more multi-faith thoughts

A couple more quotations on the multi-faith thing. These are from Walter Winks, 'Engaging the Powers':

"... out there in the world, also, there are others ... who have seen some of the same lights. They have taken other routes than that of the Wise men. They have gone the way of renunciation, or of loss, or of outrage, or of unbelief. They too have suffered for their truth at the hands of the reality police. They too have seen revelations of an alternative. They have called it different names. They have embraced different faiths, or none at all. But the truth they serve is one with the truth Jesus served."

"In Matt 25.31-46, those who are declared 'blessed' of the Abba are not necessarily Christians, but people who actually behave lovingly toward the hungry, homeless, refugees, and prisoners. They do not act this way because they have been taught that in so doing they do it to Christ. Indeed, they are surprised to learn that their acts of compassion were in fact done to Him. Nor do they do it out of duty, or to earn a reward. We do not, in fact, know why they do it, or who they are. They may be atheists, Jews, Muslims; they may be addicts, convicts, whores ... Apparently, Jesus' God is interested in one thing only: whether we behave in a way consistent with the divine order that is coming. Our religious preferences, practices, and affiliations are, next to that, a matter of indifference."

Makes you think, doesn't it?