An Essential Element

If there is only one thing that you, as a student, can take away from our class, I would hope that it would be the ability to articulate the difference between absolute truth and relativism. If we do not hold to absolute truth, then nothing else matters! Our ideas, our beliefs, have consequences. Truth matters. "According to a recent George Barna scientific poll, only 6% of all teens believe in absolute moral truth. What’s more alarming is Barna’s statistic that only 9% of all evangelical teens believe in absolute moral truth.How are Christian teens going to act differently than the prevailing culture if they think and view the world the same way?" (1)

Truth is absolute, universal, objective,transcendent, and immutable. Any other approach to truth is relative, subjective, and as unstable as shifting and sinking sand. I will not define all these terms here since we have already done so in class; however, I do hope that you will resolve to articulate the difference between these two worldview approaches. In today's society, the communication of the gospel depends on it. ( You may want to revisit an earlier post: "Rooted in the Absolute")

(1) Commentary on the Rewired curriculum series co-produced by Chuck Colson and Teen Mania. Available at www.breakpoint.org/generic.asp?ID=2540; accessed August 29, 2006.

"Created for another world"

Welcome to 2nd semester, and thanks for such a great discussion group yesterday! I really enjoyed our time together. Personally, I find that it always makes for good conversation to dig into the news and entertainment headlines, and James Cameron's new blockbuster movie, Avatar, has certainly stirred up some interesting responses. In an online article entitled Avatar Blues, CNN.com reports that some who enjoyed the movie tremendously, nevertheless "say they have experienced depression and suicidal thoughts after seeing the film because they long to enjoy the beauty of the alien world Pandora." Online forums and chat rooms have developed to help these fans "cope with the depression of the dream of Pandora being intangible." This may seem unbelievable to us. After all, it's only a movie! Right? Well, yes, but the response of those who are longing for Pandora brings something, and someone else, to mind for me as well. That someone is C. S. Lewis.

At some point in his spiritual journey, Lewis came to believe that he was "created for another world." Why would he believe such a thing? It was because he recognized desires within himself that could not be fulfilled in this present world. He felt that he was allowed glimpses of this other world at times and that created in him a sensation that he called "joy." This longing for another world is not unique to Lewis; it is common to all men. Please don't get me wrong. I am not, in any way, comparing Cameron's Pandora to our heavenly home! In this instance, 'heaven' is more of a pantheistic oneness with nature, but like Lewis, these moviegoers feel a stirring for something more than this world can offer.

In our textbook, Kenneth Samples puts it like this: "Because the Creator made human beings in his image, they are "networked" to think and speak the same language. God accommodates himself to the finite limitations of human beings whenever he reveals truth in a way they can understand. Because of truth's objectivity, availability, and knowability--the failure to seek it dooms an individual to live an inauthentic life that has monumental consequences now and forevermore." Because we are "networked" by our Creator, "he has put eternity into man's heart."

Imagine feeling this desire for another world and longing for something as "inauthentic" as a fictional planet. On the Albert Mohler Radio Program recently, guest host Dr. Russell Moore and columnist Ross Douthout "analyze the message behind the movie and what it reveals about American culture. As they point out, people are hungry to believe the pantheistic worldview, as they seek for something to fill their heart's desire for worship, which has been left empty by the fall and sin. Christians should learn from movies like Avatar that culture is not moving towards secularism. As this movie indicates, running from the truth only leaves people hungry to find cheap substitutes for the worship they were created to give."


Ecclesiastes 3:11.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/Movies/01/11/avatar.movie.blues/index.html

Kenneth Richard Samples, A World of Difference: Putting Christian Truth-Claims to the Worldview Test (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2007), 76.

The Albert Mohler Program Notes, "Avatar: Rambo in Reverse", Monday, January 4, 2010 at 5:22pm.

Rooted in the Absolute

"The infinite and personal God, the one who made the physical realm, is also responsible for the world's intelligibility and the unfolding of historical events. As a result, the classical Christian position on truth, knowledge, and history differs significantly from the relativistic spirit so common in today's world. The Christian worldview is rooted in absolute truth." (1)

Throughout our study of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, we have continued to compare and contrast their views with that of biblical Christianity. The focus of our compare -and -contrast study has been Plato's philosophy. Since our semester comes to a close next week, yesterday's class consisted of reviewing and summarizing our observations.

We acknowledge that all truth is God's truth, and we do see several things in Plato's view of reality that we can agree with. One of those things is that he claimed that truth is absolute. His doctrine ,or theory, of the Forms conveys an absolute, eternal, immutable, perfect spiritual realm that is in opposition with the temporal, imperfect and ever-changing physical world of matter. Even as believers in our postmodern world, we see that the shadow of Plato's dualism often creeps into our thinking. We are tempted to divide our lives into the sacred and secular, separating our Sundy -morning- God from the rest of our week, the rest of our lives. Plato's most famous pupil does not hold to this dualism.

In the later life of Aristotle, we see a departure from the teachings of his mentor. In fact, we see an outright rejection of the world of the Forms. Unlike Plato, he views the physical world of matter as very good. This world is the arena for experimentation and exploration ; Aristotle is a classifier by nature with a love of what is now known as biology and zoology. As to the spiritual realm, he does not hold a complete reversal of Plato's views and, therefore, consider it evil, but his focus is on the physical world. Aristotle sees 'God' as the Unmoved Mover, an eternal being, a First Cause. Applications of Aristotles' philosophy can tend toward humanism.

The students have been asked to explain and discuss some of the things they have learned in this study with their parents. I'm excited to hear about the results!

(1) Kenneth Richard Samples, A World of Difference: Putting Christian Truth-Claims to the Worldview Test (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2007), 74.

Lord Over All

In yesterday's class, we discussed some of the ways in which echos of Plato's dualism continue to influence the world in which we live today. Plato was correct in pointing out the duality of reality; this world is not all there is. The problem lies in the fact that his philosophy places an overemphasis on the unseen spiritual realm and dismisses the value of the material world. Duality, yes. Dualism, no. The Christian doctrine of creation shows no such enmity between the body and soul. Plato sees the physical realm as an evil that one must endure until the soul breaks free from the body, its "prisonhouse," and returns to its former state of perfection. Unfortunately, this doesn't always last since the soul continues its journey of transmigration when it must return to the "dreary world of matter" (as he says in the Republic) and inhabit another body.

This disdain for the physical world spills over into a devaluing of physical labor and those who perform it and an exaltation of those who are employed in activities that are "good for the soul." Plato's influence has led many to believe that the priesthood, or even the life of a pastor or missionary, is more holy than that of other professions. It must be noted that Plato included philosophers in the first category as those who look after the things of the soul. In his ideal city, philosopher-kings would rule!

In our current society, we see the imposition of a sacred/secular divide. God, religion and matters of the soul are all well and good as long as they do not escape the walls of the church. The Christian sees no such divide; Jesus Christ is Lord over all areas of life both inside and outside the church walls. This is not to say that believers see no difference in the roles of church and government. Martin Luther's "Creator-Redeemer Distinction" exemplifies this and sees all of life under Christ's Lordship. (Students, remind me to discuss this next time.)

I will close with a definition of "secular" which was given by one of my former students: "The secular world is not one in which God does not exist; it is one in which He is ignored." I couldn't have said it better!

Whoooo is really wise?

Is it the one with the highest academic degree? Is it someone with a lot of common sense? What about someone who is 'street smart'? Socrates thinks that the really wise person is the one who realizes his own lack or his own ignorance--that he doesn't know it all. We can certainly see some truth in that statement, and it does seem to be a humble stance, at least on the surface. We have outlined Plato's view of reality and have seen that, for him, real knowledge and truth reside in the supernatural realm of the Forms--the world of Ideas. We have also noted that, according to his theory, everything that exists in the material world is only a cheap imitation of its real form or pattern which is immaterial. So we might infer that if, and I repeat, if there is any wisdom to be found here, it is in the striving for those things which are good for the soul and for the ultimate Good itself. As Christian believers we will differ from the Platonists as to what is the only real ultimate Good for the soul, and we will also differ as to where truth, knowledge and wisdom are to be found. The scripture tells us that "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Prov. 1:7). I look forward to sharing in the wisdom that you will discover in your scripture search this week.

The Philosophers

Yesterday's class marked the beginning of our look at the ancient Greek philosophers. We introduced Socrates, Plato & Aristotle, but our primary focus will be on Plato. The basis for our discussion was his Allegory of the Cave which is found in Plato's Republic. I took a few 'prisoners' myself in our darkened 'cave' of a classroom to illustrate the basis of the story. The point being that Plato views the material world as a mere shadow of what is really real--the immaterial spiritual world. This is the realm of ideas or Forms as Plato describes it. Next time we will dig a little deeper into the Theory of the Forms and see how Plato's ideas still influence the world today. (Click on the picture to read a short explanation of the cave allegory.)

Two Paths

In Virgil's Aeneid, the hero's visit to the Underworld illustrates the way in which the ancient Romans viewed the afterlife. It is very clear that, to their way of thinking, a person's life on earth determined their destination after death:



"It is here that the way splits into two paths; one track, on the right, goes straight to mighty Pluto's battlements and by it we make our journey to Elysium; and the other, to the left, brings evil men to godless Tartarus, and with never a pause, exacts their punishment"(1).



The Elysian Fields, the Roman idea of heaven, was called by various other names such as the Field of Joy, the Fortunate Woods and the Homes of Peace where the Souls in Bliss spend eternity singing, dancing and playing games while "snow white ribbons" encircle their brows (2).



Those who wound up in Tartarus, while they are hungry and thirsty, have plentiful food and drink in view, but it is guarded by monstrous creatures who ensure that it always remain just out of reach. And all the while, these tormented souls are undergoing unspeakable torture.



Romans 1:20 says that all men, since the dawn of creation, are made aware of God's nature and power through what is seen around them. With this knowledge comes an innate awareness that one is not in good standing with such a holy and powerful God. The ancient Greeks and Romans were, of course, no exception; however, they continued to worship gods made in their own image. As we mentioned last week, these gods and goddesses were considered to possess all the shortcomings and commit all the sins that human beings do. Next time we will begin to examine how the later philosophers thought that it was inappropriate to think of the divine in this way.

(1), (2) - All quotes are taken from Virgil's Aeneid translated by W. F. Jackson Knight, Penguin Books, New York, NY, 1958.