Monthly Archives: October 2023

I wish I had a dollar for every time I heard the phrase “Christian world and life view” – or “Christian life and world view”. I grew up with Rushdoony, Van Til, Schaeffer, Bahnsen, theonomy and reconstructionism. So we heard it a LOT.

I don’t know how it started. Maybe Abraham Kuyper. But the big proponents now are primarily the loony cults such as the one out of Moscow, Idaho (you know who you are.)

There have been so many books written on it, that it is hard to summarize, but the idea is this. If you are a Christian, you know the truth. If you know the truth, it colors everything you do. You now have a Christian world a life view. It affects your politics, your view of marriage and family, your view of schooling, history, math, science, art, music and liberal arts. It colors how you view health care and economics (my Dad used to travel to Christian economic conferences).

It was exhausting. Eventually I asked myself, “What is the difference, really, between a “Christian doctor” and a “non-Christian doctor”? In my experience, the Christian doctors were usually the ones who refused to take insurance, fill out government forms, or provide any help for depression or anxiety…but I digress.

Is there a difference, really, between “Christian math” and “non-Christian math”?

Of course, the biggest enemy was either Postmodernism or Secular Humanism, depending on which era you lived in.

The postmodernists, we were told, rejected absolute truth. We as Christians, of course, believe in absolute truth.

And, as luck would have it, absolute truth coupled with a Christian World and Life View means that I am right on everything, have God’s blessing, and anyone who disagrees is a fool at best, and most likely an unbeliever.

If you think I am exaggerating, try having a discussion with one of them. Try sending your kid to a public school.

And here is where the problem comes in.

First of all, let me be clear, I believe in absolute truth. I believe that there are things that are true without question, and cannot be otherwise.

And here is the first thing that is absolutely true. I am an idiot, and don’t understand even a fraction of what is true.

Proverbs 30 puts it nicely:

    2      Surely I am more stupid than any man,
     And do not have the understanding of a man.
     3      I neither learned wisdom
     Nor have knowledge of the Holy One.

    4      Who has ascended into heaven, or descended?
     Who has gathered the wind in His fists?
     Who has bound the waters in a garment?
     Who has established all the ends of the earth?
     What is His name, and what is His Son’s name,
     If you know?
The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Prov 30:2–4.

It the typical paradox of theological truth, we know that there is absolute truth. And we also know that the wisdom and understanding to have access to that truth only comes from God.

And we know that God gives wisdom and understanding only to those who diligently ask him for it.

And the only ones who diligently ask him for it are those who understand that they are foolish, weak, stupid, brutish, and sinful.

Those who believe that they have knowledge of the ways of the most high, and a special insight into God’s way remain blind, miserable and naked.

16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Re 3:16–18.

But that doesn’t sell books, does it?

Don’t we need the Christian view of home decoration, child rearing, education, politics, economics, medicine, math, science, history, and on and on and on?

Of the making of books there is no end.

And here is where I am.

I don’t know the ways of God, but I trust him.

I don’t know the heart of my transgender neighbor, but I don’t need to. I need to love him and treat him with dignity and respect.

I don’t know what “Christian decor” looks like, except I usually don’t like it.

I have a painting by a pre-Raphaelite painter in my living room (well, a print of it, anyway). It has nipples. That probably doesn’t count. I should probably run to Hobby Lobby and do penance.

I don’t know the difference between Christian music and non-Christian music, but I know what is good and beautiful.

I don’t know the solution to our foreign policy mess or what to do with immigration, or how to fix the economy, but a know a hateful, abusive, sexually violent predator when I see one.

I don’t know how vaccines work. I don’t know how God kept the animals alive on the ark.

I don’t know how an eagle flies for thousands of miles without landing.

I don’t know the ways of a man with a maiden, or why any maiden would want one of them, seeing how they generally lose their minds when a maiden walks by.

I don’t know why I need to make pronouncements about gay marriage, or what 1 Timothy means, or why a woman should wear a veil because of the angels, or what on earth Samson was thinking.

I don’t know why any lawyer would work for Donald Trump, or why anyone would put ketchup on their eggs, or who gives the squirrels enough food for the winter months.

I don’t know how the trees get painted such wonderful colors, or how I can make real choices and God decrees infallibly everything that comes to pass and how these two don’t contradict each other.

I am not infinite. I don’t even have the understanding of a brute.

When I was a kid, I thought that it would be a good idea to stick my finger in a blender to see if the blades would just spin around it.

Spoiler: They didn’t. But I didn’t lose my finger, as my father pointed out to me.

But I know that Jesus said that if I am foolish, weak, ignorant and sinful, I should come to him.

He didn’t promise that he would give me the secrets of the universe.

But he does give me himself. And he loves me and I am learning to love him.

And the more I learn about him, the less willing I am to pretend I am an expert on anything.

What I can do is point you to him.

And what this does is sets me free to love my neighbor, and maybe actually learn something from someone else.

None of us have the monopoly on wisdom, not even if we call it a “Christian world and life view”.

The problem with a “Christian world and life view” is that someone has to determine whose view is the right one.

And then someone has to decide what to do with everyone who disagrees.

And then we are back to crucifixions, racks, and burning stakes.

I’ll take ignorance any day.

I don’t know enough about anything to order a crucifixion. I don’t think anyone else does either.

We also don’t know enough about anything to have contempt for our neighbor.

Maybe, just maybe – I’m wrong about something.

It gives me something to think about, doesn’t it?