57% of Evangelical Christians are willing to accept that theirs might not be the only path to salvation [source]
Archives
2008: 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 092007: 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12
2006: 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12
2005: 11 12
Search
5 Comments
… that’s an unfortunately big number.
Wow, is right!
@shawn, I agree.
That trackback down there is unfortunate too. The blogger calls the above “good news!” personally, I’m pretty unclear as to how this sad cultural appropriation of the gospel is good news. Yeah, Evangelicalism has it’s issues as far as practice is concerned, but I’m not sure what warrants such a theological gutting of classic and orthodox Christian expression.
I think if we all just started reading our Bibles, instead of commenting about it, we may all be better for it. Most of the people making the loudest noises are illiterate as regards the Bible.
How is 57% of evangelicals believing there is more than one way to salvation good news?!?
John 10: 10:1 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”
@Shawn: I agree that this news is dire. I can appreciate one’s desire to see “old traditionalism” done away with, which seems to be what the trackback-er was celebrating about, but I don’t think that this stat is by any means “good news.”
I think it may be good news to many of us who want to live with some more peace than we currently do. Many of the evangelical Christians I have met have been quick to judge, harsh in their nature and beliefs, and have rarely lived the lives they say they do. I know I am not the only unbeliever who’s pondered at how I can seemingly be living a happier, kinder and more loving lifestyle than so many of the Christians I have met, including a number in my family.
It deeply saddens me that my own mother and grandparents, as they’ve more solidly confirmed my agnosticism through the years, are convinced that, on my current faithless path, I am going to burn in hell. This is the same hell that so many of the un-repenting rapists and murderers go to, it would seem. Sad that I get put in that group, as if I, too, am scum of the earth. Is that love? I wonder.
So yes, I perceive it as good news, if for no other reason than it might mean a few more Christians leave the judging to the god they say they believe in.
One Trackback
[...] We’re beginning to see more and more signs that the old traditional form of evangelicalism is slowly dying and with its death we are witnessing the emergence of something new. According to the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, 70% of evangelical Christians agree that “many religions can lead to eternal life” and 57% believe theirs is not the only path to salvation. This is good news. [Ht. Ben] [...]