The Bible and People of Other Faiths

Rating:
Summary: Should be Required Reading for Evangelists
Review: This book specifically addresses the idea of Christian exclusivism, the belief that only through Christ can souls be saved. Without questioning the Bible's authority it seeks to show that even within the Bible is laid the foundations for genuine religious dialogue between different faiths. It was a great help to me during a campus wide evangelization effort. If you are curious how someone can believe in Christianity with all their heart and still accept other religions as valid, read this book. It won't take long.

Rating:
Summary: Should be Required Reading for Evangelists
Review: This book specifically addresses the idea of Christian exclusivism, the belief that only through Christ can souls be saved. Without questioning the Bible's authority it seeks to show that even within the Bible is laid the foundations for genuine religious dialogue between different faiths. It was a great help to me during a campus wide evangelization effort. If you are curious how someone can believe in Christianity with all their heart and still accept other religions as valid, read this book. It won't take long.

Rating:
Summary: A saviour that does not save...
Review: This book was an attempt to explore the premise that Jesus is not only unique but also inclusive to people of other faiths. This is no small task if one accepts the Bible as the inspired word of God. The latitude the author demonstrated in his analysis and conclusions suggested he believed otherwise.
Ariarajah sounded more like a Unitarian than a Methodist as he deconstructed problematic texts of Scripture relating to the person and work of Christ, especially in relation to people of other faiths. The book could only then answer his questions by appealing to a palatable Jesus that does not (indeed cannot) save.
What I wanted to appreciate about this book was its heartfelt appeal for a more incarnational approach to mission, but even that was not grounded in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The book intended to provide meaningful analysis of how followers of Christ should relate to people of other faiths along the continuum of witness and dialogue, but the author has created an easy ecumenism that neglects the difficult questions about how a fallen humanity can relate to a holy God. Not recommended.