The Salvation of the Unevangelized: A Comparative Analysis of the views of Clark H. Pinnock and Millard J. Erickson
Problem and Purpose This dissertation addresses the problem of the ongoing disagreement among evangelical theologians, as represented by Clark H. Pinnock and Millard J. Erickson, concerning the issue of the salvation of the unevangelized. This disagreement continued even though both scholars focused on special revelation and general revelation as sources for information leading people to receive salvation. This approach failed to resolve the disagreement even after decades of heated theological debates indicating a need for a different approach to this soteriological problem. While other researchers have documented Pinnock’s and Erickson’s views on the salvation of the unevangelized, their motivations and the milieu of ideas in the evangelical community that influenced these developments have not been adequately described. The purpose of this dissertation is twofold: (1) to critically investigate, describe, analyze, and evaluate Pinnock’s and Erickson’s inclusivist and agnostic models; and (2) to propose a nuanced and improved inclusivist model. Method The method for this research includes the following. Chapter 1 includes an introduction and historical background to the issue of the salvation of the unevangelized. Chapters 2 and 3 present a descriptive survey and analysis of the writings of Pinnock and Erickson, respectively. This is done through examining two factors: (1) the development of their views and (2) how the doctrine of God, Christology, pneumatology, and soteriology influenced their views. Chapter 4 compares, contrasts, and evaluates Pinnock’s and Erickson’s views on the salvation of the unevangelized. It also proposes a model for the possibility of salvation among the unevangelized that builds on the strengths and avoids the weaknesses of Pinnock’s and Erickson’s models. Chapter 5 presents a summary of this dissertation and its conclusions and provides recommendations for further study. Conclusions This study has found that even though both interlocutors were Baptist and evangelical, they developed different models regarding the salvation of the unevangelized: inclusivism (by Pinnock) and soteriological agnosticism (by Erickson). Both scholars made significant contributions to this soteriological debate; however, this issue remains complex, challenging, and unresolved. For decades, they employed different approaches and methods with different results. Pinnock moved from Calvinism to Arminianism, and in the process shifted from exclusivism to inclusivism. Erickson remained a Calvinist and a soteriological agnostic, but revised his position, which brought it closer to general revelation inclusivism. Throughout his career, Erickson has maintained his soteriological agnostic view about one primary claim: that, through general revelation alone, the unevangelized can come to a saving knowledge of God. He has consistently argued for his position, distancing himself from exclusivism while pushing back against inclusivism. However, my examination and evaluation of his many revisions and fine-tuning of his arguments, shows that he has moved closer to general revelation inclusivism than to exclusivism. Pinnock’s inclusivist model is biblically and theologically more helpful than Erickson’s. Pinnock affirmed saving grace through Christ and facilitated by the Holy Spirit in both general and special revelation. The unevangelized can be saved by the faith principle when they gain the knowledge of God via general revelation without needing special revelation. However, this study has expressed reservations regarding the following elements of his model: (1) his definition of general revelation as including divine visions, dreams, and angelic appearances, (2) his view on divine foreknowledge, and (3) his postmortem encounter view. I propose an improved inclusivist model in which general revelation excludes divine dreams, visions, and angelic appearances. In this model, general revelation has five elements: nature, history, human conscience, prevenient grace, and the ministry of the Holy Spirit. This model also excludes Pinnock’s postmortem encounter concept and affirms God’s exhaustive foreknowledge of everything that happens in his cosmos, including all possible and actual divine-human interactions. In brief, this model proposes that Scripture is compatible with the proposal that the unevangelized may be led by God through general revelation to salvation.
Salvation, Unevangelized, Clark Pinnock, Millard Erickson, Inclusivism, Exclusivism, Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion
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