Feel, See, Bedarned!
 
 

Recently, I read that modern epistemology is a roadblock
to faith.  It sure is when you think truth is always
referenced to what can be picked up by the physical
senses.
 

You don't have to be long on the Christian discussion
groups, alt.christnet and others, to know most modern
folk, including Christians are positivists.  Of course,
their patron saint is none other than St. Thomas of the
original Twelve.  "Unless, I see the holes the nails
made, and put my finger in them and my hand in his
side, I'll never believe."  John 20:25.
 

Of course, the above verse, though impressive, is
a blatant betrayal of God and all that the Resurrection
means.  Indeed, Christianity is a matter of faith
and personal relationship with God - a reaching beyond
the physical to things spiritual, and obviously
not grounded in physical appearances.
 

In fact, one of the main thrusts of modern theology
is the unshakeable conclusion our knowledge of God
is not physical or factual.  Rather, it's personal
and intimate.  For, it chiefly involves the inner eye and
the depths of the human soul.  And not what can be
seen with the eye or felt with  the hands.
 

In other words, whether you look at it from the Old
Testament view or the New Testament, TRUTH is
essentially a Person and not a fact.  Moses discovered
that in the pivotal Old Testament experience where he
encountered God inthe burning bush.  And the Gospels and
writings of St. Paul are about the eye-opening
experience of encountering God in another person,
Jesus of Nazareth.  Surely, the doctrine of the Trinity
is nothing more than an elaboration on the Gospel
of St. John's central Truth - "He who has seen me has seen
the Father."  Or, "The Father and I are One."
 

Thus, the least factual book in the world, The Gospel
of John, is loaded with truth and quite rightly, continues high
in the estimation of most Christians.
 

Not long ago Pope John Paul II made it clear the
man of faith should have no problem in accepting the
major points of Darwin's theory of evolution.  Probably,
neo-Darwin ideas of origin of the species.  All well
and good.  Yes, Christians should finally make
peace  with science on evolution and the modern world
view in general.  And start to integrate evolution
in Christian doctrine.
 

I mean drop the old Genesis 1 Adam and Eve garbage.
Forsake man originating in some Golden Age setting
(Garden of Eden).  And, stop inducing mega-guilt and
fear with stories of a primordial Fall with universal
death attributed to a primordial fatal sin (biting the
forbidden fruit).  And, for the future, forsake
apocalyptic visions of famine, plague, and war in
favor of something more realistic and hopeful, say,
along the lines of Space Odyssey 2001.  Why not?
 

I will tell you why it can be done.  Because
Christianity is not based on any ancient, dog-eared
concept of creation.  It clearly centers on a person
and not any fact.  Meaning it boils down to the Reality
of God and not the fact of God.
 

Yes, its hard when you're brainwashed by everything
in a culture, at least popular culture, to think of
the Bible from cover to cover as factual.  But it
isn't.  And that's why faith in Christ will survive
as long as there are humans.  Yes, pick up your outdated
Bible-literal concepts of human origins and walk.
Out the door.  Adios and adieu.