Why do I need faith? Recently, I was listening to two fascinating theologians: Dr. John Lennox, a renowned scientist and mathematician, and Dr. John Hick, an eminent philosopher of religion. Both were erudite, sincere, and attractive to listen to. Yet they differed profoundly in their views on religion and how we should understand belief in our lives.
Dr. Lennox is avowedly Christian and believes that Jesus has changed the history of mankind, which is undoubtedly true. Carl Jung calls Him the archetypal symbol of the Self. (1) Through His birth, sacrificial death, and resurrection, we are offered redemption from our sins and the opportunity for eternal life.
Dr. Hick, though nominally a Christian, believes that the journey toward God and salvation can take many paths. If I were born in Israel, I would likely be a Jew; in India, a Hindu; in Tibet, a Buddhist, etc. Each faith, he suggests, is a conduit to the Divine. For Hick, God is ultimately unknowable — what he calls “the Real,” akin to Aristotle’s “Unmoved Mover.” (2)
Both men are deeply thoughtful and devout — yet they represent the classic dilemma of the modern world. Dr. Lennox offers a kind of Christian “exceptionalism” — one true Way to God. Dr. Hick, by contrast, proposes a more nuanced, ecumenical vision: it is up to each of us to find our own path.
Meanwhile, our civilization is gravitating toward atheism. This cannot be good. Many studies suggest that the decline in religion has coincided with rising loneliness and mental illness. (3) Why is that? Can we not simply follow Nietzsche’s dictum that “God is dead” (4) and make humanism our new belief system? One might say, “I will do my best on Earth, and when I die — so be it.” Yet this feels insufficient. The human being has an intrinsic desire for something more — for a legacy, a sense that life has value. If existence has no meaning, why should we endure the endless anxieties and frustrations that fill most of our days?
Even for the atheist, a walk in nature or the birth of a child can stir the sense that there is some divine design, something incomprehensible, at work. To say that the universe began from nothing, without cause or explanation, seems unsatisfying. (4) And so, the ultimate question, as Pascal posed it, remains before us: why not believe in God — why not — and see what happens? (5) Faith, perhaps, is not a matter of certainty but of meaning. It calms the spirit and gives purpose to the days we are given.
In the end, this is the enduring question each of us must confront: what does it mean to believe — and what becomes of us if we do not? Faith certainly makes life calmer and more meaningful. So, this is the lasting question of faith that everyone must inevitably face. Hebrews (6) 11.1 leaves with a thought: Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, and the conviction of things not seen.
A closing thought: The mystery of existence is a question that remains with all sensitive and thoughtful people. At its most intimate, the people who have resolved its dilemma are the happiest. These err on the side of a belief in a higher self. Even Job, after much punishment from God, still believes. (7)
To summarize: This week, we discussed faith and its transformative power.
To be noted: From the Lausanne Movement (7) — Generous living and giving ultimately flow when people get a perspective of what God can do through their generosity.
Just for fun: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_by16BSHDI&list=RDU_by16BSHDI&start_radio=1
For reflection: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9TWBV_gKf8
This week, during your reflective walk, please consider how you perceive God and the Universe.
Every day, look for something magical and beautiful.
Don’t be a wage slave – critical thinking is great!
Quote: Be in command of your belief
Footnotes:
1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATpo6PW-rws
2) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unmoved_mover
3) https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/03/beyond-beliefs-religious-faith-happier-healthier-life
4) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pascal%27s_wager
5) https://www.thelivingphilosophy.com/p/god-is-dead
6) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fNWTZZwgbs