Often this is the way I am in my Christian life. I know what I believe (or should believe) but when I actually deconstruct my own actions or motives my own belief/faith (same greek word; 'pistis') is questionable. I am left with the reality of my own unbelief ('apistis'). This is why Jesus' response is so comforting; he heals the man's son. Jesus accepts this man's desire to believe as belief. This is what the postmodern Christian needs to grasp. Our salvation does not solely rest on our belief/faith but on Christ's faithfulness.
In my third year at Bethany College I read a textbook in my "Contemporary Thought" class
. This book was "The Myth of Certainty" by Daniel Taylor. The book wrestles with what it means to be an intellectually honest Christian in the church. At a surface level, the contemporary church has a lot for a postmodern critic to deconstruct. When some of these critiques are justified how do we as Christians respond? How do we live when we are split between in the intellectual and Christian worlds? Why are these two worlds supposedly exclusive from each other? If you've ever wrestled with these questions this is a book that you should read. I found it very helpful.Here's where you can respond:
Have you ever gone through times of doubt? What was/is of help for you?
How can we as thoughtful, reflective Christians live in a postmodern world?
If intellectual honesty requires that we admit the possibility that we may be wrong how do we reconcile this with a life of belief/faith?
4 comments:
It might seem reasonable that someone who is young in age or young in the faith would experience doubts. I have been a Christian long enough to experience consistent answers to prayer and very specific, at times dramatic, guidance from God. In light of this, it seems very unreasonable to have doubts. I woud have thought I'd be beyond doubts by now. The fact that I can still at times wonder whether God will hear and answer is an indication to me that we live in a fallen world where there is a veil between us and God, and that there is an enemy of our souls. What helps? Thinking back to the many amazing things God has done, but even more so, reading the totally uncomparable things that Jesus said, like, "I am the way, the truth and the life." Who but God would ever think of such a statement, let alone claim it to be true. Infusion with the Word builds faith.
It is interesting that in my greatest times of doubt, I have come to realize (always later of course) that my life focus had slowly drifted back to me. Part of our post modern world view is that everything is relative and there are no absolutes, unless I want them to exist and it works for my own interest. I'm not going to impose my views on you unless your views get in the way of mine. And this is the same problem that I have with God. When I think that "this" should happen or that I should get "this", then I doubt God's existence when He doesn't care for me. What I love about the story in Mark is the man recognizes his own inability to overcome his world view and he pleads with Jesus to save him from himself. I am that way so often. After 4 years of Bible school I "know" what I should believe and yet I have to fight myself to believe it with all my heart, with the passion that God wants from me. Not with the apathy that is entrenched in me. I do believe, Jesus, save me from myself, help my unbelief.
Perhaps the problem for us post-modern generational Christians is finding the balance between the knowledge in our head and the passion in our heart. Maybe it's just me but I have always know about God, but I have not always felt or experienced God. People have told me that belief is not a feeling but an understanding and acceptance. And yet I don't forget my knowledge when I doubt God. I just don't feel like He exists. I want to be a thinking man, but I also want to feel God close to me. How do we connect intellectualism's with feelings, emotion, passion, and desire?
"I think therefore I am." Decarte and a lot of other modern philosophers equated passion with intellegence. Although its not really popular to follow a line of modern thought, modern philosophers, in my opinion, have often been close to the mark in understanding the relationship between intellegence and conviction. Doubt is the engine of what ultimately fuels faith. Faith can't be faith without intellectual critism.
Dooyeweerd's (Dutch Christian Philosopher-early postmodern period/late modern period)modality scale states that faith is the highest mode/plane of existence in which humans can experience God. For Dooyeweerd, however, Faith would spring out of the second highest mode/plane of existence - reason.
Criticism of modern philosopers notwithstanding, the basic premise of faith being rooted in reason/doubt is something that I have always found valuable in my relationship with God. I guess its sad that experience is becoming the foundation for faith in the postmodern Church - especially since reason/intellect is now public enemy #1. I've often interpreted our desire to believe and our ability to doubt as the same thing . . . Living in the postmodern world is a bit tricky; at the end of the day I'd rather trust reason and doubt over experience any time. (not to say experience isn't valuable-just not as a replacement for reason and intellect).
For me, the problem with experience is not so much the experience itself as the fact that experience needs to be interpreted.
I have found (through... experience) that my interpretation of certain experiences change in light of other experiences. This is why we often search for a defining lense through which we can view our lives. This is where the battle between reason and emotion comes in.
I may know that God is just, but do I feel that God is just? I may think it's reasonable that a good God exists but do I feel as though God is good?
It is possible to live with these in a healthy balance/tension... but it can sure be frustrating sometimes.
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