Letter to the Editor:
In “When Religion Fosters Evil”, North Carolina scholar Charles Kimball claims that religions may fall prey to five corrupting influences, each the result of human corruption. He states problems (of evil) may arise when “zealous and devout adherents elevate the teachings and beliefs of their tradition to the level of absolute truth claims.”
Fascinating – Kimball, an ordained Baptist minister, claims that:
- Christianity is not really true, but is merely a tradition,
- truth claims in Christianity are due to human corruption, and
- authentic faith [in what?] is the only means to combat the ensuing evil and violence.
Taking Kimball’s advice on how to avoid further problems of evil, we must conclude that Kimball’s own views merely reflect his own tradition, and are not really true.
Best regards,
Life in the Spirit 