Evangelicals blanch at such assertions. They would argue, as would I, that God alone has a “monopoly” on truth. He is Truth—which means that truth is defined in relation to the God revealed in Scripture. A “monopoly” concerning religious truth implies a human claim to omniscience that virtually all Christians, and many non-Christian faiths, reject.

As to the question of “conversation” and “common ground,” it seems both counter-productive and wrong to argue that one must have doubt as a virtue and requirement for dialogue with other faiths who have competing truth claims. The Apostle Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, made unique truth claims for the Christian faith.Yet he also said he didn’t understand everything, and only in the next life would he be able to see with complete clarity (1 Corinthians 13:12).

In the past 150 years of Western Civilization, it has not been uncommon for people with competing, contradictory truth claims to have conversations, find areas of common ground, and respect remaining differences. The foundation for such discussions is a commitment to freedom of conscience, a rejection of any coercion in matters of religion, and a common assent to respect what Pope John Paul II referred to as the “sacred sanctuary of the soul.” As long as people respect the beliefs of others, even when they vehemently disagree with those beliefs, and reject coercion at all levels, then common ground on various areas of societal debate is possible.