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Faith Comes By Hearing - A Response to Inclusivism

Reviewed by Chris Skilton.

Nine conservative evangelical scholars from the States set out the stall of the exclusivist understanding of salvation and deconstruct the arguments for an inclusivist view. The book is at times more nuanced than that - chapter 2 by Christopher Morgan sets out very helpfully the historical context for the debate and describes ways in which both positions hold their own internal variations and debate.

The heart of the book in Chapters 3 - 7 provide a response to five inclusivist arguments - that there can be sufficiency in the general revelation of God for some; that exclusivism is unjust; what about those who faithfully seek and find God within their own religion; those who are saved without knowing Jesus - the argument from Old Testament ‘believers’; the implicit faith of those as yet unreached by the gospel. Further chapters explore the “key biblical texts” and give a coherent and cogent argument for exclusivism as well as (by way of summary of the book) answering ‘notable questions’.

The approach of the book sets out to be scholarly and is well referenced and annotated, with an extensive and varied bibliography. However, as one who does not hold an exclusivist position (and some might argue therefore not qualified to review the book!), I offer the following comments by way of response. The chapter on “justice” has surprisingly little to say about the atonement and the objective difference that the death and resurrection of Christ has made to the world. It also shows that the book has a highly individualistic and atomistic view of salvation, which will play out well for some, but not all, readers.  The chapter on ‘other faiths’ looks to Paul’s critique of Graeco-Roman pagan religion and seeks to ‘read off’ from this a view on all other faiths and doesn’t seriously start to engage with the major world religions. On the Old Testament we are told, quoting Don Carson,  that “believers entered into a covenantal faith-based relationship with God who had disclosed himself to them in the terms and to the extent recorded up to that time” which seems to me to be pushing it a bit! The repeated call for evangelism and mission to the unreached and those who have not heard is a valid challenge to the church, but is in no way an “answer” to the issue. The chapter on ‘key texts’ is not so much about the texts per se, but about inclusivists poor handling of scripture. This assertion in itself makes any dialogue with inclusivists problematic.

Those who hold an exclusivist position will find the book a helpful defence of the cause. Those who don’t will probably not be convinced by anything they read. But at least if you buy this book you know what you will be getting!