Our pluralistic, postmodern culture provides fertile soil for the renewed growth of inclusivism and even universalism.
The shift described in the quote by Robert Gundry below should cause us to seriously reflect on the direction the church is headed in respect to its mission in the world. A lot has been written about the need for the church to move beyond a narrow focus on making converts and broaden its mission to include issues of social justice. I don't think anyone can argue that true Christian mission ought to be holistic, touching both the physical and spiritual needs of people, but the real question is whether evangelism is taking a back seat to social ministry. Gundry's quote is certainly worthy of heartfelt reflection among those of us who care about the gospel.
"It remains to be seen what an effect on Christian evangelism and missionary endeavor the migration from exclusivism through inclusivism toward universalism will have, but Burdick and Hammond ("World Order and Mainline Religions", 198-205) chart a decline in past American foreign missions with the shift of purpose in three stages: (1) From the conversion of non-Christians (2) to the exercise of philanthropic compassion on them (3) to a co-religious companionship with them. And it seems likely that the passion for souls that carries over from many inclusivist's upbringing in exclusivistic circles will dissipate among second and third generation inclusivists. Bringing people to Christ merely sooner than they otherwise would come to him does not provide so strong a motivation for evangelism and missions as does the bringing of people to Christ who would otherwise be forever lost."
Robert Horton Gundry in "Jesus the Word According to John the Sectarian" pg. 108
