Text: John 14:1-14

Jesus said …
“I am the way, and the truth, and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.”
                                                               John 14:6

Here is the classic statement of Christian particularity, sometimes restated as “There is no salvation without Jesus, or outside the Church.”

Some people have rejected this exclusive claim because of the negativity of the history, e.g., Crusades, the Inquisition, Irish troubles, Residential schools… The temptation is simply to ignore the text, out of distaste for how others have interpreted it. All the wishing in the world won’t make a difficult text disappear, nor will it undo history. It may be tempting to do what Thomas Jefferson did, when he rewrote the Gospels, discarding the portions that he disagreed with—leaving a very truncated book, probably reflecting Jefferson’s personal biases much more than the truth about Jesus.

There are still many who continue to hold firm to the claim of radical exclusivity. We hear these claims most dramatically among those who see all non-Christians as demonically inspired, in dire need of conversion, even forcible if need be.

The text’s key assertion is simple: Jesus is God’s unique and definitive self-revelation. Jesus is the unique way to knowing the truth of God, and to receiving eternal life—which John always presents as “here and now.” (Theologians call this “Realized Eschatology”—the age to come has already begun with the Resurrection of Christ, and is experienced by all who say ‘yes’ to Jesus.)

Historically, the verse has been interpreted in an exclusionary fashion, a “my way or the highway” kind of thinking, understanding our own experience of salvation as normative. “Jesus is the only way—so you have to receive Jesus in the same way as I did. If you don’t, I can treat you as less than fully human, because you are destined to damnation anyway.”

Against this, I believe we should strive to read the verse as an invitation for others to join us on the way. We do not have to see our own experience of God as normative for others—we are unique, after all, and others will hear the call in their own unique ways, and their own particular contexts. Nonetheless, having experienced this eternal life into which Jesus is the way, we can and should invite others to share in it, not demanding that they have the same experience, but desiring that they may share the joy which we know in Christ. It is an invitation, to be sure, but a unique invitation to follow the only Son of God

Jesus’ words to Thomas were said out of love to one who had been following Jesus on the way for some years—and who should already have known the truth. For Thomas and the rest of the disciples there was no other choice. And there is no other choice for us. We have heard the call—and Jesus is the way…

What, then, of those who have not heard the call of the Good Shepherd? It seems to me that it is possible, even likely, that God can work through other religions in ways that we do not understand. Our lack of understanding or wisdom can never limit God’s ability to act. Therefore, we need not reject everything about every other religion. But that does not make every religion equally valid or even true. Very clearly, some religious views and practices are “false, harmful, and even despicable.” Also, it is not true that all religions teach the same thing, even though we may find some major similarities in certain broad areas. (See Dan  Clendinin's latest essay) For example, almost every world religion has a saying that echoes the “Golden Rule.” The Chapel at the Assiniboine Centre has a display of many of them. What this says to me is that Christians may have no monopoly on kindness, mercy, and love, but we do have a unique view of their source, and a unique call to share that Good News.

There is no sin in trying to convert someone to our point of view. If we sincerely believe someone is wrong on some point of view, it is entirely reasonable to try to change their mind. It is also entirely wrong to try to do this in an unloving, legalistic, or coercive manner.

If we have Good News to share, our sharing of it should itself be Good News.

Jesus is the way—the unique way, the way that we are called to share with the world, helping to lead others to the many dwelling places in God’s house. We have this joyful obligation to invite others into the truth, to know with us the Risen Life in Christ. Let us not shrink from it, but embrace it, and follow our Lord, who is the way, the truth and the life.