Faith and Reason

A question that was posed by one of Nels Ferre's students:

"If I simply accept faith and then reason out what follows from there, I cannot feel sure of myself. How do I know that I am not just rationalizing? If, however, I insist on justifying my faith by reason, it seems to me that I have no faith. In once case I am arbitrary and have nothing to say to all the people who start from another faith and refuse to examine it. In the other case I have no hope and driving power for a world like this!"

And I think this problem-- which is a serious issue in the church-- comes from a false dichotomy of faith and reason. Kierkegaard and others encouraged the embracing of faith without reason, as if that were enough. But we must also realize that Kierkegaard is the one whose faith included an obsession for a woman who would not have him-- not exactly the most firm faith to rest on. It is existentialism that is pure faith, not Christianity.

Christianity can be seen better in the life of Gideon. He received a word from the Lord, and it put his life and community in danger-- they were to stand against their masters. But rather than simply accept that word, he decided to test it-- with a piece of fleece and morning dew. And when the word passed that test, he tested it again, so he didn't take a circumstantial event and equate that with God's power. After it had been tested in this small way, then he took on the larger task.

This is a rational principle-- take the small instance and apply it to the larger one. In Gideon's case, setting up a chain of unlikely small events and seeing God's work means that the larger work can be done-- God is really speaking to him. It is the same with Christianity. It is because of the evidence of Jesus-- His miracles and His resurrection-- that we can claim that His larger claims-- His teaching and a utopian future-- are true.

The smaller to the greater also applies to our personal experience, like Gideon. When we see circumstances that are led by God in a small way-- are needs are met after prayer again and again-- then we can apply this to larger and larger circumstances.

This is a practical sort of reason, and it is reason that applies to relationships in general. Where does faith come in? First of all, it is seen by applying the smaller context to the larger one. To follow the logic--Jesus did miracles/Jesus said that the world would be changed/The world will be changed-- is a logic that requires faith. Just because you can "prove" that Jesus did miracles, it is still a step of faith to apply that to the whole world. Thus, the smaller to larger step is a step of faith.

Secondly, faith is seen in trusting in God's power and faithfulness. If a friend of mine promises to give me ten thousand dollars, that doesn't mean that he has ten thousand dollars to give. And even if he does have the ten thousand dollars, that doesn't mean he'll keep his promise. Thus, in any relationship, there is a measure of faith or trust. Christianity is all about what God MIGHT do based on what He has done in the past. But we still have to have faith that God will do what He said, and we have to have faith that God is as powerful as He claims.

Thus, even if our Christianity is completely based on reason, to accept the full package-- the teaching of Jesus-- we must have faith.