Mentioning other religions in sermons

Mentioning other religions in sermons requires careful theological discernment rather than a blanket yes or no. How you frame these references matters enormously.

Scripture clarifies that Christians’ mandate toward “others”—even enemies—differs fundamentally from national government policy, and loving the other doesn’t weaken Christian witness. Preachers can take prophetic stands by highlighting distinctions between national citizenship and discipleship, particularly when current events involve religious conflict.[1] This suggests mentioning other religions can be appropriate when it serves a theological purpose.

However, the approach matters significantly. There’s concern that interreligious dialogue focused on understanding has sometimes displaced evangelistic proclamation centered on repentance and conversion.[2] If your sermon mentions other religions primarily to compare them unfavorably or reduce them to caricatures, you risk undermining your witness. When religious traditions are reduced to their false views—such as claiming Hinduism and Buddhism reduce evil to amoral necessity—readers are led to conclude this results from non-Christian distortion of truth.[2]

The healthier approach integrates references to other religions when they illuminate Christian doctrine or ethical teaching. Alongside Christianity’s particularity comes complementary themes of universality, inclusion, and tolerance—attitudes toward the stranger, ethnic diversity, God’s universal care, and the eschatological hope of believers from all nations. Such exclusivity should never lead to vain glory or malice, since both Israel and the church are chosen by God’s grace to be a light to the nations in word and deed.[3]

Rather than avoiding other religions or dismissing them wholesale, consider whether mentioning them serves to clarify Christian truth, challenge cultural assumptions, or demonstrate genuine respect for people of different faiths while maintaining your theological convictions.

[1] Joni S. Sancken and Paul Scott Wilson, Stumbling over the Cross: Preaching the Cross and Resurrection Today (New York, NY: Cascade Books, 2016). [See here.]
[2] Amos Yong, “The Inviting Spirit: Pentecostal Beliefs and Practices Regarding the Religions Today,” in Defining Issues in Pentecostalism: Classical and Emergent, ed. Steven M. Studebaker, McMaster Divinity College Press Theological Studies Series (Eugene, OR: Pickwick Publications, 2008), 1:32.
[3] D. S. Strange, “Christianity and Other Religions,” in New Dictionary of Theology: Historical and Systematic, ed. Martin Davie et al. (London; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press; InterVarsity Press, 2016), 173.