PAUL F. KNITTER: DARI TITIK KE TANDA TANYA

Sebuah Survey dan Penelitian terhadap Teologi Knitter

Abstract

The New Testament and the entire of historical existence of Christianity proclaim that Jesus is God's salvation. That proclamation is condensed in the name of Jesus that it is the name that brings salvation to mankind. Throughout the history of Christian theology, no Christian has questioned it. All accept it as a fundamental theological truth. In 1985, Paul Knitter's book was published which caused a theological uproar. This article aims to investigate the intricacies of Knitter's theology.
The research method that I use is a qualitative-descriptive method and a comparative study of literature. In that context, I try to examine Knitter's books and books that discuss the issue of salvation in the name of Jesus. The focus of this research is on Paul Knitter's theology.
The results of this study are intended to provide a descriptive understanding of Knitter's theology and to evaluate it theologically. This research also wants to show an understanding of Knitter's theological thinking. In my opinion, Knitter’s way of doing theology is the way the believers approach the mystery of Jesus in the order of human salvation. It seems that since 1985, Knitter's book has been the first step in seeking out the way to build up a dialogue of religions in the context of today's religious pluralism. This initial step was enriched by nuances in the various follow-up studies that Knitter and other theologians built with similar concerns and commitments. Judging Knitter based solely on the 1985 book, it wouldn't be fair. It must be seen in the context of the books and other works that Knitter produced in relation to and dialogue with the great tradition of church theology.