutual spiritual understanding, participation, and social-ethical cooperation between them?” Sometimes the question is provocatively directed to Christians: Is Christianity at all capable of dialogue, or do its dogmatic axioms forbid it? In the latter case it may even be doubted whether the Christian faith can still contribute meaningful answers to the pressing questions of our time.

On the other hand, conservative Christians might react to the proposals for dialogue with profound distrust, fearing that this might force them to compromise concerning the uniqueness of biblical faith. In order to find a valid solution to this vexing problem, we need to reach clarification about the three basic points involved in it:

First: What is the biblical claim of the gospel which the Church has to uphold in her universal mission to humankind?

Second: How do we evaluate the nature of other religions in view of this claim?

Third: What are the functions and limits of interreligious dialogue on the basis of such evaluation?

These three questions shall determine the structure of this paper.

* Peter Beyerhaus is Professor of Missiology and Ecumenical Theology at the University of Tübingen. This article is a slightly edited version of the colloquium address on religious pluralism that he gave at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in June of 1996.

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