Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!caen!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!emory!hubcap!gatech!ukma!seismo!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: djdaneh@pacbell.com (Dan'l DanehyOakes) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Interfaith - How should Christians respond? Message-ID: Date: 28 Feb 91 09:15:21 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: Pacific * Bell, San Ramon, CA Lines: 32 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article ee8kag@gdt.bath.ac.uk (K A Goatman) writes: >I know of one local church which is heavily committed to it. Can anyone >think of any examples *from the life of Jesus* which may throw some >light on what his response would be? >The only verse that sprung to mind is John 14v6 - 'I am the way ... >no one comes to the Father except by me' He also said that He had "other flocks to tend," and that "in My Father's house there are many Mansions." Further: He said "except by Me," not "except by the Church." Salvation is through Grace, not through church-membership. Recall the story of those who are saved and say in amazement, "We knew you not!" -- but Christ said that "as you have done to each of these, you have done also to Me." This is dangerously close to reopening the deadly dull Faith Vs Works argument: but I suggest that these passages at least _imply_ that salvation is possible outside of Christianity. I confess, however, that I am somewhat biased in this matter in that I am married to an atheist/agnostic (depending on when you ask her) and sincerely want to believe that she can be saved, since I know almost certainly that she won't be converted. From that day on, Ootai always called me "Mektangonagooligooli," an ancient Inuit word meaning "he who eats mice and pisses on his own luggage." The Roach