Tolerance and truth
We must not . . . confuse the problem of toleration with [the] solution of the question of truth. Tolerance is a humane attitude, which respects the personality of the other, but it has nothing to do with the truth or falsity of the “other’s” opinions and ideas. In this sense the genuine Christian missionary in particular will be “tolerant,” yet at the same time he may not believe that there is any truth in the religion of those among whom he lives; he desires that the “heathen” whom he is trying to convert shall be treated with all respect, even in their unconverted state, and he will not try to force the true religion upon them. This tolerance is often sadly lacking in the very persons who profess a relative attitude toward the question of truth and revelation; on the other hand, genuine “tolerance” is often practiced by those who are opposed to all “relative” views of Christianity. (Emil Brunner, Revelation and Reason: The Christian Doctrine of Faith and Knowledge, p. 219)
Category: Biblical Authority Comment »