Faith
“Now faith means that we are confident of what we hope for, convinced of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1 (Moffatt)
The Bible study class that I attend at my church on Sabbath mornings has been studying the book of Hebrews. This past week while driving to work I listened to three taped lectures on the views of Soren Kierkegaard. They are part of a 24 lecture series by Robert Solomon, PhD, entitled “No Excuses: Existentialism and the Meaning of Life.” Following are some of the concepts gathered from those lectures which formed the basis our discussion of Hebrews 11, yesterday morning.
According to Kierkegaard…..
1) An individual may choose one of three options which will inform the choices one makes in life. These are the “aesthetic life” (a life in search of the satisfaction of desire) , the “ethical life” (a life ordered by reason) or the “God-centered life.” The choice among these options is an irrational choice, though particularly in the case of the “ethical life” the choices one makes after the initial decision to lead an ethical life will be rational.
2) Those who make the “leap of faith” and choose the God-centered life do so because they have been coaxed or wooed by God rather than because they have been convinced. It is the paradoxes about God that make a passionate experience with God (faith) possible. One does not feel passionately about something that is completely rational.
3) Although the God-centered individual typically leads an ethical existence, there are instances when God’s demands appear to be unethical or at the very least counterintuitive. (God’s request to Abraham to sacrifice his son) At such time it is faith that maintains our relationship with God.
These are old concepts, but new for me. Rational by nature I find it intriguing that someone would suggest that life’s most important decisions e.g. who one’s life companion will be or whether to live a God-centered life must be arrived at irrationally (or at least extrarationally) and that it is nevertheless wise to do so.
“Now faith means that we are confident of what we hope for, convinced of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1 (Moffatt)
The Bible study class that I attend at my church on Sabbath mornings has been studying the book of Hebrews. This past week while driving to work I listened to three taped lectures on the views of Soren Kierkegaard. They are part of a 24 lecture series by Robert Solomon, PhD, entitled “No Excuses: Existentialism and the Meaning of Life.” Following are some of the concepts gathered from those lectures which formed the basis our discussion of Hebrews 11, yesterday morning.
According to Kierkegaard…..
1) An individual may choose one of three options which will inform the choices one makes in life. These are the “aesthetic life” (a life in search of the satisfaction of desire) , the “ethical life” (a life ordered by reason) or the “God-centered life.” The choice among these options is an irrational choice, though particularly in the case of the “ethical life” the choices one makes after the initial decision to lead an ethical life will be rational.
2) Those who make the “leap of faith” and choose the God-centered life do so because they have been coaxed or wooed by God rather than because they have been convinced. It is the paradoxes about God that make a passionate experience with God (faith) possible. One does not feel passionately about something that is completely rational.
3) Although the God-centered individual typically leads an ethical existence, there are instances when God’s demands appear to be unethical or at the very least counterintuitive. (God’s request to Abraham to sacrifice his son) At such time it is faith that maintains our relationship with God.
These are old concepts, but new for me. Rational by nature I find it intriguing that someone would suggest that life’s most important decisions e.g. who one’s life companion will be or whether to live a God-centered life must be arrived at irrationally (or at least extrarationally) and that it is nevertheless wise to do so.
posted by Thrushsong at 8:46 AM
6 Comments:
Danish existentialism should enrich the sabbath-school pews more often. Well done! What with the particular focus areas of my programme (yes, I have picked up some pretentious spelling habits)I think it's fair to say that you probably have more to say about Kierkegaard than I! I'll look forward to some education once I get out of school.....
The distinction between irrationality and extrarationality is an astute observation. As to which notion is more proper for faith is more difficult and perhaps a different theological issue.
Speaking for myself, I would find any faith, or any notion of God that can be fully experienced and pursued within the bounds of human rationality to be exceedingly disappointing. It doesn't follow that faith is easy, indeed, one could admire the 'extrarational' belief of others and yet be unable to make 'the leap' for oneself. But it would seem to me that one of the most appealing elements of religion is the hope that one can interact with something or someone much bigger, better and more challenging than anything that human rationality can conjure and contain.
Hey, Ted! Happy Thanksgiving! I LOVED your inclusion of Kierkegaard in our Sabbath School discussion of faith. I love being challenged, and any introduction of philosophy into a discussion makes my mind whirl for days. I'm still contemplating some of Evan's blogs... Anyway: as I've already stated, I have some difficulties with some elements of what we've discussed. And, more specifically, I find that I don't totally agree with his and/or your concept that we can't feel passionate about logical things. I find that the more I learn of God, the more reason I find in His creation and the more excited I get about the gap between His knowledge and understanding of how things work and my own insignificant role in the world. I don't know if that makes any sense, but I am quick to allow that I am not a rational being, and that makes me worship and love God even more, for what He has that I can never hope to achieve. Having said that, I totally agree with you and Evan that perhaps the most "appealing element of religion" is the interaction with the supernatural--going beyond our own experience with the rational and totally trusting in the faith which He has been cultivating in us.
Just a note of clarification/apology...I guess that it was Ted (during Sabbath School class) who made the comment that it's hard to get passionate about logical things. Clearly Evan is head-over-heels for logic, and I say go you! :)
Well, I may not be as passionate about logical things as Evan but illogical things are generally quite difficult for me to appreciate. Frankly, sometimes God's actions as recorded in scripture seem illogical or counterintuitive. I am aware of and appreciate the argument that God's actions are beyond understanding because He is so much wiser, more intelligent, more knowledgable, etc. than I.
It has been pleasant for me to realize that just as part of what makes Beth so attractive to me is that she is unpredictable (I can't figure her out even though I am roughly her equal in intelligence and wisdom) so God may attract me through His paradoxical nature.
True creativity makes something compeletly new, unthought of, and without a compeltly definable cause. Therefor, the concept of extrarationality is related to the root of creativity. Therefor, a Creator God is by definition, extrarational.
Hey Barry, there's another definition for your dictionary ;)
As for Kierkegaard, though I can't agree with him on most issue - such as his "teleological suspension of the ethical"... I found this statement to be particularly interesting; "One does not feel passionately about something that is completely rational".
I believe that this proves to be beautifully true when applied to the wonderful gift of grace that God offers us. Because grace by definition is "the unmerited love and favor of God toward mankind" and also "the condition of a person brought to God's favor through this influence."
Grace is not logical! But our lives are not logical without it!
The realization of this precious gift is the seed from which our spiritual passion blooms... and perhaps our faith as well. This realization should also inspire us to actively share our faith and the grace that we are experiencing in our own everyday lives!
"But God has chosen the foolish things of this world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the mighty...that no flesh should glory in His presence." 1 Corinthians 1:27
I would have loved to have been in this Sabbath school class :)
and by the way, Mr. Thrushsong, the song of the wood thrush is my favorite bird song! I like your title :)
God bless
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