Christian discipleship and ministry in a world marked by a diversity of world religions is not new for the Church. Many of the early Christians had “turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath that is coming” (1 Thess 1:9-10). But a postmodern pluralistic ideology is new, at least two centuries in the making. The ideology of religious pluralism claims that not only are there many religions, the diversity represents the way things “ought to be.” There exists no single religious perception of reality that is universally applicable and binding. No religion can legitimately claim to proclaim the truth for all persons. There is no metanarrative, no overarching story. There are many narratives, all of which are “true” to the extent they satisfactorily provide meaning for all persons and communities who participate in them. Religious narratives are as diverse and “true” as there are narrative communities.
Pluralism may, but need not, rest upon the notion that behind the various narratives lies a single divine reality variously and legitimately expressed in humankind’s many cultures and communities. According to the postmodern ideology of religious pluralism, any religion that claims to have “the narrative” for all persons, and that tries to proselytize accordingly, ought to be seen as oppressive. It spreads injury in the world. It tyrannizes the human conscience and overwhelms human freedom. According to the ideology of religious pluralism, orthodox Christian doctrine as expressed in the New Testament and the Church’s creeds is a holdover from the long night of human oppression. Christianity either needs to be made a respectful member of the human community or it needs to be abandoned.
That is part of the atmosphere in which Christianity takes place. Religious pluralism presents its own set of challenges and opportunities.
Paradoxically, religious pluralism exists in a world also marked by resurgent religious fundamentalism and extremism. Where these dominate a society and state, religious pluralism does not exist. Particularly in many Muslim countries, the powers of state are used to prevent religious diversity, and even more so the ideology of religious pluralism.
In its broader sense, pluralism refers to more than just “religious pluralism.” We also speak of moral, cultural, and political pluralism. The various “pluralisms” depend on the notion that “meaning” is contextual. “Right” and “wrong” are dependent on one’s own preferences and the “story” by which he or she lives. The “moral” depends upon the values a community cherishes, nurtures, and transmits. The traditional notion that moral values must submit to judgment by some universal or transcendent norm is rejected. That old standard reveals an ignorance of how communities and values are formed.
In this module we will concentrate on religious pluralism. How is one to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ in a pluralistic world? More specifically, how is one to do this from within a Wesleyan perspective? Those are the questions this module addresses. If one were to be satisfied with ignoring the pluralistic context in which we live, then the content of this module would be unnecessary. But one who would choose this option would thereby limit his or her range of ministry, would deny the power of the gospel, and could not adequately represent the Wesleyan tradition. To proclaim the gospel in a way that pays attention to the context in which we speak, we must take seriously the pluralism that so extensively characterizes our age.
A minister in the Church of the Nazarene cannot adequately serve the church’s mission if he or she chooses not to be cognizant of pluralism’s importance and profile. Our commitment to an informed ministry will not permit it. The ideology of religious pluralism does present a challenge to ministers in the Church of the Nazarene. In our Articles of Faith we affirm orthodox Christian theology. This affirmation puts the Church of the Nazarene at odds with the pluralistic spirit. The denomination rejects the ideology of religious pluralism. It embraces the “scandal of the Cross and Resurrection” that proclaims Jesus Christ to be the definitive revelation of God. We believe that in Jesus Christ the universal reign of God has begun, is advancing by the Spirit, and will be consummated in God’s own time. We make these affirmations in ways that distinctly show the influence of the Wesleyan theological tradition. In the Wesleyan tradition—when communicating the gospel—we rely upon the persuasive Holy Spirit, not upon any form of intellectual, political, or social coercion.
The purpose of this module is to help prepare Christian ministers in the Church of the Nazarene—the Wesleyan tradition—for ministry in a religiously pluralistic world.
This module contributes to the development of the following abilities as defined in the U.S. Sourcebook for Ministerial Development.
CN 22—Ability to articulate the distinctive characteristics of Wesleyan theology
CP 19—Ability to think globally and engage cross-culturally for the purpose of mission
CP 20—Ability to preach evangelistically and to be engaged with and equip others in personal and congregational evangelism
CX 1—Ability to discover sociological dynamics and trends and to apply that information to specific ministry settings
CX 8—Ability to place the ministry context in light of the large schemes of world and national history
CX 9—Ability to apply historical analysis to the life of a local congregation in order to describe its historical and cultural context
CX 10—Ability to understand and articulate the biblical, historical, and theological bases for Christian mission