John Hick (1922–2012) was a British philosopher of religion and theologian whose work significantly influenced progressive Christian thought, particularly in the areas of religious pluralism, the nature of God, and the reinterpretation of traditional Christian doctrines. Hick moved away from orthodox Christianity to develop a theology that emphasized inclusivity, universalism, and the validity of all world religions. His beliefs contrast sharply with confessional Christianity in several key areas.
Key Beliefs and How They Differ from Confessional Christianity
1. Beliefs about Religious Pluralism and Inclusivity:
- John Hick's View: Hick is best known for advocating religious pluralism, the belief that all major world religions are equally valid paths to the ultimate reality, which he referred to as "the Real." He argued that God has revealed Himself in various ways through different religious traditions and that no single religion, including Christianity, holds an exclusive claim to truth. Hick’s perspective suggests that salvation can be achieved through multiple religious paths, and he rejected the traditional Christian teaching that Jesus is the only way to God.
- Confessional Christianity: Confessional Christianity teaches that salvation is found exclusively through faith in Jesus Christ (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). The Westminster Confession of Faith affirms that Christ is the only mediator between God and humanity and that there is no salvation apart from Him. Reformed theology rejects religious pluralism, emphasizing that the gospel message is unique and that Jesus’ atoning work is the sole means of reconciliation with God.
2. Beliefs about the Nature of God:
- John Hick's View: Hick proposed a more abstract and less defined concept of God, referring to God as "the Real" or the ultimate reality. He argued that human understanding of God is shaped by cultural, historical, and religious contexts, leading to diverse expressions of the divine. For Hick, the various world religions are different responses to the same ultimate reality, and no single tradition can fully capture the essence of "the Real."
- Confessional Christianity: Confessional Christianity teaches that God has revealed Himself clearly and specifically through Scripture and that His nature is consistent and unchanging (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8). The Westminster Confession of Faith asserts that God is personal, triune, and fully revealed in the person of Jesus Christ. Reformed theology maintains that the Bible provides a definitive revelation of who God is, unlike Hick’s abstract and relativistic concept of the divine.
3. Views on the Person and Work of Jesus Christ:
- John Hick's View: Hick denied the uniqueness and divinity of Jesus, arguing that Jesus was a great moral teacher and spiritual leader but not the incarnate Son of God. He rejected the orthodox Christian belief in the deity of Christ, His atoning death, and His bodily resurrection. Instead, Hick suggested that Jesus is one of many manifestations of divine truth and that His role should be understood in a broader, more symbolic sense rather than as the exclusive Savior of humanity.
- Confessional Christianity: Confessional Christianity teaches that Jesus is fully God and fully man, the second person of the Trinity who came to save sinners through His death and resurrection (John 1:1, 14; Colossians 2:9). The Westminster Confession of Faith emphasizes that Christ’s work on the cross is the only means of atonement for sin and that His resurrection is a historical fact that guarantees the hope of eternal life. Reformed theology affirms that Jesus is the unique and only Savior of the world, in contrast to Hick’s view that denies His exclusivity and divinity.
4. Beliefs about Salvation and Universalism:
- John Hick's View: Hick was a proponent of universalism, the belief that ultimately all people will be saved, regardless of their religious beliefs or practices. He argued that a loving and just God would not condemn anyone to eternal separation or hell and that all religions are valid paths that lead to the same ultimate reality. This view emphasizes human potential, moral development, and spiritual growth as aspects of salvation.
- Confessional Christianity: Confessional Christianity rejects universalism, teaching that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9). The Westminster Confession of Faith maintains that those who reject Christ face eternal judgment, while those who trust in Him receive eternal life (Matthew 25:46; John 3:18). Reformed theology emphasizes that salvation is not automatic or universal but is granted only to those who repent and believe in Jesus.
5. View of Scripture and Authority:
- John Hick's View: Hick did not hold to the inerrancy or divine inspiration of the Bible, treating it as one of many sacred texts that reflect human attempts to understand the divine. He believed that the Bible, like other religious scriptures, contains valuable moral teachings but is not the ultimate authority on truth. Hick encouraged an interpretive approach that sees the Bible as culturally conditioned and open to reinterpretation in light of modern knowledge and insights.
- Confessional Christianity: Confessional Christianity teaches that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant, and authoritative Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The Westminster Confession of Faith asserts that Scripture is the final authority in all matters of faith and practice and that it provides a clear and definitive revelation of God’s will and truth. Reformed theology holds that the Bible is unique among religious texts and is the ultimate standard for understanding God, salvation, and the Christian life.
Summary of Differences
Why John Hick should be regarded as a false teacher and why his teachings should be avoided:
1. Denial of the Uniqueness and Exclusivity of Christ
John Hick is known for his pluralistic approach to religion, which teaches that all religions are equally valid paths to the ultimate reality, which he referred to as "the Real." He argued that no single religion, including Christianity, holds the exclusive truth about God. This directly contradicts the clear teaching of Scripture that Jesus Christ is the only way to God. Jesus Himself declared, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). The apostle Peter affirmed this exclusivity when he stated, "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).
By promoting the idea that all religions are equally valid, Hick denies the central message of the Gospel—that salvation is found in Christ alone. This false teaching leads people away from the one true hope of eternal life, which is faith in Jesus Christ as the only Savior.
2. Rejection of the Incarnation and the Deity of Christ
John Hick rejected the biblical teaching that Jesus is God incarnate, the second person of the Trinity who took on human flesh. According to Hick, Jesus was not uniquely divine but merely one of many great religious teachers who experienced God in a profound way. This view is a denial of the fundamental Christian doctrine of the Incarnation, which teaches that "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:14). The Bible clearly presents Jesus as God in human form, as evidenced by passages like John 1:1 ("In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God") and Colossians 2:9 ("For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily").
The deity of Christ is central to the Christian faith because it affirms that Jesus is the one true mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5) and that His sacrificial death on the cross has the power to atone for our sins. By denying Christ's divinity, Hick undermines the entire basis of the Gospel and strips Christianity of its unique claim that God entered human history to redeem us from our sins.
3. Promoting Religious Pluralism Contrary to Biblical Revelation
Hick’s pluralism teaches that all religions are equally valid responses to the ultimate reality and that each religion offers a partial understanding of God. However, the Bible teaches that God has revealed Himself fully and finally through Jesus Christ. Hebrews 1:1-2 declares, "Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son." This passage shows that God’s ultimate revelation is found in Christ, and any attempt to place other religions on the same level as Christianity denies the uniqueness and finality of God’s self-revelation in Jesus.
The Bible also clearly states that there is one God (Deuteronomy 6:4) and that the teachings of other religions are false and lead people away from the truth (1 Corinthians 8:5-6). Hick’s pluralistic philosophy encourages people to seek God through false paths, which ultimately leads them away from the saving knowledge of Christ.
4. Undermining the Authority of Scripture
Hick’s teachings reject the Bible’s authority as the inspired and infallible Word of God. He treated the Bible as just one of many religious texts that contain insights about God, rather than as the unique and authoritative revelation of God’s truth. However, Scripture declares itself to be "God-breathed" and "profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16). Jesus affirmed the authority of the Old Testament (Matthew 5:17-18) and promised that the Holy Spirit would guide His apostles into all truth, resulting in the New Testament writings (John 16:13).
By denying the unique authority of the Bible, Hick undermines the foundation of Christian faith and opens the door to relativism, where truth becomes subjective and shaped by human opinion rather than by God’s revealed Word.
5. Diminishing the Doctrine of Sin and the Need for Redemption
Hick's pluralistic approach minimizes the biblical teaching about sin, judgment, and the need for redemption through Christ. According to the Bible, all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), and the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). The message of the Gospel is that Jesus came to save sinners (1 Timothy 1:15) and that through His death and resurrection, we can be forgiven and reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:18-19).
Hick’s teaching denies the necessity of Christ’s atoning sacrifice, suggesting that salvation can be found through various religious paths and practices. This rejection of the biblical teaching about sin and redemption is dangerous because it offers people a false sense of security apart from the only means of salvation that God has provided—faith in Jesus Christ.
Conclusion from Scripture
The Bible warns believers to be on guard against false teachers who distort the truth and lead others astray. The apostle Paul wrote in Galatians 1:8-9, "But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed." John also warned, "Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father. The one who confesses the Son has the Father also" (1 John 2:23).
John Hick’s teachings deny the exclusive claims of Christ, the authority of Scripture, and the necessity of salvation through Jesus alone. By promoting religious pluralism, Hick leads people away from the truth of the Gospel and encourages them to seek salvation through false paths. This makes him a false teacher who should be avoided, as his teachings contradict the clear revelation of God’s Word.
Believers are called to remain steadfast in the truth of Scripture, which declares that "there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 2:5). Therefore, based on the authority of God's Word, Christians should reject John Hick's teachings and remain faithful to the Gospel, which is "the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16).