Does God “will” a plurality of religions?

Pope Francis has come under fire for an ambiguous statement that might seem to be undermining the exclusive claims of the Catholic Church. By saying “God willed the diversity of religions” he is blamed for indifferentism–the view that all religions are pretty much the same and “we’re all climbing the same mountain but by different paths” nonsense.

Others who are better theologians than I am have  commented on his statement, and Fr Z’s explanation does it for me.

The fact is we live on a planet with a vast range of different cultures, historical backgrounds, religions, races and tribes. Within that, the Great Commission, Christ the Lord says, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

“All nations” means everyone and all their different religions. Therefore we have to confront primitive tribal religions, paganism, sophisticated philosophical systems, the ancient religions of the East–Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism and Shintoism.

Missionaries confront these religions and cultures with respect, but not without criticism. The Catholic method has always been to find what is good about the other culture and religion, salvage it and “baptize” it–that is claim it for the fullness of Catholicism.

To do this successfully one needs to understand the history of religion and see that the religions that pre-date Christianity can be understood as fore runners of the fullness of the gospel. Of course the religion of the Hebrew people is the one that shows this par excellence but the other religions also do. Hinduism and the paganism of the Ancient Middle East have customs and beliefs that hint at the coming of Christ and he fulfills those religions while at the same time correcting their abuses, misunderstandings and partial vision.

I have never had a problem with the explanation of anthropologists and historians of religion who see a progression in religious understanding through the development of human civilization and learning. The Catholic Church teaches that the Holy Spirit will in time reveal all things and that we are growing in our understanding of God, but it is also clear that the only lens through which that understanding can continue to develop is the incarnation, death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Religions that post date the incarnation of the Lord like Islam, Protestantism or modern New Age sects are in a different category. The other religions looked forward to Christ. The latter look back to Christ for fulfillment. If the others were partial because Christ had not yet come, the latter are partial because they have departed from part of the fullness of truth found only in the Catholic Church.

I agree with Fr Z. therefore, that God “allows” other religions because they are the natural development from general revelation as humans aspire to know and come to understand God most fully. The Catechism says this:














I don’t have a problem with that.

If you call yourself a Catholic and you do have a problem with that then believe me… you have a problem with much more than that.