Theory Ain’t Belief–Thank God!
December 10, 2012
Philosopher Alvin Plantinga buries a
little gem of insight in a footnote to his massive Warranted Christian
Belief (Oxford, 2000) that pertains to Christmas and Easter especially:
But aren’t there many different
theories of (say) incarnation and atonement? Don’t Christians disagree about
this? So which of the many views of Incarnation and Atonement are in fact
rational? The question is misplaced. [I take Al to mean that the question is
"Since Christians can't agree on theories of the Incarnation and
Atonement, then isn't it irrational for them to believe in the Incarnation and
the Atonement?] There are many different theories as to how it is that people
are able to think; it is still plain to many of us that some people do
(sometimes) think. There are many theories about what numbers are; it is still
plain that 7 + 5 = 12. We can quite properly believe in the Atonement even if
we don’t see exactly how is it supposed to go and don’t embrace any of the
theories; it can also be that we are rational in believing in the Atonement but
not in accepting some specific theory of it. (255n27)
I myself have no clear idea of how
my computer works. For that matter, I don’t even have a clear idea of how electricity
works. But I believe in them. In fact, I actually trust them and enjoy them and
profit by them. I’m sure the theory of how they work is fascinating and it is
important for those who deal with them professionally to know as exactly as
possible how they work. It’s also comforting for me to know that some people,
at least, really do have a pretty good understanding—if not, indeed, a total
understanding—of what they are and how they work. But I don’t need to know
precisely or even all that clearly how they work to believe in them and be
blessed by them. They obviously exist and obviously work and I’m glad they do.
At Christmastime (and Easter)
especially I believe that God exists and God works, and I’m glad God does.
Theory/theology is important, yes, but believing and enjoying are even more
important. Happy Christmas!
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