Pope Francis recently landed in hot water among Catholics and other Christians alike for saying that “every religion is a way to arrive at God.” The pope made the comments at an interreligious youth meeting during a trip to Singapore.
“Sort of a comparison, an example, would be they’re sort of like different languages in order to arrive at God,” the pope said.
If you start to fight, “my religion is more important than yours, mine is true and yours isn’t,” where will that lead us? There is only one God and each of us has a language, so to speak, in order to arrive at God. Sihk, Muslim, Hindu, Christian. There are different paths.
Pope Francis has since been fraternally corrected by Catholics and protestants alike for the faulty theology expressed in his unprepared comments.
Archbishop Emeritus Charles J. Chaput writes in First Things, “That all religions have equal weight is an extraordinarily flawed idea for the Successor of Peter to appear to support.”
Simply put: Not all religions seek the same God, and some religions are both wrong and potentially dangerous, materially and spiritually.
Catholics believe that Jesus Christ, once and forever, revealed to all humanity who God is. He redeemed us by his death and resurrection, and he gave us the commission to bring all humanity to him. As our faith teaches very clearly, it is only Jesus Christ who saves. Christ is not merely one among other great teachers or prophets.
Amen to that.
Aa Jesus taught in John 14:6,
“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’” (ESV).
There is only one way to the Father and to the blessed land of the Trinity – and it’s through Jesus Christ.
Here’s another problem with the pope’s remarks. Pope Francis said that people shouldn’t fight over religion by saying “mine is true and yours isn’t.”
But it’s impossible for all religions to be true because they teach contradictory ideas.
Christians affirm the divinity of Jesus Christ. Muslims deny it.
Christians believe that God is triune – one substance in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. But Hindu’s believe in many different gods, none of whom are triune.
Therefore, it’s logically impossible for all religions to be true because they have contrary theological beliefs.
Now, it’s possible that various world religions contain elements of truth within them. The Apostle Paul seemed to teach as much when he preached at the Areopagus in Athens.
“So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: ‘Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: “To the unknown god.” What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man’” (Acts 17:22-24, ESV).
The men of Athens seemed to be seeking God, but they didn’t know Him or His name. Paul encourages them for seeking God.
However, the Apostle does not say, “I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ Good job. Your religion is just as true as mine. We’re all good here.”
No! He proceeds to preach the Gospel and baptizes their religious desire and theological imprecision with the truth of Christianity.
So, this brings us to a very important question: Why should we believe in Christianity over other religions?
We should believe in Christianity because it is true.
Faith is not belief in something in spite of the evidence. Faith is trusting in something that you have good reason to believe is true.
The Apostle Peter writes in 1 Peter 3:15 that Christians should “always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” (ESV). Christians should have a good reason (i.e. evidence) for believing in Christianity.
Now, Christianity is falsifiable – it could be disproven. For example, if Jesus Christ has not been raised from the dead, then our faith is false. The Apostle Paul writes,
“But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain” (1 Cor. 15:13-14, ESV).
Yet, we have good historical evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ. No other religion is founded upon a miracle that we have good evidence to believe in.
And once we believe in Jesus Christ, He helps us put everything else into its proper perspective.
As C.S. Lewis wrote, “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the Sun has risen, not only because I see it but because by it, I see everything else.”
To learn more about the historical case for Jesus Christ and his resurrection, you might check out Lee Strobel’s The Case for Christ. It has also been made into a movie.
To learn more about the Christian faith, read C.S. Lewis’ classic Mere Christianity. You can also listen to Focus on the Family’s award winning Radio Theater: C.S. Lewis at War.
If you want to better understand the Bible and be part of God’s redemptive mission, check out RVL Discipleship: The Study.
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Related articles and resources:
Christianity is Both a Religion and a Relationship
In Defense of That ‘Old Time Religion’
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