by F. K. Bartels

Created on: January 08, 2009   Last Updated: June 28, 2010

An entire book could be written on the various religions of the world. Indeed, there are many scholarly works which discuss the origins, doctrines and truth claims of the numerous extant religious systems. Yet the primary question which should be the basis of every man’s search for religion is truth. Therefore truth is the point of departure for this article.

Men hold a plethora of views regarding religion. Contemporary society is rife with conflicting notions of what religion is, or should be, or if there is any truth to it all. Some who hold to religious indifferentism argue against the possibility of one, true religion; others relativize a specific religion to their liking, subjectively modifying its doctrine to fit whatever happens to be their desired mold; and still others find the whole issue of religious truth rather an insignificant bother, hardly worth any real effort.

But then there are others who correctly arrive at the reasonable conclusion that God must exist as a necessary Being; and that this supreme Being, the Creator of the universe, is Truth Itself; and that this Creator must have revealed himself to mankind. Thus this revelation, if it is truly from God, must be wholly and completely true. God who is Truth cannot have revealed his Truth with an admixture of error. The conclusion is that God is the Author of truth just as he is the Author of creation. Yet a problem exists; for it is abundantly clear that there is no two religious systems in the midst of the world which are in complete agreement. In fact, on comparing many of them, there is indeed radical and profound contrasts.

Take for example the difference between the doctrines of Eastern religions, such as Buddhism, and those of Christians. The former does not profess the existence of a personal God, while the latter does. Such a difference is of extreme importance, with far reaching consequences which must not be overlooked.

When we look into history we find that man has always been religious. He has always sought to worship an all-powerful Being whom he believed was responsible for his existence and the existence of created reality around him. History also clearly shows a great deal of confusion regarding who God is, what he wants of man, and how man is to relate to God. But man always, then as now, returns to question his purpose in life, asking of himself, “Why do I exist? And, where am I going to go after my death?”

Religion is man’s relation to God; thus it

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