having once understood Jesus in this way, it seems we are driven to saying that what he did was of universal significance

• I think the vital contention here is how we arrive at the conclusion that what Jesus did was of universal significance.

  The apostle, Peter, for example, did not seem to be greatly motivated towards / aware of the “Every Ethnos” commission, at least until the Spirit was undeniably and visibly poured out upon the Gentiles. It then took an early church council for this to be recognised formally, but still no clear moves were made to act in any obvious more-urgent missionary sense, upon this revelation, were they? It took a persecution to really thrust the apostles outwards, as far as we can tell, at least until Paul came into view.

  Perhaps then, the ‘universal’ element can only really come into its intended impact if the missionary task really is undertaken and completed: without it people will continue to remain outside the Covenant purposes of the Creator (subject to an indeterminate eternity, unlike those within the Covenant purposes, who receive their notice of deliverance right away…)

“we put the emphasis not on Christianity as being the religion that has the best religious teacher/saviour but on a community that bears the impression of its Lord.” But it sounds from this as though if push came to shove Andrew would say that Christianity does have a place over all other religions.

• I think we could turn this on it’s head by saying that Christianity has a place underneath all religions. In other words, we have a weight of responsibility towards Truth and Justice that people of other religions don’t have; a weight which, frankly, overwhelmed the Hebrew people. Isn’t that the kind of thing which Paul, in Romans 2 was speaking about? We are called to serve peoples the world over, recognising the image of God within them, regardless of religious background.

you could argue that while Jesus’ action has made an ontological difference to the world it is one which benefits people of whatever faith

• I think this line of reasoning altruistically, but ultimately dangerously, undermines the missionary imperative which is described above. Regardless of what we believe about eternal destination of non-Christians, we are Called by Love to serve his eternal purpose: to bring many to the glory of a new, yet-to-be-fully-revealed creation in which the Messiah is All-in-All.

Does nobody share my unease about us being the privileged speck in a universe of 125 billion galaxies?

• ….it seems to me that in a universe that big, there’s bound to be someone out there that shares it… ;)

Shalom!
John