Thread 1, & 2 (220 each

hread 1

Jesus made many absolute statements such as the following:

John 14:6: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one   comes to the Father except through me” (NIV).

Matthew 7:13-14: “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is   the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many   enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads   to life, and only a few find it” (NIV).

Interacting with these statements, how would you answer someone   accusing Christianity of exclusivism (as defined in Chapter 8 of the textbook)?

thread 2

Many believe naturalism (atheism) emphasizes intellect and reason,   while religions emphasize faith. Pope John Paul II made the   following profound statement at the beginning of his Encyclical     Letter Fides et Ratio:

“Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit   rises to the contemplation of truth; and God has placed in the human   heart a desire to know the truth – in a word, to know himself   – so that, by knowing and loving God, men and women may also   come to the fullness of truth about themselves” (Catholic Church   & John Paul II, 1998, p. 1).

Do you believe this quote adequately depicts the Christian view of   the interaction of faith and reason, and the value of both? Why or why   not? Does the atheistic worldview also use faith and reason? Why or   why not?

Reference: Catholic Church, & John Paul II. (1998). Faith     and reason: Encyclical letter Fides et ratio of the Supreme Pontiff     John Paul II on the relationship between faith and reason.   Que´bec: Me´diaspaul. Retrieved from http://www.catholic-pages.com/documents/fides_et_ratio.pdf