On Science and Faith
-- a rational Christ, a relevant Christ
Part of a summary and discussion of Luther’s Concerning Christian Liberty, by Tom McNabb
Luther presents an argument of rationality that would appeal to the “scientificist” of today:
|
Works,
since they are irrational things, cannot glorify God, although they may be
done to the glory of God, if faith be present. … |
33 |
We know from the book of James that faith without work is dead, or as the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews says, faith is the evidence of things not seen. Nevertheless you can rationally see, it is the reason of the intention of the work and not the work itself that is able to worship god or that is not able to worship god. If the reason is a human feeling, it is able to be love or hate, to worship or to strongly not worship; if the reason of the intention is not strength of emotion, it is not able to love or hate. For this reason, Christ said,
Be ye hot or cold.
Having emotion, hot or cold, love or hate, is a logical, rational, prerequisite to the ability to love. If it is established that emotion exists strongly, we can then assess whether it be love or not love; otherwise, if emotion is weak, the assessment thereof also must be weak; and without emotion, love also is not.
It can also be seen that works are irrational things. It is people who do works, the works themselves are just things, actions. The reason why action is taken is where rationality lies. And, with intentional human works, that is often thought to lie in the mind and heart of man. Where human action has not intent, where does rationality lie in the action itself? It does not.
Yet, this argument -- that works cannot glorify God since they are irrational things – in its blatant rationality, its “faith by sight” attitude, cannot appeal to the person who considers faith to be pre-eminent. These people often see Science as useful in its place. But, today, they often see the chief battle of faith as one of faith against blind science. This is the same view as held by the "scientificist:" to her, her battle of faith is the battle of science against blind faith. As Jesus’ earthly brother said, “You tell me you have faith and I will show you my faith.” And so, to the non-scientist, to the man of faith, we might re-phrase this argument of rationality Luther makes as:
Only people can glorify God, not irrational things. And works, since they are irrational things, cannot glorify God, although they may be done to the glory of God, if faith be present.
Of course the scientist views things as pre-eminently rational. In the battle of faith and science, one against the other, the woman of faith finds comfort in science that in its rationality, it points to a Creator. So too, the woman of science no doubt can find some benefits in faith if she looks or listens, or feels. Even a moment’s scientific thought can see beyond the "Scientificists’’" limited viewpoint. Getting beyond the faith versus science argument, the more difficult points perhaps are distinguishing within faith or within science. From the “scientificist” side, faith need not be looked at, although even a moment’s consideration reveals that almost nothing, and certainly few of the most important things in life, exist solely on the atomic level. This kind of argument, though, may be quickly overlooked by someone quoting word for word the bible to show that a modern person must be wrong in some action or view. In addition, these dusty old arguments of Luther and Paul of the revelation of grace and faith by Christ, the Liberty of the Christian Man, successor to the Renaissance's Christian humanism, have been eclipsed long ago by secular humanism: the issues no longer relevant; by-passed in logic, and in time. A relevant Christ -- “What must we do to do the works God requires of us?”[1] asked the crowds. Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”[2] But Jesus further pointed out: “You believe in God. That is good, but even the devils believe in God and are terrified.” Thus, only belief is the work God has for us, and yet that is not sufficient; however, since belief is yet the work of God, and yet not sufficient, then what particular kind of belief is called for? On the sea, his disciples asked him, “What is necessary for salvation?” Christ answered, “Two things are necessary for salvation. One must believe that God is, and one must believe that God cares for the one who is believing.” A relevant Christ -- in paragraph forty-seven of Concerning Christian Liberty, Luther brings up one of the main points of all his writings:
Now preaching ought to have the object of promoting faith in him, so that he may not only be Christ, but a Christ for you and for me…