Recently, it seems, legitimate theological debates about the workings of God in various religious expressions have given way to using the term “exclusivity of Christ” to dismiss fellow believers and secure one’s spiritual superiority.

Growing religious pluralism has brought the larger issue to the forefront. But daily interaction with neighbors, coworkers and classmates of vastly different faith backgrounds raises more than the one question of whether Jesus is the only way to experience God.

It also causes us to ask — or at least it should — how we relate to those whose faith traditions are vastly different from our own but held with equal fervor and commitment. Those of us who choose not to make disparaging remarks about other religious traditions are often targets of fellow Christians who mistakenly equate their belligerent remarks with standing bold in their beliefs.

In recent years it has been common for some Baptists to disregard others by claiming they don’t believe the Bible — or believe all of it, or believe it hard enough, or believe it just like them. But the options have grown.

Now we often hear accusations of denying “the exclusivity of Christ,” followed by a quote from John 14:6 (NIV): “… No one comes to Father except through me.”

For some of us, however, affirming the unique and sufficient revelation of God in Jesus Christ does not therefore give us a license to assume the role of eternal judge over the souls of all others. We hold to the “exclusivity of God” — that is, the role of judge belongs to God alone. (Plenty of proof-texts for this point of view are available as well.)

Public proclamations that say little more than, “My God’s bigger than your God,” express more arrogance than witness. If we really believe Jesus is the unique revelation of God, shouldn’t we focus on relating to persons in the loving, gracious ways he did?

A recent Associated Press story told how officials in Philadelphia are considering testing and licensing tour guides to cut down on some of the wild tales being told about Betsy Ross, Ben Franklin and others. Tourism leader Meryl Levitz was quoted as saying: “What people value most about their Philadelphia experience is authenticity.”

Authenticity is valued in the faith arena as well. For Christians, authenticity comes only when our convictions and our compassion are well balanced.

In 1996 the Israeli government hosted two small groups from the U.S. — one of prominent evangelical leaders and the other religion journalists. The tours would intersect at various locations and shared events.

One such stop was at a Druze community where these gracious Arab people hosted us and shared their meager resources. Following our table fellowship, community leaders explained their unique monotheistic faith and practices.

More than a decade later I can still feel my discomfort on that day as some of these highly recognizable, American Christian leaders dispensed condescending attitudes and ridiculing comments in response. Guess they were bearing witness or upholding the exclusivity of Christ, but it sure felt like rudeness to me.

Indeed, there are persons — most rarely a Baptist — who see the Christian faith as being just one of many equally valid understandings of God. But equating fellow followers of Jesus — who refuse public condemnation of other religious traditions and hold steadfast to the conviction that eternal decisions rest with God — with embracing such a weak view of the Christian faith is both inaccurate and unfair.

It is kind of like saying someone doesn’t believe the Bible because they won’t use someone else’s code words for describing its inspiration or affirm narrow creedal statements that justify male superiority.

I will stick with both the belief that Jesus is God’s unique revelation — and that God alone sits in judgment.