Friday, December 28, 2007
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Off to Kansas City
Well, we'll be leaving in the morning for Kansas City. My oldest (Michael) is getting married. We're so excited. And a bit stressed. They asked if I'd so the wedding. Of course! How cool is that? I did my sister's wedding in September, and now I get to do my son's.
Anyway, I hope the weather holds up. They've been having some really bad ice down there.
Anyway, I hope the weather holds up. They've been having some really bad ice down there.
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Anti-intellectualism
I don’t know if it’s just me, or if it’s just in some of the circles I move around in, but there seems to be a sort of growing anti-intellectualism within Evangelical Christianity. There’s this idea that people should only read “approved” books. Some groups have even banned (or at least strongly discourage) their members from reading certain Christian authors.
Now, I’ve got to admit it: that really bugs me… a lot. Actually, I'm pretty sick of it. Folks who think they have no need for theology don’t realize that they are only one small step away from bowing to the shine of pagan gods. Folks who think that faith means turning the brain off don’t realize that what they think if faith is hollow and lifeless—dead. Folks who think that anything that smacks of theology is merely the “wisdom of men” and can be tossed out with the evening trash are deluded and deceived—they do not have the truth, only their own personal illusion of truth.
Faith is not blind. Faith and reason are both gifts of God. They are two sides of the same coin. One without the other is not truth but a lie. Faith that is not thought out is not biblical faith. It is empty-headedness. Reason that has no basis in faith is not intelligence, but vanity. They must go together—one lifting the other, one under-gurding the other, one informing the other.
It was Martin Luther who said that “Literalists are lemmings.” To have faith without reason is to have no faith. It is to be a lemming. It is to follow someone or something to our destruction. Faith that rejects reason and theology and intellectualism rejects Christianity.
That’s not to say that only the intelligent can be Christian. That’s not to say that faith is only for those who are theologians or scholars. By no means! Paul tells us that God’s foolishness is wiser than any human wisdom. It is not human wisdom we seek. It is God’s. And God’s wisdom comes only through diligence and perseverance and persistence and hard work. It’s what discipleship is all about.
Anyway, I suppose I could say more, but I won’t (at least not now—maybe later.). Suffice it to say that I believe it’s time (past time) for Christians to start taking their faith seriously enough to use their brains, to wrestle with the tough issues of their faith. It’s time to be transformed by the renewing of the mind.
Now, I’ve got to admit it: that really bugs me… a lot. Actually, I'm pretty sick of it. Folks who think they have no need for theology don’t realize that they are only one small step away from bowing to the shine of pagan gods. Folks who think that faith means turning the brain off don’t realize that what they think if faith is hollow and lifeless—dead. Folks who think that anything that smacks of theology is merely the “wisdom of men” and can be tossed out with the evening trash are deluded and deceived—they do not have the truth, only their own personal illusion of truth.
Faith is not blind. Faith and reason are both gifts of God. They are two sides of the same coin. One without the other is not truth but a lie. Faith that is not thought out is not biblical faith. It is empty-headedness. Reason that has no basis in faith is not intelligence, but vanity. They must go together—one lifting the other, one under-gurding the other, one informing the other.
It was Martin Luther who said that “Literalists are lemmings.” To have faith without reason is to have no faith. It is to be a lemming. It is to follow someone or something to our destruction. Faith that rejects reason and theology and intellectualism rejects Christianity.
That’s not to say that only the intelligent can be Christian. That’s not to say that faith is only for those who are theologians or scholars. By no means! Paul tells us that God’s foolishness is wiser than any human wisdom. It is not human wisdom we seek. It is God’s. And God’s wisdom comes only through diligence and perseverance and persistence and hard work. It’s what discipleship is all about.
Anyway, I suppose I could say more, but I won’t (at least not now—maybe later.). Suffice it to say that I believe it’s time (past time) for Christians to start taking their faith seriously enough to use their brains, to wrestle with the tough issues of their faith. It’s time to be transformed by the renewing of the mind.
Sunday, December 02, 2007
The Road Ahead
I ran across this quote from a guy named Jean Pierre Camus worth thinking about. He says, "He who believes himself to be far advanced in the spiritual life has not even made a good beginning."
We all know people like that. But I don't think that's the point of the quote. The point is we need to examine our own spiritual attitudes. I've come to believe that there really is no such thing a "Christian maturity"... only maturing Christians.
When I look at the road ahead, looking back at how far I've come doesn't seem like such a great a distance after all. When we think of ourselves as "far advanced" it's because we compare our selves to ourselves (or worse, others) rather than the goal--which is Christ.
We all know people like that. But I don't think that's the point of the quote. The point is we need to examine our own spiritual attitudes. I've come to believe that there really is no such thing a "Christian maturity"... only maturing Christians.
When I look at the road ahead, looking back at how far I've come doesn't seem like such a great a distance after all. When we think of ourselves as "far advanced" it's because we compare our selves to ourselves (or worse, others) rather than the goal--which is Christ.
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