alex and betty

Last week, I attended a two-day conference at Birmingham University in honour of the philosopher John Hick.  If you are not familiar with the man, he considers himself a liberal Christian and claims that “the different religions, with all their manifest differences and undeniable incompatibilities of belief, can be on an equal level as different complexes of belief and practice within which their adherents can find salvation.”[1]  In other words, Jesus is not the only way — people can reach salvation through other means.  On the first day of the conference, scholars from around the world discussed the philosophy of this man, most in great admiration.  To begin the second and last day, Hick himself began a session by asking the delegates to discuss the question of social concern.  In the 1970s, when he first came to Birmingham, he was an activist who brought together people of all faiths to resolve the prevalent racial tensions of his day.  It is perhaps in this context that the man’s personal theology moved from an “evangelical” conviction to where he is now.

Now, throughout that session, several delegates discussed this question and repeatedly there was the critique against “conservative Christians” or “evangelicals” who have not cared about society.  On the one hand, as an evangelical myself, I was a bit offended by the attacks levied by those in attendance.  On the other hand, I must confess that conservative Christianity has not been on the forefront of the social problems this world faces.  Historically speaking, conservatives have shunned away from social reconstruction and emphasised an individualised, spiritual reconstruction.  This world is fleeting and not of our concern — we must simply save souls.  What I find additionally interesting is that, while I cannot agree with Hick’s thinking, I have to say that his theology has given him the philosophical impetus to engage the society and work towards remedying the groans of the cosmos (Romans 8:22). Read the rest of this entry »