Soteriology in Mainstream Monotheistic Religions: the Messiah Conundrum
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LIBERTY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF DIVINITY SOTERIOLOGY IN MAINSTREAM MONOTHEISTIC RELIGIONS: THE MESSIAH CONUNDRUM A Thesis Submitted to Liberty School of Divinity in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree MASTER OF ARTS IN GLOBAL STUDIES: CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES BY JAY THOMAS FOX AUGUST, 2018 Copyright 2018 Jay Thomas Fox All Rights Reserved 2 LIBERTY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF DIVINITY THESIS PROJECT APPROVAL SHEET _____________________ GRADE _____________________ MENTOR _____________________ READER 3 ABSTRACT SOTERIOLOGY IN MAINSTREAM MONOTHEISTIC RELIGIONS: THE MESSIAH CONUNDRUM Jay Thomas Fox Liberty University School of Divinity MENTOR: Dr. Jones Kaleli READER: Dr. Porfirio Rodriguez For the promotion of the Gospel, this study seeks to examine Soteriology in Mainstream Monotheistic Religions: The Messiah Conundrum. This decidedly charged topic critically researches the philosophy of salvation doctrine, or soteriology, within major monotheistic religions. The highlighted problem is the Messiah conundrum, with critical research on each doctrine for epistemological significance of a savior and their beliefs surrounding salvation. This mystery of where, or who humans turn to for salvation, is vitally important when considering the principle of sufficient reason in today’s hermeneutic and apologetic circles. The purpose fueling this thesis is the resolute documenting of beliefs of major monotheistic religions and their sub- categories, and where, if any, each correlates with salvation in Christ Jesus. The thesis Scripture verse is clear, “there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12, ESV). The current impassioned discussions within politics, churches, academia, homes, and in local marketplaces around the world, questions of which religion is true, and if there is really salvation in only one spiritual figure? The major monotheistic religions researched include: Christianity with sub-categories of Protestantism, Catholicism, and Messianic Gentiles; Islam both moderate and extreme; and Judaism where the divisions are Rabbinic, liberal, and Messianic. Additional sections will include stories of conversion, and critically look at answering questions, such as: Can there actually be only one Messiah?; Was Jesus really just a great teacher?; Do all roads lead to God?—as Interfaithism touts; and What is the view of Jesus Christ as the One True Living Messiah from the multi-faith perspective? The conclusion provides a summation of research and results. 4 DEADICATION/ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This thesis is dedicated to the many Christian missionaries and sharers of the Gospel who spend countless hours learning another culture and language for the furtherance of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. My prayer for every reader of this thesis is that they gain a better understanding of how to reach the lost and broken in other religions to glorify and magnify our Lord. To my Mentor, Dr. Jones Kaleli, and Reader, Dr. Porfirio Rodriguez, and Chair, Dr. Frampton Fox, thank you for all your hard work and prayers. This team worked tirelessly on assisting me to produce a work product that we all could be proud of at Liberty, and in the harvest field. To my mother Marcia, who instilled in me a drive to accomplish my goals and a love for our Savior, Yahshua Messiah. Thank you, mom, for your unconditional love, unending support, daily encouragement, prayers that kept me safe, and love and care that matched none other. 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS TITLE………………………………………………………………...……………………………i COPYRIGHT PAGE……………………………………………………………….……………..2 APPROVAL PAGE……………………………………………………………………….………3 ABSTRACT…………………………………………………………………………..…...………4 DEDICATION …………………………………………………………………………...……….5 INTRODUCTION …………………………………………………..………………………... 9 CHAPTER 1. RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM AND THESIS TOPIC…………………………...….10 Purpose of Thesis and Reason for Topic……………………………………………..….10 Importance of Thesis Research…………………………………………….……….……11 Limitations of Research………………………………………………………………….12 2. METHOD OF STUDY……………………………………………………………...……….13 Research Method Utilized……………………………………………..…………………13 Reasons Supporting Qualitative Design………………………………………………....14 Processes of Research.……………………………………………..…………….………15 Ethnographic Essentials …..………………………………...…………………….….16 Narratives …………….……………………………………………...………….……16 Delimitations of Research…………………………………………...………………..17 Limitations of Field Data………………………………..……………………………17 Multiple Bible Versions and Commentaries…………………………………..………... 18 Books, Journals, and Online Sources………………………..……………….……….18 Hermeneutic Study of Key Words and Terms……………………..…………………19 Reflexivity of Researcher’s Interpretation…………………………...……………….19 Qualitative Data Gathering…………………………………………………………....…20 Data Collection and Documentation……………………………………...…….…….21 Data Coding…………………………………………………………..………………22 Quality Control…………………………………………..…………………………...22 Compare and Contrast Methods of Dissimilar Doctrines………………………..………22 Validity and Reliability of Research……………………………………...…….…….23 Inductive and Deductive Analysis of Data…………………..…………………….... 24 Review of Literature………………………………….………………………………24 Research Sources…………………………………..…………………………………25 Report of Findings: Conclusion………………...….……………………………….……26 3. PHILOSOPHY OF SALVATION DOCTRINE………………………………………...…27 Historic Account of Christian Salvation…………………………………………………29 Soteriology in Monotheistic Religions…………………………………..………………30 Definition of Terms…………………………………………………………….……..32 Designated Religions and Sub-Categories………………………………............……34 Prudential Summary of Religions………………………………………………………..35 6 Table 1. Understanding Salvation in Three Major World Religions …………..………..36 4. THE MESSIAH CONUNDRUM……………………………………,,,,,,,,,,,,……...………37 Why Does Mankind Need Saving?....................................................................................39 Phenomenological Salvation…………………...………………………….………….40 Tolerance for All Religions…………………………………...………………...……41 The Problem at Hand……………………………………………………………….……43 Exclusivity at War with Inclusivity……………………………………………..……43 Salvation in Monotheism…………………………………………..………………....45 5. JUDAISM: FIRST ESTABLISHED MONOTHEISITIC RELIGION…………………..46 Orthodox Rabbinic Jews…………………………………………………………………48 Mystical Judaism………………………………………………………………..……50 The Rabbinic View of Jesus as the Messiah………………………..…………...……51 Orthodoxy and Eternal Life……………………………..……………………………51 Replacement Theology……………………………………………………….………52 Kabbala……………………………………………………………………………….54 Liberal Jewish Belief…………………………………………………………………….54 The Lack of Doctrinal Mosaic Law…………………………...……………...………55 Biblical Implications of Being a Liberal Jew…………………………………...……55 Stories of Conversion………………………………………………….…………………56 Messianic Jews……………………………………………………………..…………….56 First a Lamb Then a King…………………………………..………………...………58 Yahshua in the Synagogue…………………………………………….………...……58 6. CHRISTIANITY: SECOND MONOTHEISTIC RELIGION………………………...….59 Evangelical Protestantism……………………………………………………..…………59 The Salvation Doctrine of Evangelicals…………………………………...…………60 Salvation in Jesus versus in God………………………………………………...……60 Liberal Protestantism – Christianity…………………………..…………………………61 Epistemology in Liberal Protestantism……………………………..…………...……62 Does Liberalism Correlate with Evangelicalism?.........................................................63 Hebraic Christians - Messianic Gentiles…………………………………………………64 What Does Hebraic Christianity Believe?....................................................................64 The Significance of Yahshua Messiah……………………………...…………...……65 Catholicism………………………………………………………………………………65 The Salvation Doctrine of the Catholic Church………………………………………67 Where Does the Pope Fit In?........................................................................................68 Stories of Conversion…………………………………………………….………………69 7. ISLAMISM: THIRD MONOTHEISTIC RELIGION…………………………………….72 Moderate Muslims…………………………………………….…………………………74 Salvation by Submission to Islam………………………………..……………...……74 Does Islamism Correlate with Salvation in Yahshua?..................................................76 The Prophet Muhammad: The Last Prophet…………………………………..…………77 7 Muhammadian Islamic Momentum………………………………...……………...…78 The Significance of Radicalized Islam………………………………………….……79 The Qur’an and Epistemological Research………………………………………………80 Stories of Conversion………………………………………….…………………………83 Chrislam………………………………………………………….………………………87 The Breakdown of Absolute Truth……………………………………………...……87 The Philosophy of Religion……………………………………………...……...……88 8. EPISTEMOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE IN RELIGION……………...…………….…..89 Epistemology and Theories of Truth…………………………………….………………90 The Principle of Sufficient Reason……………………………………………...……93 The Prerequisite of Truth……………………………………………….………….…94 All Three Religions Have Truth…………………………………………………....……94 Christian Truth……………………………………………………….……..……………96 The Redemptive Mission of Christ……………………………………………………97 The Son of God………………………………………………………..……...………99 Jewish Truth……………………………………………………………….……………100 Muslim Truth…………………………………………………..………….............……102 Religious Liberalism as Truth……………………………………………………..……103 9. CAN THERE BE ONLY ONE MESSIAH…………………………………………..……104 Old Testament Archetype………………………………………………………………106 New Testament Savior………………………………………….………………………107 Jesus Was Just a Great Teacher……………………………………………...…………108 Claims Yahshua Made of Himself………………………...………………………...109 Claims Others Made About Christ…………………………...………………...……109 Table 2. Claims of Christ Jesus…………………………………………………………111