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Blind Faith: Does Christ Require It?

September 30, 2006

When I talk with or listen to nonbelievers, particularly atheistic scientists, about Christianity, it’s usually not long before they explain:  “I never could be a Christian.  I just can’t believe anything based on ‘blind faith.’”  Inevitably, I or someone else then tries to explain that the God of the Bible does not ask that we believe based on faith alone.  He has provided a great deal of evidence – in Scripture, nature, and the natural law – so that people may know Him.  One may argue that they do not find the evidence compelling, but they cannot argue that none exists. 

Too often, the nonbeliever responds along these lines:  “There may be evidence, but Christians aren’t allowed to examine and weigh it.  Righteousness requires that they believe without question or challenge.  I know, because this is what I was taught as a child, when my parents dragged me to church.”  I don’t doubt that some of our churches err in their teaching about faith.  All churches err at some time, in some way.

If you find yourself struggling with the issue of “blind faith,” either in your own mind or in conversations with others, I recommend a couple of short posts I came across this week.  David Heddle at He Lives offers his thoughts, including a series of relevant Biblical passages.  Paul at Exiled from GROGGS reproduces a very useful passage from Francis Schaeffer’s classic, He Is There and He Is Not Silent.
Posted by Ramsey Wilson at 04:06 PM

Comments

I asked my pastor once what he calls a cynic who has honestly investigated the evidence.

What?

a Christian

(I frequently use Josh McDowell, Lee Strobel, and Simon Greenleaf as examples.)

Posted by: Doug | October 1, 2006 10:39 PM

I like your pastor already, Doug.

Simon Greenleaf is one of my favorite examples as well, but I haven't found nonbelievers very impressed. My sense is that they consider Greenleaf to be just another dead guy, long gone, and that there is little to learn from history. They embrace the notion that knowledge and truth are found not in the past, but in the future through the inevitable progress of humankind.

Posted by: Ramsey Wilson | October 2, 2006 05:51 AM

My devotional this week happens to include a relevant quote from Augustine's great work, On Christian Doctrine:

If those who hear [Divine Scripture] are to be taught, exposition must be composed, if it is needed, that they may become acquainted with the subject at hand. In order that those things which are doubtful may be made certain, they must be reasoned out with the use of evidence.

Posted by: Ramsey Wilson | October 3, 2006 12:21 PM

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