5 - A theodramatic response to pluralism

Summary

The previous chapter argued that pluralism furnishes an unsatisfactory horizon within which to reflect theologically upon the church, especially in the present ecclesiological context. It requires the concrete identities of all religious bodies to conform to a pluralist-humanist ultimate goal, and imposes upon them an alien notion of normal religion. Its epic move is warranted by appeals to its supposed universalism, while in fact it depends upon the beliefs of a particular tradition. The pluralist revision of Christology would lead to an ecclesiological relativism that would undermine the church's witness and pastoral activity, and leave its membership with little reason to devote their lives to Christian discipleship. Pluralist ecclesiology would require the church to reject Paul's rule and to modify its concrete identity so that it fostered only those practices which conform to the religious beliefs and goals of Western liberalism.

The discussion of pluralism was fruitful in that it brought to light notable issues to which any practical-prophetic ecclesiology needs to respond. Pluralists rightly stress the necessity of dialogue among the religions. One important reason why they seek to modify the church's traditional Christological convictions and their ecclesiological corollaries is that they believe that such convictions rule out genuine dialogue. The present chapter responds to this challenge by arguing that an ecclesiology done within a theodramatic horizon must consider genuine dialogue an essential part of the church's witness and discipleship, for reasons, moreover, that depend upon traditional Christological and trinitarian doctrines.