The Gagging of God: Christianity Confronts Pluralism

by D. A. Carson

Publisher:

Zondervan

, 2011

Overview

This Gold Medallion Award–winning book presents a persuasive case for Christ as the only way to God. Is Jesus the only way to God? This clear, critically-acclaimed, scholarly response to that question affirms the deep need for the Gospel’s exclusive message in today’s increasingly pluralistic global community. The Gagging of God offers an in-depth look at the big picture, shows how the many ramifications of pluralism are all parts of a whole, and then provides a systematic Christian response.

Key Features

• History of pluralism, especially the revolution in hermeneutics, literary theory, and epistemology
• Addresses religious pluralism, notably the work of John Hick and David Tracy, and of inclusivists such as Clark Pinnock and John Sanders
• Argues for the Bible’s foundational “plotline,” and addresses the uniqueness of Christ
• Analyzes the Christian’s stance in a pluralistic culture across such diverse fields as education, law, and morals
• Looks at how pluralism has penetrated the evangelical camp and offers a thoughtful look at how to evangelize in a postmodern generation

Contents

Top Highlights

“One of the principal arguments of this book is that confessional Christianity cannot wholly embrace either modernity or postmodernity, yet it must learn certain lessons from both; it must vigorously oppose many features of philosophical pluralism, without retreating to modernism.” (Page 22)

“For those who espouse radical religious pluralism, there is no longer any heresy, except perhaps the view that there are heresies.” (Page 30)

“When religious pluralism triumphs, inevitably the common sins of humanity become defended as alternative lifestyles.” (Page 150)

“True knowledge of the meaning of a text and even of the thoughts of the author who wrote it is possible, even if perfect and exhaustive knowledge is not.” (Page 103)

“What such studies show is that millions of Americans are religious in certain ways, but that that fact has little bearing on anything they really judge important in their life.” (Pages 38–39)

Praise for the Print Edition

The Gagging of God makes a tremendous contribution . . . highly recommended.

—Evangelical Journal

. . . on the issues of pluralism, postmodernism, and biblical interpretation, it is a splendid resource.

—Patrick Rist, Faculty Commons

Product Details

• Title: The Gagging of God: Christianity Confronts Pluralism
• Author: D. A. Carson
• Edition: Fifteenth Edition
• Publisher: Zondervan
• Print Publication Date: 2011
• Logos Release Date: 2012
• Pages: 640
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Subjects: Theology › Methodology; Theology, doctrinal › History--20th century; Religious pluralism; Salvation outside the church; Hermeneutics › Religious aspects--Christianity
• ISBNs: 9780310496717, 9780310242864, 0310496713, 031024286X
• Resource ID: LLS:CHRCONFRNPLUR
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Metadata Last Updated: 2022-09-29T22:38:45Z

About D. A. Carson

D.A. Carson (b. 1946) is one of the most respected New Testament scholars in the world. A respected teacher, author, and speaker, he is currently research professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and the president of The Gospel Coalition. He has served as pastor of Richmond Baptist Church and as the first dean of the seminary of Northwest Baptist Theological College, now known as Northwest Baptist Seminary. Logos has collected his sermons—including audio—in the D.A. Carson Sermon Archive.

Carson lectures in academic and church settings around the world, and is the author of more than 50 books, including Exegetical Fallacies, Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel According to John, The Gagging of God, Showing the Spirit: A Theological Exposition of 1 Corinthians 12–14 and the Intolerance of Tolerance. He is the editor of the Pillar New Testament Commentary series, and coedited of the Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament with G.K. Beale, and the Studies in New Testament Greek series with Stanley Porter. You can find more of Carson’s work in the Baker D.A. Carson Collection (15 vols.).