A recent
survey conducted by LifeWay Research
found that while a majority of Protestant pastors believe
Christianity is the only way to obtain eternal life, there is
a small percentage who strongly feel other religions offer
eternal salvation as well.
The survey asked 1,000 Protestant pastors the question, "If
a person is sincerely seeking God, he/she can obtain eternal
life through religions other than Christianity."
Seventy-seven percent of the pastors questioned said that
they strongly disagree with the statement and seven percent
somewhat disagreed. Another seven percent somewhat agreed
and five percent strongly agreed. Three percent said they
are not sure.
The educational level of the pastor played a role in their
decision making. Pastors with a graduate degree were more
likely to strongly agree with the statement, and less likely
to strongly disagree, compared to pastors with a bachelor's
degree or less.
The study also found that evangelical Christians held
stricter views on the universality of eternal salvation
compared to mainline pastors. According to LifeWay, 85
percent of evangelical pastors were more likely to strongly
disagree that there are other ways to eternal life other
than Christianity than mainline pastors at 57 percent.
Only two percent of evangelical pastors strongly agreed
with the statement, while 11 percent of mainline pastors
strongly agreed.
Region also played a role in the survey results. The survey
found that 11 percent of pastors in large cities strongly
agreed with the statement. Only four percent of small city
pastors agreed.
Four percent of pastors in suburban areas strongly agreed,
while three percent in rural areas said the same.
The question of exclusivity and universality has been a
long disputed issue in the church.
As noted by Ed Stetzer, president of LifeWay Research, "Rob
Bell's book Love Wins kicked off a discussion
about the exclusivity of the Christian gospel. But most
pastors are more in line with historic Christian beliefs
than Bell, who suggested that other faiths lead to heaven."
Bell, former pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church in
Grandville, Mich., started somewhat of a firestorm in the
evangelical community when he questioned whether the Bible
teaches that there is an eternal hell. His 2011 book, Love
Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every
Person Who Ever Lived, prompted a bevy of responses
from evangelical leaders who released their own books to
counter Bell's claims.
In a recent interview with Jake Tapper of ABC News,
evangelical pastor Rick Warren said no one deserves to go to
heaven; rather, eternal salvation can only be gained through
Jesus' grace.
When asked if he believes the way to eternal life is
through belief in Jesus Christ, Warren replied, "I do
believe that. And I believe that because Jesus said it."
"Jesus said, 'I am the way.' He didn't say 'I'm one of the
ways.' He said, 'I am the way, I am the truth, and I am the
life.' I'm betting my life that Jesus wasn't a liar," Warren
added, as previously reported by The Christian Post.
Warren is the lead pastor of Saddleback Church, located in
Lake Forest, Calif. The megachurch's weekly attendance
averages 20,000 people.
"I think the only way any of us get into heaven is God's
grace. I'm not getting to heaven on my integrity. I'm not
getting to heaven on my goodness. I'm getting to heaven on
what I believe Jesus said is grace, and the fact is it's
available to everybody," Warren added.
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BR View :
There are a number of Bible verses that are
relevant here--
John 10 : 16 "other sheep not of this
fold..."
John 14 : 2 "in my father's house are
many mansions..."
Mark 9 : 38 - 41
"John said to him [Jesus], master, we saw a man driving
out devils
in your name, and as he was not one of us, we tried to
stop him.
Jesus said, Do not stop him; no-one who does a work of
divine power
in my name will be able the next moment be able to speak
evil of me.
For he who not against us is on our side."
Acts 10 : 34 - 35
"Peter began : I now see how true it is that God has no
favorites,
but that in every nation the man who is godfearing and
does
what is right is acceptable to him."
