"Leader of the second largest congregation in the Presbyterian Church (USA), Rev. Shannon Johnson Kershner has declared that Christianity is not the only way to heaven.
Kershner, 45, who leads the 5,500-member Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago, Illinois,
expressed her belief in a podcast with the Chicago Sun-Times after she was asked the question "Is Christianity the only way to heaven?"
"No," Kershner replied bluntly.
"God's not a Christian."
According to the Presbyterian Panel Survey, 2012-2014, 45 percent of PCUSA pastors strongly disagree or disagree that "only followers of Jesus Christ can be saved."
Before sharing her position of salvation, Kershner, who started at Fourth Presbyterian church in 2014, said she regularly doubted the existence of God at times.
For instance, in the aftermath of the deadly Las Vegas massacre, she said, "God has some explaining to do."
When asked if she believed there is a Heaven, Kershner said "I believe so."
"... I believe there is a sense that death is not the last word. I do believe there is a sense of homecoming in God, a relationship. I don't know what that looks like. I'm trying not to think of it temporally or spatially," she added.
When asked what she thought about hell, she said she doesn't think the God she knows from the Bible will be sending anyone there." CP
And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
Revelation 20:9
Kershner, 45, who leads the 5,500-member Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago, Illinois,
"No," Kershner replied bluntly.
"God's not a Christian."
According to the Presbyterian Panel Survey, 2012-2014, 45 percent of PCUSA pastors strongly disagree or disagree that "only followers of Jesus Christ can be saved."
Before sharing her position of salvation, Kershner, who started at Fourth Presbyterian church in 2014, said she regularly doubted the existence of God at times.
For instance, in the aftermath of the deadly Las Vegas massacre, she said, "God has some explaining to do."
When asked if she believed there is a Heaven, Kershner said "I believe so."
"... I believe there is a sense that death is not the last word. I do believe there is a sense of homecoming in God, a relationship. I don't know what that looks like. I'm trying not to think of it temporally or spatially," she added.
When asked what she thought about hell, she said she doesn't think the God she knows from the Bible will be sending anyone there." CP
And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
Revelation 20:9
