Religious Exclusivism Analysis

Is there only one true religion? Is one of the already established religions the correct one and all the others are false? There are differences in beliefs among religions around the world and because of this, what kind of attitude should a person take regarding his/her own personal beliefs about religion? Should they believe that their religion is true, and all other opposing beliefs are false? Or is it better to believe that it is possible for many different religions to be true at the same time? The essays “Religious Pluralism and Salvation” by John Hick and “A Defense of Religious Exclusivism” by Alvin Plantinga touch on and discuss these questions. These are the essays that will be discussed in this paper. In this paper, I will be discussing the varying points of views presented in these two essays, “Religious Pluralism and Salvation” and “A Defense of Religious Exclusivism,” which both concern the debate between religious pluralism and exclusivism. I will begin by discussing the main argument that the author gives in one of the papers and then giving my commentary of a point of interest about the debate discussed. I will then do this for the second essay as well. I will discuss them without coming to a conclusion, or expressing …show more content…
He defines exclusivism within his own beliefs, which are Christian. The two beliefs of his that he uses are “(1) The world was created by God, an almighty, all knowing and perfectly good personal being ‘one that hold beliefs; has aims, plans and intentions and can act to accomplish these aims’ and (2) Human beings require salvation and God has provided unique way of salvation through the incarnation life sacrificial death and resurrection of his divine son.” Plantinga says that exclusivism is if someone believed in (1) and (2) and disagreed with anyone who agreed any other positions incompatible with (1) and