Firing an Unloaded Gun

Here is yet another quote from Greg Bahnsen’s Always Ready: Directions for Defending the Faith. In Chapter 29: Apologetics in Practice, Bahnsen puts his apologetic approach to use against Bertrand Russell’s famous essay Why I Am Not a Christian.

For all his stature as a philosopher, Russell cannot be said to have been sure of himself and consistent in his views regarding reality or or knowledge. In his early years he adopted the Hegelian idealism taught by F. H. Bradley. Influenced by G. E. Moore, he changed to a Platonic theory of ideas. Challenged by Ludwig Wittgenstein that mathematics consists merely of tautologies, he turned to metaphysical and linguistic atomism. He adopted the extreme realism of Alexious Meinong, only later to turn toward logical constructionism instead. Then following the lead of William James, Russell abandoned mind-matter dualism for the theory of neutral monism. Eventually Russell propounded materialism with fervor, even though his dissatisfaction with his earlier logical atomism left him without an alternative metaphysical account of the object of our empirical experiences. Struggling with philosophical problems not unlike those which stymied David Hume, Russell conceded in his later years that the quest for certainty is a failure.

This brief history of Russell’s philosophical evolution is rehearsed so that the reader may correctly appraise the strength and authority of the intellectual platform from which Russell would presume to criticize the Christian faith. Russell’s brilliance is not in doubt; he was a talented and intelligent man. But to what avail? In criticizing Christians for their views of ultimate reality, of how we know what we know, and of how we should live our lives, did Bertrand Russell have a defensible alternative from which to launch his attacks? Not at all. He could not give an account of reality and knowing which—on the grounds of, and according to the criteria of, his own autonomous reasoning—was cogent, reasonable and sure. He could not say with certainty what was true about reality and knowledge, but nevertheless he was firmly convinced that Christianity was false! Russell was firing an unloaded gun.

Round the Sphere Again: Word

Inscripturated Word and Incarnated Word
Kevin DeYoung says “we should approach the Scriptures with the same reverence we would have in approaching Christ.”

Word of Faith
I’m reading Romans 10 and I’ve been hung up over verses 5-8. Paul quotes from two Old Testament texts (Leviticus 18:5 and Deuteronomy 30:11-14) and says  that the first is what righteousness based on the law says and the second is what righteousness based on faith says. But when you go back to the OT context, it looks like the two texts are saying more or less the same thing. It’s easy to see that the Leviticus passage is about righteousness based on the law: “the person who does the commandments shall live by them.” But how does the Deuteronomy passage point us to righteousness based on faith?

I have two Romans commentaries and several study Bible, but none of them helped me a whole lot. The most helpful thing was this sermon by John Piper. He says that Paul sees the Deuteronomy passage as pointing to Christ as our righteousness. The key point in the Deuteronomy passage is that the law is doable, but we all know—Paul included—that no one but Christ has ever measured up to the law’s standards. Read the sermon to see Piper’s  four step answer to how Paul sees Deuteronomy 30:11-14 as pointing to Christ as our righteousness the way Romans 10:4 says it does.

Theological Term of the Week

Here’s the embarrassing scoop on this post: I put it together, published it, and then noticed that I’d already done this term two years ago. I did find different quotes and more good things to link to this time around, but note how similar the two posts are otherwise. You’d think they’d been done by the same person or something.

I guess one duplicate in 120 terms is not all that bad. Still, I shall try never to make this mistake again.  And I’m not happy to have wasted a few hours on a beautiful summer evening.

theodicy
An answer to “the problem of evil”; a defense of God’s goodness and justice given the existence of evil in creation; an explanation for the existence of evil in a universe created and ruled by an omnipotent and good God.

• From scripture:

  You who are of purer eyes than to see evil
  and cannot look at wrong,
  why do you idly look at traitors
  and remain silent when the wicked swallows up
  the man more righteous than he? (Habakuk 1:13 ESV)

  In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

  In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee  of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it,  to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:6-13 ESV)

• From The Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 5:

  Of Providence

  I. God the great Creator of all things does uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures, actions, and things, from the greatest even to the least, by His most wise and holy providence, according to His infallible foreknowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of His own will, to the praise of the glory of His wisdom, power, justice, goodness, and mercy.

• From A Biblical Theodicy by W. Gary Crampton:

  Solving the problem of evil is a matter of adopting the correct starting point. With the Bible as our axiomatic starting point, the existence of evil is not a significant problem at all. In fact, the existence of evil is far more problematic in the unbeliever’s worldview. Without a coherent standard of right and wrong, evil and good, how can one even define evil? The problem of evil cannot be coherently formulated on non-Christian grounds. And if Christian grounds are assumed in order to pose the problem, Christian grounds, that is, the Scriptures, explain evil’s purpose in the world. “All things work together for good to those who love God and are called….”

• From Big Truths for Young Hearts by Bruce Ware:

  [I]t is only because God has complete control over all bad things that we can be sure that those bad things work to bring about some good purpose that God has planned. If God is not in control of bad things, then we would be led to deep sadness, thinking that a bad thing that is happening will serve no good purpose. But it is not so! Rather, God does control the bad as well as the good. When bad things happen, we can know, then, that God is using them for good purposes. What comfort and peace this should bring to us, since God always does what is best, and God’s purposes can never fail. 

Learn more:

1. Blue Letter Bible: The Problem of Evil
2. Greg Koukl: A Good Reason for Evil
3. Greg Bahnsen: The Problem of Evil
4. Hampton Keathley IV: Why Is There Evil and Suffering?
5. W. Gary Crampton: A Biblical Theodicy
6. Don Whitney: The Problem of Evil (mp3)
7. Don Carson: How can God allow evil and suffering in the world? (video)

Related terms:

• omnipotence
• goodness
• righteousness (as an attribute of God)
• sovereignty of God

Do you have a a theological term you’d like to see featured here as a Theological Term of the Week? If you email it to me, I’ll seriously consider using it.

I’m also interested in any suggestions you have for tweaking my definitions or for additional (or better) articles or sermons/lectures for linking. I’ll give you credit and a link back to your blog if I use your suggestion.

Clicking on the Theological Term graphic at the top of this post will take you to a list of all the previous theological terms organized in alphabetical order or by topic.