Objection · Case 05 · Relativism
The elephant parable is Buddhist and Jain in origin and is used there to teach humility, not to claim a God’s-eye view. Isn’t “the pluralist claims the God’s-eye view” a Christian talking point those traditions wouldn’t recognize?
One objection from the free evidence repository at apologetics.pro.
Response
The parable’s origin should be credited, and the reply, which comes from Lesslie Newbigin, should be too. The reply has force against Hick’s use of the parable, which does claim to know that all the religions are responses to one Real. It has less force against a Jain who uses the parable to say that all views, including his own, are partial. The two uses are different, and the honest move is to ask which one the person in front of you is making before answering.
About this exhibit
This objection is to Religious pluralism, the view of John Hick (competing explanation).
The strongest form of the opposing view comes from philosopher John Hick, who argued that the great religions are different human responses to one ultimate reality, often illustrated with the…