Reflections on Exclusivism

Any theological understanding of God simply cannot be exclusive. This limits God, and this is unacceptable. We cannot force our own inabilities to reconcile seemingly opposing viewpoints onto God.

The argument for exclusivism is based in revelation alone. God has revealed to us, through the Holy Bible, that he/she is exclusive. That he/she is judgmental, that some will “make it” and some will not. This argument is not easily contradicted, nor does it need to be. The power in the idea of judgment is that we must realize that we are accountable for actions and faith, that we are responsible. This is a strength of Christianity, of any religion, without doubt. But, as Christians, we recognized the new testament as revelation and we cannot ignore the force with which Jesus tells us not to judge others ourselves. This presents difficulties in holding others accountable, an important task in our society, but we certainly are not discussing what is easier and what is more difficult.

Jesus’ famous Sermon on the Mount indisputably forbids the judging of another. QUOTE. God may be judgmental, but that is not our place. And therefore, any claim on exclusivism must be based on the assumption that one knows what God is thinking, how God judges another person. That one knows that other person as well as God and has as many means to judge him or her by. This, of course, is absurd. It is as absurd as the claim for exclusivism.