Christian Faith and Other Religions -- Phoenix Affirmation 1

As promised; I begin discussion of the first of the twelve Phoenix Affirmations.

It states:

Christian love of God includes:

1. Walking fully in the path of Jesus, without denying the legitimacy of other paths God may provide humanity; . . .

This is a difficult statement for any person of faith to make. How is it possible to to deeply affirm one's own faith without denying the possibility that God could be known via other paths? If you're a Christian you've likely heard that statement found in the Gospel of John: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). That would seem to settle it, and for many people it does. Indeed, it settled it for me not that long ago.

That passage can be, and often is, taken narrowly and exclusively -- with the point being that one must make a personal confession of faith in Christ if one might be saved (reconciled to God). But if we take it more broadly, perhaps in a more cosmic sense, then indeed we can believe that in Christ we are made one with God -- whether we know him or affirm him, that God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself and then committing to us the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:16-21).

In the fuller statement of the Affirmation it is stated: "We affirm that the Path of Jesus is found wherever love of God, neighbor, and self are practiced together. Whether or not the path bears the name of Jesus, such paths bear the identity of Christ." I am not averse to sharing my faith and inviting others to walk that same path that I do. The problem emerges when I have claimed that my way is the only way God might be known. To make that claim is to limit God, which is an arrogant claim on God's prerogatives.

In making this affirmation -- as I would interpret it and own it -- I do not mean to suggest that three are no differences among religions, or that every aspect of a given faith is truly worthy of God -- and that would include aspects of my own faith tradition. What it does mean is that I do not make myself the final arbiter of what is of God and is not of God. It does not prevent me from fellowshipping or even sharing in prayer with a person of another faith tradition. I know to whom I am praying -- that their prayer might be addressed differently doesn't preclude my prayer from being heard.

So, I make my confession of faith in Jesus Christ. I name him Lord and Savior of the World, confess him Light of the World. Indeed, I am made new by faith in him (2 Cor. 5). To say that does not limit God.