The increasingly popular notion of various religions being merely different paths to the same reality and truth, is something that Elijah would have taken issue with. For this great prophet it was either Baal or the Lord, with no straddling of the issue. Although there is some appeal and even some validity to “the all paths leading to the same reality” idea, it does seem to render God a rather inept revealer of himself, For, in revealing himself, God seems to provide the dizzying array of divine attributes (as propounded by the different religions) attributes that are often incompatible with one another. Respect for the beliefs of others and avoidance of intolerance does not mean that we have to be tentative or apologetic in witnessing to our Christian and Catholic beliefs—provided, as Saint Paul insisted—we speak the truth in love. And so although some might consider our Christian claim to the Truth hubristic and shortsighted, anything less than the Truth is surely not something worth giving oneself to as we have done through our monastic consecration.
Charles Burk says
Father, you have well-defined the issue and thank you for the clear view. I’ve felt uncomfortable at times when my fellow Catholics fail to clearly state the Truth for fear of seeming intolerant. And to your later point, the Truth is just as Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life, no man comes to the Father but by me”. We must not cower from that Truth but offer it with gentleness and love.
Pax