Overview
This master class explores the philosophy of salvation (soteriology) in the “Jesus Way,” examining traditional Christian beliefs about salvation through epistemological and ontological scrutiny, comparing them with the teachings of Jesus and near-death experience (NDE) accounts.
Foundations of Theology and Epistemology
- The five core attributes of God are oneness, omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence, and omni-benevolence.
- All theological claims are ultimately metaphysical and ontological in nature.
- Epistemology (the study of knowledge) is essential to test and justify any claim about salvation or God.
- Beliefs must be rigorously scrutinized for contradictions to ensure their epistemic soundness.
Soteriology: The Nature and Mechanics of Salvation
- Traditional Christian claims (e.g., God cannot forgive without blood sacrifice) are examined against God’s core attributes.
- Claims that posit limitations or contingencies on God (e.g., requiring blood for forgiveness) create logical contradictions and ontological violations.
- Salvation is reframed not as a product of belief or contingency, but as alignment with universal laws that reflect God’s nature.
Jesus’s Teachings on Salvation
- Jesus emphasized repentance, obedience, and love/service as the pillars of salvation.
- The law of one (unity and love) is the true foundation of Jesus’s gospel and the path to salvation.
- Jesus’s teachings oppose salvation by mere confession or faith alone, instead pointing to ethical behavior and inner transformation.
Epistemic Process and Logical Analysis
- The presentation explains key laws of logic: identity, non-contradiction, and excluded middle.
- Truth tables are used to test theological propositions for internal consistency.
- Reduction to absurdity is used to show that orthodox claims about limited forgiveness contradict God’s essential nature.
Near-Death Experiences and Empirical Support
- NDEs across cultures overwhelmingly affirm that salvation is connected to love, forgiveness, and how we treat others.
- NDE accounts consistently refute beliefs that salvation is based on mere faith, confession, or religious identification.
- Empirical and subjective accounts provide external validation for Jesus’s ethical teachings.
Key Takeaways and Applications
- Aligning with truth and universal law is essential, as only the truth can save and applies to all.
- The core of salvation is practicing humility, repentance, and unconditional love.
- Rigorous questioning and honest epistemic analysis should guide personal beliefs and religious claims.
Recommendations / Advice
- Test all religious and metaphysical beliefs using logic, reason, and personal experience.
- Focus spiritual practice on ethical living, forgiveness, and loving others, as affirmed by Jesus’s teachings and corroborated by NDEs.
- Humbly admit mistakes, repent, and continuously align actions with divine law.
Questions / Follow-Ups
- How can religious communities encourage more questioning and epistemic rigor?
- What practical steps can believers take to embody the law of one in daily life?