The Catholicity of the Church: Pneumatological Exclusivism for the Universal Presence of Christ in the People of God

Abstract

Over against pneumatological inclusivism arguing for the possibility of salvation of religious others in particular and the unevangelized in general, this dissertation champions pneumatological exclusivism for the constitution and salvation of the church catholic of the new covenant.

In chapter 1, this dissertation provides an outline of this project containing its thesis, methodology, history of research, significance, and argument.

In chapter 2, this dissertation demonstrates pneumatological exclusivism for the constitution of the church catholic of the new covenant: the hearing and appropriation of the preached gospel that leads to conversion as the prerequisite for the realization of baptism with, the outpouring of, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in putting into effect the constitution of the new covenant people of God.

In chapter 3, this dissertation establishes pneumatological exclusivism for the salvation of the church catholic of the new covenant: the hearing of the preached gospel as the precondition for the realization of the work of the Holy Spirit in effectual calling, regeneration, and union with Christ.

In chapter 4, this dissertation discusses the nature of pneumatological inclusivism of the Roman Catholic Church represented as institutional inclusivism: the salvation of religious others and the unevangelized through the visible Roman Catholic Church. It then assesses and refutes institutional inclusivism of the Roman Catholic Church on the ground of theological principles of pneumatological exclusivism for the constitution and salvation of the church catholic of the new covenant.

In chapter 5, this dissertation discusses the essence of Jürgen Moltmann’s pneumatological inclusivism understood as universal inclusivism: the salvation of all created beings in God through the Holy Spirit. It then evaluates and repudiates his universal inclusivism on the ground of theological principles of pneumatological exclusivism for the constitution and salvation of the church catholic of the new covenant.

In chapter 6, this dissertation discusses the substance of Amos Yong’s pneumatological inclusivism expressed as Pentecostal inclusivism: the salvation of all flesh upon whom the Holy Spirit has been poured out. It then assesses and rebuts his Pentecostal inclusivism on the ground of theological principles of pneumatological exclusivism for the constitution and salvation of the church catholic of the new covenant.

In chapter 7, this dissertation reaffirms its thesis and recapitulates the thrust of the foregoing discussion in chapters 2–6.