The Judgment of God and the Rise of ‘Inclusivism’ in Contemporary American Evangelicalism Victor Kuligin Dissertation presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Theology (DTh) in Systematic Theology at the University of Stellenbosch University of Stellenbosch Republic of South Africa Promoter: Prof DJ Smit March 2008 I, the undersigned, hereby declare that the work contained in this dissertation is my own original work and that I have not previously in its entirety or in part submitted it at any University for a degree. V Kuligin: __________________________ Date: __________________________ Copyright © 2008 Stellenbosch University All rights reserved ABSTRACT This study offers an overview and critique of the growing movement in American evangelicalism of what is popularly known as “inclusivism.” The mounting uneasiness expressed in many evangelical circles in North America concerning the fate of the unevangelised, and how that may square with the traditional evangelical view of their lostness, has produced a vigorous Soteriology which means to address what is viewed as inadequacies in the traditional model of salvation found in the American evangelical community. After an Introduction which defines the terms of the discussion, a systematic presentation of the main views of inclusivism is presented, mainly through the eyes of two of its foremost proponents, Clark Pinnock and John Sanders (although many others are also referenced). Major topics of coverage include the character and nature of God as supremely expressed in the teaching of Jesus, the work of the Holy Spirit through non-Christian religions, and how a balance between the love of God and human freedom can be maintained. Inclusivism endeavours to distance itself both from modern pluralism and evangelical exclusivism, the latter the dominant soteriological position of American evangelicalism for the past several generations. Driven by a strong sense of the love of God, inclusivists contend that God will do anything he can to draw people to himself. While maintaining the particularity of Christ, inclusivists nonetheless see a universal outworking of Christ’s salvation, even to those people without epistemological awareness of Jesus’ atoning work. This works out in a greater appreciation for the salvific benefits of general revelation and non-Christian religions, resulting in a “wider hope” that more of humanity will be saved than is typically expected in exclusivism’s “fewness doctrine.” After a presentation of the main views of inclusivism, a final section of this study is devoted to an evangelical evaluation. Is it an acceptable alternative to the traditional exclusivism of American evangelicalism? A systematic evaluation of the main tenets of inclusivism is presented, going through such areas as its Bibliology, Pneumatology, Christology, and Hamartiology, with a final look at its soteriological conclusions and the practical effects it may have on evangelical world missions. The main point of departure is seen in the area of the judgment of God, and how a “hermeneutic of judgment” is needed to properly counterbalance inclusivism’s “hermeneutic of hope.” i OPSOMMING Hierdie studie bied ‘n oorsig en kritiek op die groeiende beweging onder Amerikaanse evangelikalisme van wat populêr bekendstaan as “inklusivisme.” Die groeiende ongemak, uitgespreek in talle evangelikale kringe in Noord Amerika oor die toestand van die onge- evangeliseerdes, en hoe dit vergelyk met die tradisionele evangelikale beskouing oor hulle verlorenheid, het ‘n kragtige Soteriologie tot gevolg gehad. Dit beteken dat dit wat gesien word as ontoereikendheid in die tradisionele model van verlossing in die Amerikaanse evangelikale gemeenskap, aangespreek sal word. Ná ‘n inleiding, wat die terminologie van die diskussie definieer, word ‘n sistematiese uiteensetting van die hoof-standpunte van die inklusivisme aangebied, hoofsaaklik volgens die beskouinge van twee van die hulle sterkste voorstanders, Clark Pinnock en John Sanders (hoewel daar ook na baie ander verwys word). Die belangrikste onderwerpe wat aanbespreek word sluit in: die eienskappe en natuur van God, soos hoofsaaklik uitgedruk in die leringe van Jesus, die werk van die Heilige Gees deur die nie-Christelike godsdienste, en hoe die ewewig tussen God se liefde en menslike vryheid behou kan word. Die inklusivisme poog om dit te distansieer van beide moderne pluralism en evangelikale eksklusivisme, terwyl laasgenoemde die oorwegende soteriologiese standpunt in Amerikaanse evangelikale kringe was vir verskeie geslagte van evangelikales. Aangespoor deur ‘n sterk bewustheid van die liefde van God het inklusiviste geglo dat God enigiets moontlik sal doen om mense na Hom toe te trek. Terwyl hulle nog vashou aan die uniekheid van Christus, sien inklusiviste nogtans ‘n universele uitwerking van Christus se verlossing, selfs aan daardie mense sonder the epitemologiese bewustheid van Jesus se versoeningswerk. Dit mond uit in groter waardering vir die verlossingsresultate van die algemene openbaring en nie-Christelike godsdienste, wat uitloop in ‘n “breër hoop”, dat ‘n groter deel van die mensdom gered sal word as wat verwag word in die “minheid leerstuk” van die eksklusivisme. Na ‘n aanbieding van die hoof-standpunte van die inklusivisme, volg die laaste afdeling van hierdie studie, wat aan ‘n evangelikalistiese evaluering toegewy is. Is dit ‘n aanvaarbare alternatief vir die tradisionele eksklusivisme van Amerikaanse evangelikale teologie? ‘n Sistematiese evaluering van die hoof-standpunte van inklusivisme word aangebied, deur die volgende studievelde te vergelyk: Bibliologie, Pneumatologie, Christologie, en Hamartiologie (leer oor die sonde), met ‘n laaste beskouing oor die soteriologiese en praktiese resultate en effekte op evangelikale wêreldsending. Die hoof vertrekpunt word gevind rondom die ii ‘oordeel van God’ en hoe ‘n “hermeneutiek van oordeel” nodig is as ‘n volledige teenwig vir die “hermeneutiek van hoop” in die inklusiwisme. iii FOREWORD American evangelicalism is a phenomenon of grand proportions. Its influence is felt not only in the United States itself, but in virtually every corner of the globe. Current missiological statistics, for example, show that over half of all missionaries in the world come from the United States, and a very large portion of these from evangelical churches and mission agencies. Large sums of American money go to all areas of the world feeding Christian enterprises that are largely funded by American evangelicals. Evangelical colleges and universities abound from the east coast to the west. In fact, there are more evangelical tertiary institutions of learning in America than all the universities of Europe combined, so large is the evangelical machinery of the United States. When evangelical publishing houses, companies and corporations are included, the influence of evangelicalism in America can hardly be ignored. The past five American presidents all claimed to be evangelicals in varying degrees, or looked to woo the evangelical community, and with good reason. Some estimates put the number of evangelical Christians in the United States close to one hundred million, or nearly one-third of the population, and although such statistics are difficult to pin down, lower estimates place the figure closer to the fifty million range, still a large figure. Regardless of the exact number, such a block of people wields tremendous influence, not only in the religious sphere, but the political as well. It is not remiss to say that any study of Christianity in America over the past century which does not take into consideration evangelicalism, could rightly be said to be an incomplete study. Even major secular magazines such as Time and Newsweek recognise this fact, and annually devote several issues to Christian themes. Over the past several years, Time Magazine has had annual articles covering “The Twenty-Five Most Influential Evangelicals” and the like. And yet, evangelicalism is in a crisis. A recent New York Times article covering several pages considered the fragmentation that the evangelical movement has begun to experience, both in the religious as well as political realm. Although this may be news to secularists who politically follow evangelicalism, this is hardly news when it comes to the religious sphere of iv the movement. For the past two decades if not longer, major theological rifts have occurred in American evangelicalism. This dissertation will cover one of the hotter issues, that concerning the fate of the unevangelised. This debate has far reaching effects, especially in the area of world missions, and some have considered it the theological issue which will eventually reshape evangelicalism. American evangelicalism is presently experiencing a paradigm shift in its Soteriology, one which may radically change the traditionally negative view evangelicalism has had of non-Christian religions, thus reshaping important practical areas such as evangelism, missions, and apologetics. As far reaching as these American developments may have on the rest of the world, the aim of this dissertation is not to dissect and digest the various views of God’s judgment and salvation outside of North America. I am an American who has lived in Namibia for the past thirteen years. It is natural that I would pursue a doctorate from a South African institution, even though I realise that the views I hold are not altogether embraced by its faculty. It is also natural that I would pursue