I put out the following - not sure that I believe or endorse it, but because I want to consider it awhile; these thoughts and their implications for understanding, truthfulness, clarity, patience, trust - while remaining 'orthodox' but while also exploring possibilities, thoughts, implications, practices that are indeed orthodox, part of a larger Real. 

Surely Christian maturity that allows for doubts on the way to the strengthening of faith, that calls us often to 'chew the meat but spit out the bones,' may also permit (perhaps even encourage) us to explore such implications as that of the following - without being (too) quick to judge, write off, call the theological police or consider all else but oneself a 'heretic.'

Clark Pinnock, Professor Emeritus at McMaster Divinity College, writing in 'Flame of Love: A Theology of the Holy Spirit,' says: "Though Jesus is not named in other faiths, Spirit is present and may be experienced. God can speak to people's hearts through the Spirit." He quotes C. S. Lewis' 'The Last Battle' (in the Narnia Chronicles where a pagan soldier named Emeth learns to his surprise that Aslan (the Christ figure of The Chronicles) regards his worship of Tash, as having been directed to Him.

Believing he is about to be slain because Aslan will surely know he has served Tash not Himself, he nonetheless conclused that it will be enough just to see the great Lion, even if thereafter he must die. "But the Glorious One," write Lewis, "bent down his golden head and touched (his) forehead with his tongue and said, 'Son, thou art welcome.' 'But I said, Alas, Lord, I am no son of Thine but the servant of Tash.' He answered, 'Child, all the service thou hast done to Tash, I account as service done to me.'"

Thus, Pinnock asserts, "it is clear from this excerpt, that Lewis understood God to be at work in the religious life of humanity.'"