MagisterCultuum
Great Sage
Christians may be exclusivists (who believe that only professed Christians may be saved), inclusivists (who believe that Christ may accept many righteous persons who did not knowingly accept him during their lifetime), or universalists (who hold that all shall be saved, possibly immediately upon death or possibly after eons of suffering to purify and prepare their souls).
I am inclined to consider the inclusivist position to have the most biblical support, but exclusivism is the dogma of most major denominations. Many more take a sort of middle road between exclusivism and inclusivism, being inclusivist for very young children and maybe for members of remote tribes where no one ever heard of Jesus, but still firmly exclusivist for any adult they are ever likely to meet.
(I also really don't like the wording "go to heaven," as the biblical position is not about the spirit leaving the body to reach paradise but about the body being resurrected here or Earth and glorified to live forever on the New Earth.)
I am inclined to consider the inclusivist position to have the most biblical support, but exclusivism is the dogma of most major denominations. Many more take a sort of middle road between exclusivism and inclusivism, being inclusivist for very young children and maybe for members of remote tribes where no one ever heard of Jesus, but still firmly exclusivist for any adult they are ever likely to meet.
(I also really don't like the wording "go to heaven," as the biblical position is not about the spirit leaving the body to reach paradise but about the body being resurrected here or Earth and glorified to live forever on the New Earth.)
