FAITH and REASON

For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.

1 Corinthians 1:25 (NIV)

                The other night I was watching the show “Inspector Lewis” on Masterpiece Mysteries on PBS. This episode began with a graduate student from the psychology department of a university interviewing people about their faith. The student was intentionally attacking people’s belief systems to see how firmly they would hold onto them. Later the student is seen telling another person that “we know there is nothing after death” and “reason has eliminated the need for faith.” That episode got me thinking about the relationship between faith and reason. As I was drifting off to sleep, I found myself constructing a counter argument to the arrogant assumption that reason trumps faith.

                The bottom line of the conflict between faith and reason is belief in God. If a person eliminates the possibility of there being a God (of any sort), then reason wins hands down. But if we leave the possibility open that there is a God, then faith wins the day. The Bible clearly makes this the starting point for any dialog about faith and reason. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Hebrews 11:6 (NIV)

                Paul expounds on the clash between faith and reason in I Corinthians 1. He points out that the wisdom of people is limited and therefore inferior to the wisdom of God. It is like a child, who thinks they have a certain subject figured out, telling an adult, who has spent a lifetime studying that subject, the right way to view things. It is not only arrogant, it is silly. All the wisdom we have accumulated over the centuries has been revealed to us by God and cannot even compare to the entirety of God’s wisdom. From our side of the equation, we think we have things figured out. From God’s side of the equation, He knows we don’t.

                For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate." Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength. 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 (NIV)

                Nothing has changed since Paul wrote those words. Humanity is still looking to reason to answer all of the questions of life.

                When people want to negate faith, they often ask others to be reasonable. Let’s consider that premise. Which is more reasonable? We see a world of amazing complexity and precision. Is it more reasonable to assume that it came together by chance or that there was some intelligent force behind it? When we observe cultures, we discover that every culture has some form of god-consciousness. Is it more reasonable to conclude that people are just looking for an emotional crutch or that there is a god or gods in the universe? Here is my point. True reason leaves the door open for all possibilities. Dismissing the idea of a god out of hand is not truly reasonable.

                When the debate arises over faith and reason, it is usually focused on religious or spiritual faith. There are so many things in this world that we take by faith that it is impossible to live on reason alone. Granted, many of these “faith issues” are informed by reason, but they are still an act of faith.  Reason can only take us so far and then faith must take over. I would contend that our faith in God is informed by reason, but reason has definite limits. How can the finite truly know the infinite? How can the created being understand the creator? How can limited intelligence fathom the depths of omniscience? We should not be surprised that our reason leaves us short of the goal.

                Faith and reason are not incompatible. We have been created in the image of God. Reason is one aspect of that image. It is a reflection of the wisdom of God, but only a reflection. God wants us to use reason; to explore, analyze and explain the world around us. When we do this with humility, and a keen awareness of the supremacy of God, we can discover truly amazing things. When we do this with arrogance, eliminating God’s involvement, we become trapped in a small intellectual space that cannot tolerate not being able to explain or explain away everything. True reason includes being honest about our limitations. Sometimes the most reasonable response to a situation is I don’t know how it works, I just know it does.