Inclusivism | Theological Word of the Day

Inclusivism | Theological Word of the Day

Inclusivism
June 8, 2010
The belief concerning the destiny of the unevangelized that the blood of Christ is the only way for a person to be saved, but that one does not necessarily have to hear and believe the Gospel in order to be saved by the blood of Christ. In other words, Christ is needed ontologically, but not epistemologically. Inclusivists would argue that heaven will be populated by many who did not ever accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ such as Old Testament saints (who never heard it) and those who are mentally unable (infants and the mentally handicapped). Therefore, according to inclusivists, God does save people without explicit belief in the Gospel as we know it and he may save those who have never heard the Gospel today in the same way.