The Problem of Exclusivity

We started a new series yesterday on the main objections people have with Christianity. It should be a great time, dealing with some controversial topics, but hopefully dealing with them with respect and clarity. (You can listen to the message here).

Much of this series is based on Tim Keller’s breakthrough work at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, which started as a sermon series and became his powerful book, The Reason for God.

The first objection we looked at is that Christianity is too exclusive, which only leads to arrogance and eventually oppression of those who don’t agree. This is not only an objection to Christianity, but an objection to religion in general.

So what are we to say about it?

To begin with, what’s at issue isn’t whether or not Christianity is exclusive. With verses like John 14:6 or Acts 4:12 or 1 John 5:12, it’s fairly clear that it is. The question is whether or not every worldview is equally exclusive. The idea that, “You shouldn’t try and convert people to your view of religious reality”, is itself a view of religious reality that the speaker is trying to convert people to, and therefore should be thrown out on its own terms. The fact is that everyone has exclusive beliefs. The question is which view is the most conducive to peace and fulfillment both in this life and the life to come.

The most prevalent viewpoint is that “all religions are equally valid”, so no one should claim that they have the exclusive truth. A common way this is illustrated is in the common claim that “all roads lead to the same destination.” I like to climb 14-ers, so I know what paths on a mountain look like. To say that all paths lead to the summit is a seemingly noble claim, but it’s incredibly dangerous. Such a claim can only be made by someone who’s been to the top. How do you know that a path goes to the summit and not off a cliff? The only way to know is if you’ve been to the summit. Making this claim about religious views seems humble and noble in trying to take the edge off of exclusivity, but in fact it’s the opposite. It’s incredibly arrogant because the only way to make that claim is to presume that you can see the whole mountain, which is a claim of the very type of superior knowledge that you’re saying no one ought to have.

Christianity isn’t based on the idea that we have been to the top and therefore know our path is right and every other path is wrong. It’s based on the idea that a trustworthy person came from the top and put signposts on the paths for everyone, and we trust his map more than our own. And if some other path leads to certain doom, it isn’t arrogant or judgmental to try and warn people on that path, it’s compassionate and loving.

This, in fact, is the root of why Christianity, while exclusive, is actually the best option for peace and fulfillment. It’s based on grace given to people who don’t deserve it, so there’s no room for self-righteousness. It’s based on a plan to redeem the world, not escape it. And it’s based on the actions of a sacrificial God who loved those who didn’t love him and who forgave those who rejected him. Anyone who uses such a religious reality to oppress others or create division isn’t paying attention and isn’t an authentic representative of it.

And although the claims about God and the means of salvation are exclusive, Christianity is exceptionally inclusive about who is invited to join. Unlike many other world religions, Christianity is not limited by gender, race, or social standing. In fact, one of the reasons it has had so much power over the centuries is that it empowers segments of society that are excluded by so much political and religious ideology. Of course, there are objections out there that Christianity has also created oppression of these groups, but that’s a topic for later in the series…

There’s a lot more to say about this, so feel free to email or comment on it. Make sure you listen to the full presentation, too.