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Craig L's Blog

Commonplace Holiness

Category: Science & Theology

  • The Place of Human Beings in the Created Order

    The Place of Human Beings in the Created Order

    Wolfhart Pannenberg (1928-2014).

    In accord with the over-all future orientation of his theology, Wolfhart Pannenberg sees the dignity of the human race as being based on human destiny. It is less a matter of human status in the created world, than it is a matter of the destiny of the human race, which has been revealed in the Scriptures. I find this a very helpful perspective. He writes:

    Only from the standpoint of the religiously and biblically grounded awareness of their destiny of fellowship with God, the author of the universe, can we say assuredly, however, that all creation culminates in humanity.

    — Systematic Theology, Volume 2, Chapter 8, page 175.

    This intellectual move saves the theologian from saying that the status of the human race in the created world is rooted in inherent abilities that set the human creation apart from the rest of the created world — especially the animal world.

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  • What I Mean by “Faith”

    What I Mean by “Faith”

    People mean different things when they speak of “faith.” I’m not sure the differences in meaning are always noticed. So it’s helpful to clarify. Here is what I mean when I talk about faith or the life of faith.

    As I understand it, faith in God (theism) is the belief that behind the world we see there is a Power of righteousness, mercy and justice. There is a benevolent, kind and good Creator. God is the reason there is something rather than nothing.

    And, atheism would be the denial that any such being exists. The “why there is something rather than nothing” question remains unanswered. Further, in this view, we are here by (enormously unlikely) random chance and there really is no meaning or purpose to any of it. We create meanings where none exist. I’m not meaning to speak of such an atheistic viewpoint disparagingly — not at all. I can see how a person could come to such a view. It does have a certain simplicity to it. And, to be honest, I can even sympathize with some of the atheist concerns about the dangers and pitfalls of religion. I know them very well. (Though I really think the late Christopher Hitchens was being naive in a way — it is world-views — godless ones included — that threaten to poison everything.)

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