Pluralism in the church: problem or promise?

Roger T Quillin

Etd

Pluralism in the church: problem or promise?

Public Deposited

MLA citation style (9th ed.)

Roger T Quillin. Pluralism In the Church: Problem Or Promise?. Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/b607c216-3349-401d-92ef-903244db8967.

APA citation style (7th ed.)

R. T. Quillin. Pluralism in the church: problem or promise?. https://rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/b607c216-3349-401d-92ef-903244db8967

Chicago citation style (CMOS 17, author-date)

Roger T Quillin. Pluralism In the Church: Problem Or Promise?. Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. https://rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/b607c216-3349-401d-92ef-903244db8967.

Note: These citations are programmatically generated and may be incomplete.

Creator

Roger T Quillin

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In Copyright

Abstract

In an age of theological diversity and moral pluralism, is it any longer possible to define a central core of Christian beliefs and behaviors which are 'necessary' for all Christians to affirm and follow, or to set any boundaries to Christian faith and practice beyond which one may not go and still remain a Christian? If it is, who decides what the center and those boundaries are? The church needs a model which accepts as a cultural given the moral autonomy of the individual, yet which also believes the Christian community has a significant role to play in helping its members make their moral decisions. Since moral authority no longer comes from the 'top down,' does that mean the church must leave each individual alone to be his/her own authority on all moral issues? Or is there a middle ground where genuine moral discourse can take place? The local congregation offers the best hope for the kind of moral dialogue and decision-making which accepts the reality of individual autonomy while re-creating the possibility of community consensus on moral norms.

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