Can Evangelicals Learn from World Religions?: Jesus, Revelation Religious Traditions

by Gerald R. McDermott

"Arguably, the church's greatest challenge in the next century will be the problem of the scandal of particularity. More than ever before, Christians will need to explain why they follow Jesus and not the Buddha or Confucius or Krishna or Muhammed. But if, while relating their faith to the faiths, Christians treat non-Christian religions as netherworlds of unmixed darkness, the church's message will be a scandal not of particularity but of arrogant obscurantism. "Recent evangelical introductions to the problem of other religions have built commendably on foundations laid by J. N. D. Anderson and Stephen Neill. Anderson and Neill opened up the "heathen" worlds to the evangelical West, showing that many non-Christians also seek salvation and have personal relationships with their gods. In the last decade Clark Pinnock and John Sanders have argued for an inclusivist understanding of salvation, and Harold Netland has shed new light on the question of truth in the religions. Yet no evangelicals have focused--as nonevangelicals Keith Ward, Diana Eck and Paul Knitter have done--on the revelatory value of truth in non-Christian religions. Anderson and Neill showed that there are limited convergences between Christian and non-Christian traditions, and Pinnock has argued that there might be truths Christians can learn from religious others. But as far as I know, no evangelicals have yet examined the religions in any sort of substantive way for what Christians can learn without sacrificing, as Knitter and John Hick do, the finality of Christ. "This book is the beginning of an evangelical theology of the religions that addresses not the question of salvation but the problem of truth and revelation, and takes seriously the normative claims of other traditions. It explores the biblical propositions that Jesus is the light that enlightens every person (Jn 1:9) and that God has not left Himself without a witness among non-Christian traditions (Acts 14:17). It argues that if Saint Augustine learned from Neo-Platonism to better understand the gospel, if Thomas Aquinas learned from Aristotle to better understand the Scriptures, and if John Calvin learned from Renaissance humanism, perhaps evangelicals may be able to learn from the Buddha--and other great religious thinkers and traditions--things that can help them more clearly understand God's revelation in Christ. It is an introductory word in a conversation that I hope will go much further among evangelicals." (Gerald McDermott, in the introduction to Can Evangelicals Learn from World Religions? )

Genres: Nonfiction, Theology, Christian, Religion

233 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2000

About the author

Gerald R. McDermott (PhD, University of Iowa) is Jordan-Trexler Professor of Religion at Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia, and Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion. He is the author or editor of ten books, including God's Rivals: Why Has God Allowed Different Religions? and Claiming Christ: A Mormon-Evangelical Debate.

Reviews

[Adam Bloch · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is hard to review: The first half is a discussion on theology and revelation (in order to assure readers that the author isn't a heretic for what he does in the second half of the book), and there are lots of great bits in that half. The second half is a discussion on what theological aspects Christians might be able to glean from world religions, but I felt that this half fell short. The problem is that there is nothing new--all of the things pulled from world religions are things already within Christianity; the author does not make a compelling case to look for truth elsewhere. When the author tries to preemptively respond to this critique, I think he misses that all of the historical examples of this happening in the past seem to be from philosophical approaches to truth (as opposed to religious approaches to truth), which is a missed clarification.
I think that a better approach to the material would not be "Can evangelicals learn from world religions?" but instead "Can evangelicals find points of similarity with world religions?" or "Are there starting points from which world religions can more easily be open to Christianity?"

[Tengxiang · Rating 3 out of 5]

后面半本已经不想看了，没什么意思。虽然作者写得还算中规中矩

[Sara Best · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gerald McDermott uses his book Can Evangelicals Learn from World Religions? to examine the contribution world religions can make to the theological studies of evangelical scholars. McDermott establishes the foundation of his argument be defining “evangelical” and identifying himself as one. He then also defines his approach to revelation. Using the Catholic theologian Dulles’ five dimensions of revelation, he draws from a variety of theological models; revelation as doctrine, history, inner experience, dialectical presence, and new awareness.

McDermott begins to outlay the elements of his proposition with an overview of biblical evidence of God’s revelation outside of the Judeo-Christian heritage. Describing examples from the Old and New Testaments, he emphasizes it is evidence, not hard proof. Next he offers theological considerations and insights of Christian thinkers throughout the ages from Augustine to Karl Barth. The following four chapters exemplify his argument by offering specific insights Christians can learn from Buddhism, Daoism, Confucianism, and Islam.

In conclusion, the book reiterates its purpose and gives a word of caution. The purpose of the book was not to change Christian doctrine, but to show confirmation of Christian doctrine in other religions which in turn can enlighten. The caution is that these other religions while useful to illuminate, are not sources of special revelation. The Holy Spirit will not lead someone to accept doctrine contra to the established Christian doctrine. Those not yet grounded in the Word should not study other religions. But to those mature in the faith, the study of world religions with openness can lead to new insights and greater sensitivity for witness.

[Eric Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

McDermott writes a much-needed book that helps those in the evangelical Christian tradition find a way to truly respect other religious traditions without selling out the store. Citing examples of such biblical figures as Melchizedek, Balaam, and others who speak the word of the one true God but are not members of the Children of God, McDermott shows that there is biblical evidence for Christians to rediscover truths that are deeply imbedded in the Bible from those who do not confess Christ.[return][return]The author is very diligent and often reminds his readers that the Christian claim of the uniqueness of Christ is one that needs to be lifted up. Furthermore, what we learn from those outside our faith is not new knowledge per se but may be a different but helpful approach to biblical principles.[return][return]The unfortunate title regrettably misleads readers who will probably be surprised to find a careful study on the nature of revelation and a theological overview of Christianity's major theologians. The concluding chapters offer a great inroad to some Eastern and Near Eastern faiths. Explicitly stating that the acknowledgment of Christ as Lord is the only saving confession, McDermott continues to show how God has continued the biblical tradition of revealing himself to those outside the Christian faith.

[Beau Johnson · Rating 2 out of 5]

If the answer to the question in the title of this book isn't obvious: yes. I was pleasantly surprised that McDermott gives the reader an explanation (albeit not an in-depth one) of revelation, what the Bible and Christian tradition tell us, and then a nice summation of what the major religious traditions teach us - all of course which the author points back to Christ. It is not as though the author intends to give his readers a crash course in world religions, or to infer that there is a part of truth (or practice) that Christians are missing out on. Jesus praised the faith of pagans, but he praised their faith in Jesus, not that they had strong faith in something false.

His book could be a tool in teaching Christians how to relate their faith to that of others, though I wish someone would write a more practical guide that addresses just that!

A favorite quote (p. 77):

If scripture suggests that God desires all the world to know Him, it also indicates that people outside the Jewish and Christian churches have known him - or at least some aspect of His Person and character.

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

With Corduan's book I mentioned casting the religion in its strongest form as one of its positives. McDermott does the same here, although I think in some places he ends up going to far in this direction. For example, he argues that Confucianism "[o:]n closer inspection... emphasizes potential rather than actual goodness" (173). But this isn't clearly the case from what I've read (The Analects, Mencius, and other treatments of Confucianism in related works on eastern philosophy and religion). At best, Confucianism is unclear as to whether the goodness is actual or potential and I see no point in arguing that the true Confucian teaching of man is one of potential goodness.

[Andrew Franklin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first few chapters were hugely valuable for me, providing a thorough definition of "revelation" and defining "evangelical" and contrasting this to fundamentalism and liberal protestantism. McDermott takes a solidly evangelical approach to other religions, accepting that while there is no salvation through other religions (he rejects pluralism and inclusivism), there can be revelation in these religions; revelation in the sense that the revelation of God in the Scriptures and in Jesus is complete, but illumination continues to happen.

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very interesting book and a good read that a friend passed along after talking about how religions relate to each other. A very good simple definition of Christianity, Islam, a form of Budhism, & Taoism. What some similarities are and what western culture can learn and incorporate from other religions. In the bible Jesus was a big proponent of talking with folks from other religious backgounds, and constantly identified others good intentions and acts, even if they were different than those in Israel.

Care unconditionally and love your neighbor like you would like to be loved!

[Brook · Rating 4 out of 5]

A defining read for me. He spoke at Wheaton my senior year, but, unfortunately, I missed it. I know some were concerned about his inclusivist leanings. It’s interesting to consider studying world religions as a way for learning more about God, but I can see value in this. Seems in line with C.S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity comments that other religions do have some truth.

[Brant · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another good book for dialogue amongst evangelicals and the world's faiths.

[Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good and useful read. Enjoyed the audio version from christianaudio.com. A bit of warning: it is written at a fairly high reading level, but it's far from pretentious.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful look at this topic of whether Christians can learn from other religions! It was an easy read in comparison to many books that hold similar stores of knowledge.