Week 4 - God's Saving Plan: Beyond the Boundaries of Christianity

For this last post, I will start with the definition of oikonomia (οἰκονομία), as we have seen during a lecture, which means the management or stewardship of a household. In other words, this is the art of managing a house. Theologically, it refers to how God manages his household such as Creation and his plans for humankind. Similarly, Oikoumene derives from the ancient Greek word oikoumenē, meaning "the inhabited world" or "the inhabited earth" stemming from the verb oikeō, meaning "to inhabit, dwell, or reside". Thus if God manages his household, his Will guides Creation including those who dwell in it - composed of people with diverse religious faiths or belief sets.

My question, then, remains: how this household work for us? Some believe we are erring on this earth. Others believe we simply need to live our lives and the rest will be taken care for. When I think back at Santiago’s excellent lecture on interreligious dialogues, some things don’t really add up when we compare the economy of salvation in a Christian perspective and similar notions from other religions.

Again I approach my thought provoking question with humility, I do not want to oppose or distort the message of the Gospel and be labeled as what St Paul calls “enemies of the Cross.” Yet, I am puzzled with questions.

For example, through a theological lens, Luke’s account of the storm at sea in Act 27, right before Paul’s shipwreck in Malta. Paul urges those onboard to take some food. Luke intentionally writes in a Eucharistic language similar to such narrative as the multiplication of bread, the Last Supper, and at Emmaus: Paul "took bread, gave thanks to God, broke it, and gave it". Was it not Paul himself who insisted that everyone remain together in order to be saved? And did he not share this with all those on the ship, including pagans, soldiers, prisoners, and sailors – many who were non-baptized? Would this not give us a hint at God’s universal saving plan?

Furthermore, I shall add more questions we can ask ourselves : Is the Eucharist made simply for Christians? Why do we celebrate it? Did Christ not also die for those who do not believe in him? So why does Luke echoes’ Eucharistic language in this episode?

Some may argue that the narrative of the storm at sea represents exceptional circumstance allowing for a broader communion. However if we refer to the multiplication of bread, was it not offered to both Israel and, in other accounts, to Gentile territory? Or was this another extreme case scenario requiring remediation? Clearly we are meaning more than just ordinary food for physical sustenance. This alludes to the spiritual nourishment that gives life to ALL giving way to more universal elements of salvation.

Moreover, we also have examples where Christ puts an end to rituals devoid of meaning, which can be seen as magical and superstitious rituals. Yet Christianity later developed complicated liturgical systems and institutions that, at times may appear mechanical and magical like if their deeper meaning is forgotten - even affirming at one point that "outside the Church there is no Salvation". 

These allusions I make serve to prove that we must not betray the Gospel and should rather broaden the boundaries of God’s kingdom by remaining faithful to the original and central message of Jesus who moved his proclamation from Jerusalem to ALL Nations.

Paragraph 17 of Lumen Gentium reaffirms Christ's mission to:

preach the Gospel to every nation,

make disciples,

baptize,

and continue the apostolic mission until the end of time.

Therefore we have a responsibility, like I showed with Gospel accounts, to engage in interreligious dialogue and invite in genuine discussion knowing that Christianity is not against ‘otherness’ rather it is open to 'save' outside the Church.

Another question comes to mind: how are we saved and what does Salvation look like in everyday life? Is it simply to announce that we have a vocation and a destiny to something greater? Do we need saving? Is our mission merely to announce something greater than ourselves?

Pope Francis encyclical Laudato si’ call us to respect Creation and that nothing is at our disposal; everything is entrusted to us. We are custodian and not owners; Nature is not matter to exploit. In this sense, the Church has taken steps beyond the lens of liturgical practices and doctrinal symbols. Faith must also be expressed through concrete actions; it must compel us to move forward where Salvation is more than just saving our own self. 

Likewise, paragraph 16 of Lumen Gentium affirms that God’s providence has a universal reach. It extends to those in good conscience, who respond to his grace beyond the boundaries of the Church

 

Therefore, the experience of the divine is universal; our purpose here is not to persuade others to change their belief sets, but for us to bear witness to Christ. Rather than becoming entangled in conflicting opinions—or dismissing others as "enemies of the cross," as Paul might have expressed in his time—we should seek to harmonize divergent interests. This does not mean abandoning our conviction or remaining neutral, but approaching with openness, humility, and respect. We must recognize that this relationship—this union—becomes a genuine encounter, despite the disparity in beliefs.

Without judging others, let us bear witness to our faith in Christ, who announces salvation to ALL. Like Paul at the Areopagus in Athens, we must testify our faith and our Christian spirituality, placing the emphasis on the Kerygma. A Church continues to proclaim Jesus Christ as the unique Savior of humanity while recognizing that God's grace is at work well beyond the visible boundaries of the Church.

In the end, this requires some maturity from our part - a continual conversion of self in Christ. And I will conclude with this quotation from Santiago's handout:

"For a spiritually evolved person, multiplicity of religions is not a problem at all; rather, it can be a blessing in the sense that the person is constantly challenged to live a genuinely religious, spiritual, and human life."