Post by Josh on Jul 14, 2007 8:28:55 GMT -8
A great quote from an excellent article by NT Wright about the proper role of apologetics (primarily historical apologetics):
"I would not suggest that one can argue right up to the central truth of Christian faith by pure human reason building on simple observation of the world. Indeed, it is should be obvious that one cannot. Equally, I would not suggest that historical investigation of this sort [in the preceeding article] has therefore no part to play, and that all that is required is a leap of blind faith. God has given us minds to think; the question has been appropriately raised; Christianity appeals to history, and to history it must go. And the question of Jesus’ resurrection, though it may in some senses burst the boundaries of history, also remains within them; that is precisely why it is so important, so disturbing, so life-and-death. We could cope – the world could cope – with a Jesus who ultimately remains a wonderful idea inside his disciples’ minds and hearts. The world cannot cope with a Jesus who comes out of the tomb, who inaugurates God’s new creation right within the middle of the old one."
This comes from a great lecture by NT Wright which is an excellent primer for historical Christian apologetics, wryly entitled "Can a Scientist Believe in the Resurrection?"
Link: www.ntwrightpage.com/Wright_Faraday.htm
"I would not suggest that one can argue right up to the central truth of Christian faith by pure human reason building on simple observation of the world. Indeed, it is should be obvious that one cannot. Equally, I would not suggest that historical investigation of this sort [in the preceeding article] has therefore no part to play, and that all that is required is a leap of blind faith. God has given us minds to think; the question has been appropriately raised; Christianity appeals to history, and to history it must go. And the question of Jesus’ resurrection, though it may in some senses burst the boundaries of history, also remains within them; that is precisely why it is so important, so disturbing, so life-and-death. We could cope – the world could cope – with a Jesus who ultimately remains a wonderful idea inside his disciples’ minds and hearts. The world cannot cope with a Jesus who comes out of the tomb, who inaugurates God’s new creation right within the middle of the old one."
This comes from a great lecture by NT Wright which is an excellent primer for historical Christian apologetics, wryly entitled "Can a Scientist Believe in the Resurrection?"
Link: www.ntwrightpage.com/Wright_Faraday.htm