Christianity - Revealed Religion

The Militant Pacifist receives periodic criticism for linking to other articles / rants rather than writing his own (if you are one of those who have offered this criticism – thank you for visiting my blog!). In his defense, the Militant Pacifist must say that he has very limited “blogging” time, and he believes (in general) that others do a better job.

That said, here goes…

The epistemological quandary raised when one embraces a doctrine of total human fallen-ness (depravity) is monumental. The noetic effects of the fall are rarely discussed and clearly underappreciated by the mass of professing Christians (even by those who claim the moniker “reformed”).

Clearly, the laws of logic are unaffected by the fall. The laws of contradiction, identity, and excluded middle exist above and apart from humanity and reflect the very working of the mind of God.

Though logic is uncompromised, the ability of humanity to think (reason) properly has been thoroughly compromised by the fall.

The corruption of the fall has so damaged and defaced humanity that it is now considered “natural” that men die (after all, isn’t that the course of nature). This physical consequence of the fall (death) is amplified in the unseen dimension of human consciousness, perception and reason. These human faculties are now fundamentally unsound (partially dead) because of the taint of original sin.

Either Descartes did not understand this, or he did not believe it. Not understanding / believing it, he had confidence in the soundness of his own ability to properly reason. He never realized he was performing metaphysical surgery with tainted (fallen) instruments. Therefore, from the Christian perspective, cogito ergo sum is extremely suspect (as is the entirety of the Enlightenment project).

If your mind is corrupt (fallen) because of the fall – where are you left? Use your fallen mind and think! You are left in a state of extreme uncertainty. You are left wondering – what is real? Am I thinking rightly (even now)? If I can’t trust my own mind, what can I trust? Do those I respect and love really have a grasp of truth? What is truth anyway? Why is it that? I’ve only been here a few years – and I’m on my way out now – how can I figure this all out?

How depressing! How disconcerting! Is there any solution to all of this?

The Christian affirmation is that there is. There is a solution! The solution is found in the Christian doctrine of Divine Revelation. The Christian doctrine of Divine Revelation teaches that God Himself has revealed truth to men in the very person of His Son. Via the incarnation God Himself has entered the human sphere - a sphere filled with fallen creatures – and because He is the maker of humans He has communicated propositions understandable (even in their fallen-ness) to them.

His word (λογος) to men, is His son - Jesus Christ – and everyone that God reveals Him to can understand this Word.

Bow before him!