A Critical Evaluation of John Hick's Religious Pluralism in Light of His Eschatological Model
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Andrews University Digital Commons @ Andrews University Dissertations Graduate Research 2009 A Critical Evaluation of John Hick's Religious Pluralism in Light of His Eschatological Model Haejong Je Andrews University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations Part of the Philosophy Commons, and the Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons Recommended Citation Je, Haejong, "A Critical Evaluation of John Hick's Religious Pluralism in Light of His Eschatological Model" (2009). Dissertations. 70. https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations/70 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Research at Digital Commons @ Andrews University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Andrews University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ABSTRACT A CRITICAL EVALUATION OF JOHN HICK’S RELIGIOUS PLURALISM IN LIGHT OF HIS ESCHATOLOGICAL MODEL by Haejong Je Adviser: John T. Baldwin ABSTRACT OF GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH Dissertation Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary Title: A CRITICAL EVALUATION OF JOHN HICK’S RELIGIOUS PLURALISM IN LIGHT OF HIS ESCHATOLOGICAL MODEL Name of researcher: Haejong Je Name and degree of faculty adviser: John T. Baldwin, Ph.D. Date approved: April 2009 Introduction to the Problem The philosophy of John Hick, who is famous for his religious pluralism, has received vigorous study in terms of its epistemology, authority, the concept of God, and Christology. However, less attention has been given to his pareschatology. As explained below, initial investigation shows that there is a need for in-depth study of Hick’s religious philosophy in this area. The Problem Based upon preliminary research, Hick’s religious pluralism seems to reveal a critical problem with external correspondency, as follows. His pareschatology, which is an attempt to accept all eschatologies of major world religions as valid, may as a consequence tend to invalidate them all in the end. Moreover, other factors may indicate the presence of inconsistencies in Hick’s pareschatological model, which may reflect upon the adequacy of his overall model of religious pluralism. The Purpose The purpose of this dissertation is to address and critically evaluate the external correspondency and internal consistency of Hick’s eschatological model, which may provide the basis for a critical evaluation of his religious pluralism as a whole. The evaluation of John Hick’s religious pluralism in light of his pareschatology will be accomplished through the lenses of the correspondence and coherence theories of truth. Conclusions Hick’s pareschatology, as discussed in detail in chapters 4 and 5, and summarized in chapter 6, is open to various criticisms when judged by correspondence and coherence theories of truth. From my research of Hick’s pareschatology, I uncover and present reasons which back twenty criticisms of Hick’s concept of pareschatology. Based upon these twenty criticisms, the first general conclusion of my dissertation is that Hick’s notion of pareschatology does not show sufficient internal coherence, and it is also not fully coherent with his pluralistic model of world religions. The second general conclusion is that there is lack of external correspondence with the noumenal Real and with the phenomenal pareschatological manifestations of religious experiences in particular religions. As a result, questions may be raised whether his pareschatological model can be regarded as a convincing theological philosophical scientific construct. These considerations also have important implications for Hick’s religious pluralism, which lead to the final conclusion of my dissertation. I find Hick’s religious pluralism as a whole to be weakened by the problematic condition of his pareschatology. Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary A CRITICAL EVALUATION OF JOHN HICK’S RELIGIOUS PLURALISM IN LIGHT OF HIS ESCHATOLOGICAL MODEL A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy by Haejong Je April 2009 © Copyright by Haejong Je 2009 All Rights Reserved A CRITICAL EVALUATION OF JOHN HICK’S RELIGIOUS PLURALISM IN LIGHT OF HIS ESCHATOLOGICAL MODEL A dissertation presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy by Haejong Je APPROVAL BY THE COMMITTEE: _______________________________ _______________________________ Faculty Adviser, Director of Ph.D./Th.D. Program John T. Baldwin Roy E. Gane Professor of Systematic Theology _______________________________ _______________________________ Fernando L. Canale Dean, SDA Theological Seminary Professor of Theology and Philosophy Denis Fortin _______________________________ Miroslav M. Kiš Professor of Ethics Chair, Theology and Christian Philosophy _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ Date Approved TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter I. INTRODUCTION ····························································································· 1 Background of the Problem ·········································································· 1 Statement of the Problem ·············································································· 7 Purpose of the Research ················································································ 8 Justification for the Research ········································································ 8 Scope and Delimitations ··············································································· 8 Methodology ································································································ 9 II. JOHN HICK, THEOLOGIAN AND PHILOSOPHER ···································· 12 Introduction ·································································································· 12 Biographical Background of Hick ································································ 13 Early Life ································································································ 14 Family Background and Childhood ·················································· 14 Education ·························································································· 15 Religious Experiences ······································································· 17 Publications ···························································································· 21 Teaching Career ······················································································ 25 Cornell University (1956–1959) ······················································· 26 Princeton Theological Seminary (1959–1964) ·································· 28 Cambridge University (1963–1967) ·················································· 31 Birmingham University (1967–1982) ··············································· 32 Claremont Graduate University (1978–1992) ··································· 37 Personal Journey: From Theologian to Philosopher ····································· 40 Early Hick: The Theologian ···································································· 40 The Evangelical Period (to 1940s) ···················································· 41 Philosophical Turn to Pluralistic Thinking (1950–1960s) ················· 43 Later Hick: The Philosopher ··································································· 47 Pluralist from Christian Perspective (1970s) ····································· 48 Pluralist from Philosophical Perspective (1980s–Present) ················ 50 Hick’s Starting Point: Views of Scripture ····················································· 53 Theological Presuppositions ··································································· 53 Some Examples of Interpretation ····························································· 57 The Creation Story of Genesis ·························································· 57 iii Accounts of Jesus in the Four Gospels ·············································· 58 Mythological Understanding of the Bible ··············································· 60 Summary and Conclusion ············································································· 63 Life Experience ······················································································ 63 Mythological Interpretation of the Bible ················································· 64 III. AN ANALYSIS OF HICK’S PLURALISTIC HYPOTHESIS ························ 66 Introduction ·································································································· 66 Hick’s “Copernican Revolution” and Subsequent Kantian Shift ·················· 67 Hick’s Early Theocentric Model of Religions ·········································· 69 Hick’s Later Shift to Kantian Model of Religions ·································· 72 Implications for Christology ··································································· 75 Theism Assumed ···················································································· 76 Truth Claims ···························································································· 77 Theology (Doctrine of the Real) ··································································· 79 The Concept of the Real ·········································································