Reading Blog: Knowing Christ Today, Chapter 4
(This is part 5 in my series on Dallas Willard’s latest book, Knowing Christ Today. Previous Entries: Intro | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3)
Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse. (Romans 1:19-20)
Can We Know That God Exists?
Willard states that when it comes to knowing whether or not God exists we need not start from scratch. The ancient scriptures of Judaim and Chrsitianity describe a non-physical being of personality, a person of immense proportions, self-dependent, all-powerful, and loving. Furthermore, that character of love makes God-self available in covenant relationships with human persons. He then points to Christ, saying,
In a manner unique to Jesus among all among all teachers of the earth he tells us we can, right now, right where we are, rely upon the “kingdom” of this God – upon his rule, reign, or governance – and that we will then, by experience, find that “kingdom” to have the character of a loving family in its most ideal form.
This is nothing less than Jesus’ gospel, and it is nothing less than the testomony of all ancient Judeo-Christian scripture that this God is available to people, primarily through the art and practice of prayer, and that this God intervenes in peoples lives from time to time. If this is true, it has massive consequences for people’s lives. If it’s true, some will receive it as very good news, while others will find it to be very bad news indeed, and resent the very idea of a creator being interfering with their lives. The good news of Jesus is not good news to everyone.
However, not everyone believes this kind of God exists, or even that the existence of any kind of God can actually be known (a common position even among Christians). Contrary to this popular opinion, Willard says knowledge of God’s existence can readily be known. Indications of the existence of God come from two main classical streams of thought: 1) Observations about the natural world (or, the Cosmological argument), and 2) Certain kinds of experiences people have. In this chapter Willard deals exclusively with the first.
There’s no time or space here to rehash his arguments – and I would rather you buy the book anyway – but suffice it to say that the Cosmological argument has a long and robust tradition of being espoused by a great many thinkers who stand well outside the Christian tradition, and therefore must at least be dealt with seriously, even by those convinced of their error. Willard’s main points in outlining this argument are:
- “That knowledge of the non-physical source of the physical universe is possible to those who will invest due diligence concerning the matter.” In saying this Willard refuses to relegate quite sure knowledge of some kind of non-physical cosmological entity to the realm of opinion. He flatly states that such knowledge is widely known (and increasingly so in the sciences), even by those who refuse to acknowledge it. Indeed, he says, we can now move forward to investigate particularities of this entity, saying “Those who reject the existence of God or the possibility of knowledge of him now have a haunted universe in their hands.”
- That even the Cosmological indications alone represent more than merely generalities; they affirm, over a great expanse of time, space, and culture, some particularities about the person – that is, the work and character – of the entity commonly called “God.” For example, God is rather large and powerful, possesses a will to act beyond a mere causal system, possess an independent intelligence.
For Willard, like Paul, this knowledge is rather self-evident – although, admittedly, largely obscured by the convoluted musings of Modern philosophers who are largely lost in an epistemological wilderness. Still, he claims with confidence that such knowledge is sure and propels us forward, saying,
“Our argument thus far does give us a magnificent “Creator,” though not yet a personal presence in human history and in individual lives – not a perfectly good God of love. However, we say once again, do not underestimate the importance of what we’ve gained. Now the entire cognitive landscape has been changed, and with it real possibilities of knowledge of such a personal presence in the world in of a spiritual life for human beings in union with God the creator.”
Questions:
- Are you more comfortable with the idea of faith as a form of knowledge or as a form of belief in spite of knowledge?
- What are your thoughts on the proposition that the existence of God can be known logically?
- If you’re familiar with the Cosmological argument for the existence of God, what do you think are it’s strengths or weaknesses?
- If you could be certain that God existed, how would it change your life (or, how has it)?
“What are your thoughts on the proposition that the existence of God can be known logically?”
That the existance of god c a n be known logically hasn’t been demonstrated. That said, proving it’s existence logically is the appropriate method, because the other approaches cannot lead to a proof, only belief (and probably shouting matches, which is what usually happens when you argue on opinion).
“If you’re familiar with the Cosmological argument for the existence of God, what do you think are it’s strengths or weaknesses?”
2 weaknesses that i see. Firstly, that it is a god of the gaps argument; if we could prove a non-divine cause then the cosmological argument would just push god further back to something we cannot explain. This happened when the evolutionary theory was formulated, with the cosmological argument going from using the diversity of life on earth to an origin of the universe.
Secondly; if you accept the cosmological argument it leads to dualism, not the theism that many people use the argument to justify. The cosmological argument does not argue that god intervenes in the world, or that it even cares about the universe it created, just that it made it.