Gilberto, At 03:07 AM 1/13/2005, you wrote: >>But there the issue is exclusivity and the emphasis isn't on being >>chronologically last. Maybe its a fine distinction and I'm sounding nit-picky >>but I think it is a real one.<<
I don't think the emphasis is especially relevant. Christian particularism or exclusivism presumes that Jesus (and, in some Christianities, Paul) completed the biblical canon. The most popular eschatology at the present, time, dispensationalism, explicitly emphasizes a timeline. However, full preterists (neo-Hymenaeanists), partial preterists, historicists, postmillennialists, and amillennialists also place Christ at the axis of their time lines. Functionally, I see very little difference between conservative evangelical and fundamentalist christologies (especially premillennial dispensationalism) and Islamic concepts about Muhammad being the final Prophet. Both centralize authority around the teachings, statements, or revelations of a particular Person. >>For example, there are some Christian fundamentalists who are not just >>saying that Jesus is the last in a long series of prophets, they are actually >>saying that Jesus has always been the only way to salvation.<< That is very much a minority position among conservative Protestants. It is mostly found among Calvinists. >>That even in Genesis in Eden when the Bible says that the seed of the woman >>will crush the head of the serpent that this was a prophecy about Jesus.<< Of course there are differences. However, I don't think that changes what I wrote. >>And that the people of the Old Testament were saved because they believed in >>the messianic prophecies about Jesus.<< There are **very** few Christians who believe that the Hebrews were saved by accepting the prophecies of the coming of Jesus. However, again, I don't see how the theological differences you are raising relate to the issue. >>And that if people of other religions are saved, it will be because somehow >>Jesus was able to save them even though they didn't necessarily know his >>name.<< That is soteriological inclusivism, which is a minority position among conservative evangelical and fundamentalist Protestants. >>So this is very different from the Muslim "seal of the prophets" concept. >>Christians are saying that Christ is the only way to salvation but they allow >>for there to be prophets before and after Jesus.<< Yes, but those prophets, like the caliphs and imams, are expected to be christocentric (or qur'anicentric). >>Muslims aren't saying Muhammad is the only way to salvation, but Muhammad >>*is* the last prophet.<< Some Muslims do say that. What about those who condemn Jews, Baha'is, Ahmadis, etc. to eternal hellfire? However, again, I don't see how that relates to the issue. With regards, Mark A. Foster � 15 Sites: http://markfoster.net "Sacred cows make the tastiest hamburger" -- Abbie Hoffman __________________________________________________ You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:[email protected] To unsubscribe, send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, use subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Baha'i Studies is available through the following: Mail - mailto:[email protected] Web - http://list.jccc.edu/read/?forum=bahai-st News - news://list.jccc.edu/bahai-st Public - http://www.escribe.com/religion/bahaist Old Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]
