Religious Pluralism & Trinity

[Samuel Stuart Maynes]

If you are interested in some new ideas on Religious Pluralism and the Trinity Absolute, I am in the midst of writing a book with this title. It has not been formally published yet, and is still a 'work-in-progress,' so constructive criticism from members of this forum would be much appreciated.

 

My thesis is that an abstract version of the Trinity could be Christianity's answer to the world need for a framework of pluralistic theology.

 

In a constructive worldview: east, west, and far-east religions present a threefold understanding of One God manifest primarily in Muslim and Hebrew intuition of the Deity Absolute Creator, Christian and Krishnan Hindu conception of the Universe Absolute Supreme Being; and Shaivite Hindu, Buddhist, Taoist apprehension of the Destroyer (meaning also Consummator) or Unconditioned Absolute Spirit of All That Is and is not. Together with their variations and combinations in other major religions, these religious ideas reflect and express our collective understanding of God in an expanded concept of the Holy Trinity.

 

Peace in the world requires peace among religions. Religious pluralism is a necessary paradigm shift whose time has come. The Trinity Absolute may be the only adequate metaphysical vehicle for a constructive interpretation that will allow all groups to agree to a "minimal consensus" of shared beliefs in a systematic unity, without hindering the maintenance by each group of its own personal identity.

 

What do you think?

 

Samuel Stuart Maynes 

[OneLight]

I think your idea sounds a lot like the Emergent Church beliefs.  There is only one truth, and it is found in Him, not mans ideas or turning from the real truth to please the world.

[OneLight]

That is why religion will not save you, while a personal relationship with God will save, if one accepts His calling.

[Sevenseas]

In a constructive worldview: east, west, and far-east religions present a threefold understanding of One God manifest primarily in Muslim and Hebrew intuition of the Deity Absolute Creator, Christian and Krishnan Hindu conception of theUniverse Absolute Supreme Being; and Shaivite Hindu, Buddhist, Taoist apprehension of the Destroyer (meaning also Consummator) or Unconditioned Absolute Spirit of All That Is and is not. Together with their variations and combinations in other major religions, these religious ideas reflect and express our collective understanding of God in an expanded concept of the Holy Trinity.

 

Peace in the world requires peace among religions. Religious pluralism is a necessary paradigm shift whose time has come. The Trinity Absolute may be the only adequate metaphysical vehicle for a constructive interpretation that will allow all groups to agree to a "minimal consensus" of shared beliefs in a systematic unity, without hindering the maintenance by each group of its own personal identity.

 

What do you think?

 

 

 

Well now let's see...what do I think....

 

Christianity has a very different view of the world that does not include the god of any other religion but rather God, as He has revealed Himself first through His word and then through His Son

and now through His Holy Spirit.

 

God is not interested in forming a peace bond with other religions.  God is interested in saving whoever will accept His Son as their substitutionary sacrifice, or Savior as He is often called.

 

I cannot support your theory of substantiated conceptual human understanding of God with a desire to water down the truth in order to make it more acceptable to those who are offended

at words such as 'sin'.

 

Peace in the world may just come about through the practice of religious ideologies but Christianity as it is revealed in scripture will never be accepted.  In fact and interestingly enough,

we do see a time in the future when one individual will promise exactly what you refer to.  He is referenced as the anti-Christ in scripture and he will reveal his plans for a one world government

and a one world religion when God allows and the time is fulfilled.

 

In the meantime, I cannot in good conscience and knowing what I know, refer to God my creator, as in any sense metaphysical nor can I rationalize away His Being to better understand Him

as He, in His goodness and kindness, has revealed as much of Himself as anyone needs to acknowledge in order to be accepted by Him, that is one day into His presence, and to become

complete in my understanding as I will know even as I am now known by Him.

 

And one more thing (isn't there always)...we are actually looking at many different gods when we examine the field of your interest.

 

There is but ONE.

 

Thanks

[GoldenEagle]

If you are interested in some new ideas on Religious Pluralism and the Trinity Absolute, I am in the midst of writing a book with this title. It has not been formally published yet, and is still a 'work-in-progress,' so constructive criticism from members of this forum would be much appreciated.

 

My thesis is that an abstract version of the Trinity could be Christianity's answer to the world need for a framework of pluralistic theology.

 

In a constructive worldview: east, west, and far-east religions present a threefold understanding of One God manifest primarily in Muslim and Hebrew intuition of the Deity Absolute Creator, Christian and Krishnan Hindu conception of the Universe Absolute Supreme Being; and Shaivite Hindu, Buddhist, Taoist apprehension of the Destroyer (meaning also Consummator) or Unconditioned Absolute Spirit of All That Is and is not. Together with their variations and combinations in other major religions, these religious ideas reflect and express our collective understanding of God in an expanded concept of the Holy Trinity.

 

Peace in the world requires peace among religions. Religious pluralism is a necessary paradigm shift whose time has come. The Trinity Absolute may be the only adequate metaphysical vehicle for a constructive interpretation that will allow all groups to agree to a "minimal consensus" of shared beliefs in a systematic unity, without hindering the maintenance by each group of its own personal identity.

 

What do you think?

 

Samuel Stuart Maynes 

 

Salvation through by faith alone through Jesus alone is incompatible with other world religions.  

 

Not sure that peace in the world is possible prior to Christ's return. Interested in this discussion particularly if the OP (Samuel) returns to expand on these ideas.

 

Sounds a lot like Universalism to me.

God bless,

GE

[Guest]

Peace

 

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

 

Peace

 

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27

 

Peace

 

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee. Psalms 122:6

 

~

 

...Peace in the world requires peace among religions....

 

....Religious pluralism is a necessary paradigm shift whose time has come....

 

....The Trinity Absolute may be the only adequate metaphysical vehicle for a constructive interpretation that will allow all groups to agree to a "minimal consensus" of shared beliefs in a systematic unity, without hindering the maintenance by each group of its own personal identity.....

 

....What do you think....

 

 

 

What

 

Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.

 

But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

 

Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. Matthew 10:32-34

 

I Think

 

Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?

 

The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,

 

Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. Psalms 2:1-3

 

Is That: What God Thinks

 

He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.

 

Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.

 

Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.

 

I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Psalms 2:4-7

 

Is Really What The World Needs Now

 

Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.

 

Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. Psalms 2:8-9

 

Or Later,

 

Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.

 

Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Psalms 2:10-11

 

That Is What I Think

 

Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little.

 

Blessed are all they that put their trust in him. Psalms 2:12

 

~

 

Believe

 

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6

 

And Be Blessed Beloved

 

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16

 

Love, Joe

[Guest shiloh357]

If you are interested in some new ideas on Religious Pluralism and the Trinity Absolute, I am in the midst of writing a book with this title. It has not been formally published yet, and is still a 'work-in-progress,' so constructive criticism from members of this forum would be much appreciated.

 

My thesis is that an abstract version of the Trinity could be Christianity's answer to the world need for a framework of pluralistic theology.

 

In a constructive worldview: east, west, and far-east religions present a threefold understanding of One God manifest primarily in Muslim and Hebrew intuition of the Deity Absolute Creator, Christian and Krishnan Hindu conception of the Universe Absolute Supreme Being; and Shaivite Hindu, Buddhist, Taoist apprehension of the Destroyer (meaning also Consummator) or Unconditioned Absolute Spirit of All That Is and is not. Together with their variations and combinations in other major religions, these religious ideas reflect and express our collective understanding of God in an expanded concept of the Holy Trinity.

 

Peace in the world requires peace among religions. Religious pluralism is a necessary paradigm shift whose time has come. The Trinity Absolute may be the only adequate metaphysical vehicle for a constructive interpretation that will allow all groups to agree to a "minimal consensus" of shared beliefs in a systematic unity, without hindering the maintenance by each group of its own personal identity.

 

What do you think?

 

Samuel Stuart Maynes 

Sounds like a lot of false teaching. 

[KC02]

Jesus makes salvation exclusive to those that believe in Him. Luke writes, "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12, NIV).

 

In my book, for example, the prophet (sic) Muhammad rejected the Gospel. His followers may get the same reward that he gets. If Muslims knew God, they would know Jesus (Jn. 14:7).

 

There is a debate over what fate awaits the evangelized (those who have never heard about Jesus). That is up for a just God to determine. I can say there is little to no Biblical evidence that nonChristians will eventually be saved.

 

You can look up some of the most popular views on the subject if you haven't already.

 

The universal opportunity view

The postmortem evangelism view

The restrictivist view

The inclusivist view

[Samuel Stuart Maynes]

Jesus did not say that he is the ONLY way, the ONLY truth, the ONLY life. The Bible says that there is no way to the Father, except through the Son, and implies that Jesus Christ will be the Supreme Judge of all human beings on 'Judgement Day.' However, it would only be fair if Christ shares that judgment seat with Muhammad or the Mahdi in the case of Muslims, Indra or Krishna for Hindus, Gautama or Maitreya for Buddhists, Lao-Tzu for Taoists, and so forth. Some just recognition is required.

 

I think that Genesis 1:26 (in the beginning), where God says "Let us make man in our image," suggests that later on he might also have said, "Let us help humans make their religions in our image." It would be quite natural if human religions reflect particular aspects of the threefold psychology of One God in Trinity expression. On the face of it, maybe God is telling us something about his multi-dimensional self, through the diversity of major religions, which can be seen to fall into three basic "attitudes to" or perspectives on the Divine.

 

Samuel Stuart Maynes

[GoldenEagle]

Jesus did not say that he is the ONLY way, the ONLY truth, the ONLY life. The Bible says that there is no way to the Father, except through the Son, and implies that Jesus Christ will be the Supreme Judge of all human beings on 'Judgement Day.' However, it would only be fair if Christ shares that judgment seat with Muhammad or the Mahdi in the case of Muslims, Indra or Krishna for Hindus, Gautama or Maitreya for Buddhists, Lao-Tzu for Taoists, and so forth. Some just recognition is required.

 

I think that Genesis 1:26 (in the beginning), where God says "Let us make man in our image," suggests that later on he might also have said, "Let us help humans make their religions in our image." It would be quite natural if human religions reflect particular aspects of the threefold psychology of One God in Trinity expression. On the face of it, maybe God is telling us something about his multi-dimensional self, through the diversity of major religions, which can be seen to fall into three basic "attitudes to" or perspectives on the Divine.

 

Samuel Stuart Maynes

 

Samuel, it looks like what you say directly contradicts what the Bible says. What you say about Genesis 1:26 that somehow it’s talking about religions is reading into the text. It is not about making religions but about making human beings in the very image of God.

You are right that there is condemnation and judgment for those who reject and don’t believe in Jesus.

 

John 3:18

Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

 

 

Yet life is only found through Jesus.

1 John 5:12

Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

 

 

Jesus said He was the way. Did he leave room for some doubt as if there were another way to God? Doesn’t look like it.

John 14:6

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

 

 

Jesus called himself THE door. Not “a” door. Again the only way.

 

 

John 10:9

I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture

 

 

Doesn’t look like there’s salvation in anyone else.

Acts 4:11-12

This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.¹² And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

 

 

Sorry you won’t find much support for your views here at Worthy I believe. Or really with most of those who hold to Orthodox (conventional, sound doctrine) views of Christianity. There are not multiple ways to God. He is also very jealous and doesn't share His glory with false gods like Allah or any of the 400 million false gods of Hinduism.

 

Isaiah 42:8

I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.

Exodus 20:3

You shall have no other gods before me.

 

Do you see?

God bless,

GE