"Revelation" in other relgions (Chikezie Ekugbah - Utume)

A theological evaluation of “revelation” in other religions

EKUGBAH CHIKEZIE

Ratzinger, Joseph, “The Unity and Diversity of Religions: The Place of Christianity in the History of Religions,” in Truth and Tolerance. Christian Belief and World Religions, San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2004.

Comprehension questions

The phenomenon of religious pluralism

1.       Why does Cardinal Ratzinger think that “a phenomenological investigation [of religions] which would not straightaway concern itself with the value of these religions for eternity… needs to precede such theological judgments about other religions” (p. 18)?

Cardinal Ratzinger says this, because according to him, what should be first sought after is an overall view of the whole panorama of religions knowing its inner development and spiritual structure. Again he says it’s not enough discussing and unidentified entity of religion which we did not examine closely but rather it is important first try to see if there was any kind of continues historical development in them and whether any basic type of religion could be recognized which could be evaluated easily and finally seek how these basic types relate to one another and whether they present to us any basic alternatives, which could then be the subject to philosophical and theological reflections and verdicts. 

2.       Name two possible attitudes towards other religions in the light of the Christian conviction that Christ is the only Saviour and salvation of man?

The two possible attitudes towards other religions in the light of the Christian convictions are:

1. One may address them as being provisional and, in this respect preparatory to Christianity thus attributing to them a positive value, insofar as they allow themselves to be regarded as precursors.
2. They can also be understood as insufficient, anti-Christian, contrary to the truth, as leading people to believe they are saved without ever truly being able to offer salvation. 

3.       What does the Christian rejection of gods signify? How is it viewed by the secularised man of today?

Today’s man sees religion in a relativistic sense seeing all religions as the same as such one should remain in the religion he has chosen or finds himself. 

4.       What is the concept of religion held by “the man of today”?

The concept of religion held by the man of today is static; he does not foresee any development from one religion to another; he rather expects each person to remain in his own and to experience it with an awareness that it is, in its basic spiritual core, identical with all the others. 

5.       What is the “future for religions” according to the thinking of Radhakrishnan?

According to Radhakrishnan, if the future of religions is something close to the heart of the Christian theologian, and if he is convinced that Christianity is not some vague religion of the spirit and that it is the religion of the future, then he will feel compelled to ask further questions and to conduct further research on order to gain a clearer idea of the meaning and direction of the history of religion and the place of Christianity within it. 

The Place of Christianity in the History of Religion

6.       What is the first perception of the man of today when he looks at the plurality of religions? What is the next impression?

The first perception of the man of today when he looks at the plurality of religions is that of an overwhelming multiplicity and verity, which makes the question about truth seem illusory from the very start. The next impression that comes is the fact that though the plurality of religions, one thing is shared in common amongst them and that is “Religious experience.” 

7.       “This mystical interpretation of religion forms the background of the idea of religion of man today.” Elaborate on this statement.

The mystical interpretation of religion forms the background of the idea of religion of man today because according to modern philosophers of religion, any religion that exists (as long as it is genuine) originates in the form of inner experience of the divine that is experienced in its final common form by mystics, who are only able to make contact with the divine. 

8.       According to the mystical interpretation of religion, what is “first hand religion” and what is “second hand religion”?

The first hand religion is the direct form of mysticism in which the mystic is the one who makes contact directly with the divine and the second hand religion is the indirect form of knowledge which is passed on from the mystics as faith. 

9.       Name and explain the stages of development history of religion.

The first stage of development is the stage of early also known as ‘primitive’ religion this stage gives way and passes into the stage of mythical religion, in which in which the most varied experiences of the early stage are brought into a coherent overall view of things. 

10.   What are the three ways of moving beyond the myth of religions?

                    I.            The first is the form of mysticism, in which the myth, as merely symbolic form, is stripped of its illusion and the absolute value of an unnameable experience is set up.

                  II.            The second form is that of monotheistic revolution, which is seen in its classic form in Israel. “Shemma Israel the Lord your God is One.” At this second form, the absolute nature of the divine call that is issued through the prophet is maintained. (Islam can also be found here)

                III.            The third form is the enlightenment, which first happened properly on a large scale in Greece. In this form, the myth is outgrown as a prescientific form of knowledge, and rational knowledge is set up as the absolute value. Here, religion and religious values become meaningless. 

Mysticism and belief

11.   What is the Christian approach to “mysticism” in religions?

Here, mysticism is understood in a more radical sense, as one path in the history of religion, as an attitude that does not tolerate any other element superior to itself rather, it regards the imageless, unmetaphorical, and mysterious experience of the mystic as the only determinative and ultimate reality in the realm of religion. 

12.   Why is the monotheism of Israel a sort of “revolution” in the history of religion?

The monotheism of Israel which had its origin by the way of revolution is the revolution of a few who were filled with a new religious awareness and who shattered the myths and overthrew the gods of whom the myths spoke. Solely because of this completely independent departure from the myth of monotheism, in the history of religions. And springing from this revolutionary monotheistic believe came that of Christianity, Islam and Zoroaster but with a lesser historical effect. 

13.   How is the monotheism of Israel different from that of Hinduism of ATR?

The monotheism of Israel is different from that of Hinduism because the monotheism in India firstly was directed towards mysticism, meaning it was open to monistic development and thus ay appear as a mere preliminary stage of something of more permanence, that is the experiencing of identity. Secondly, it arose not through revolution but evolution; in this sense, the gods were never overthrown; rather a peaceful balance between varying forms came about, as between God and the gods, between monotheistic and polytheistic beliefs. 

14.   How does monotheism and mysticism differ from each other radically? What is the core of their difference?

In mysticism, man is the one who transcends to God with the view that God is purely passive in relation to man and that the content of religion can only consist of man plunging into God. Thus God does not act; there is only the “mysticism” of men which is the gradual ascent to union.

On the other hand, monotheism starts the other way round. Here man is the passive element upon whom God acts; here it is man who can do nothing of himself, instead God takes the initiative. God calls and man opens himself to salvation through obedience in response to the call. 

The structure of the two great ways of Religion

15.   What does Jean Daniélou say about Christianity in contrast to the great non-Christian religions?

According to Daniélou, Christianity is essentially faith in an event, which is in contrast to the great non-Christian religion which maintains the existence of an eternal world that stands in opposition to the world of time. He stressed the fact of the eternal breaking into time, which gives it duration and turns it into history, is unknown to them. 

16.   Mention the obvious difference between the patriarchs and prophets of Israel and the great founders of East Asian religions. What does this say about the structure of the way of mysticism and belief in one God?

The obvious difference between the patriarchs and the prophets of Israel is seen in the principle actors. If we set the principle actors in the covenant-event of Israel against the religious personalities of Asia, then first of all we feel remarkably uncomfortable. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Moses, with all their wiles and tricks, with their ill-temper and their inclination to violence, seem at least quite mediocre and pathetic next to someone like Buddha, Confucius, or Lao-tzu, but even such great prophetic characters as Hosea, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel are not entirely persuasive in such a comparison. 

17.   Why does Christianity not recognise the distinction between “first hand religion” and the “second hand religion” as viewed by mysticism?

Christianity does not recognise the distinction between “first hand religion” and the “second hand religion” in the sense that everyone one has a personal experience of God which it calls “religious experience” different from the view of mysticism in which the mystic has “first hand” and the believer has “second hand.” 

18.   In brief, what is the place of Christianity in the history of religions?

The place of Christianity in the history of religion becomes important because it is a religion which does not forget what unites it with other religions despite the many different fashions on the way towards God. Finally Christianity encourages us to serve as people who hope knowing that through our failures, we move towards the transformation of the chaos with which the world began into the eternal Jerusalem, in which God, the one eternal God dwells among men and enlightens them as them as the light forevermore (Rev 21:23;22:5).