FAITH: Who Committed the First Folly?

- for we walk by faith, not by sight -

2 Corinthians 5:7

The Sleepwalkers is a history of astronomy by Arthur Koestler. In it the author calls the period when astronomy and theology became separate disciplines a watershed event. The cause of the cleavage was the adoption of non-circular (elliptical) orbits for planets to explain their motion around the sun. This went against traditional religious dogma of the day.

The circle was believed to be the perfect figure, and God, having made the planets, could not have made them move in a path other than a perfect one.

Nonetheless, the ellipse prevailed. This, contends Koestler, had a profound impact on the cultural; namely that logic prevailed over blind ideology. Thus the scientific age was birthed.

Today, physics and religion remain in distinct chambers – one practical, the other spiritual — as in the separation of body and soul; thus it is of interest to look at the Celts, a people whose innermost intuition, unlike ours, was that astronomy and theology were intimately associated.

Jean-Marc Perelmuter, writing for Fox News Online, says it has only been recently that Celtic art and legends have been put on par with their warring accomplishments. He says, “Stonehenge, a mysterious but deliberate arrangement of rocks dating back 1000 to 3000 B.C. is a testimony of the Celts' ability to harmonize what we call science and religion into one monolith.”

[Eye On The Sky by Dr. Jean-Marc Perelmuter “Celtic Astronomy “ 7.00 a.m. ET (1100 GMT) November 17, 1999 © 1999, News America Digital Publishing, Inc. d/b/a Fox News Online.]

Not all that has occurred in the battle between people of faith and people of science can be neatly excised as an example of theological folly as were the orbits of planets. But it’s good for those of us who place our faith and fates in the hands of God to remember facts have a place in the order of God’s universe … we should do our homework before we take a stand on traditions.

Yet, it’s likewise good to remember foolishness is not the private domain of the faithful, science has its follies as well … two monumental examples have yet to be revealed: 1) the selfish slaughter of the innocent because science blindly insists it’s just fetal tissue and 2) the siren song of modern man, the theory of natural selection.

After all, Paul said it for all of us long ago, … we walk by faith, not by sight.

Christianity, Faith,
Illustrations, Religion

TRADITIONALISM: We've always done it that way here!

PROTECTION OR PREVENTION: [Colossians 2:8]

"The Williams Fire" caught us by surprise. Small fires in the San Gabriel Mountains are common for September in years of drought; but 24 hours after it started, what began as a 20-acre brush fire had quickly become a full-fledged problem … an out of control forest fire, consuming hundreds of acres at a gulp.

On the first day, I arrived home at dusk and went to an area to join neighbors watch the flames consume our beautiful mountains. We watched together for about an hour, waxing eloquently on our knowledge of fires, and trading lies about "the fire of '83." When the sun began to set over the Los Angeles skyline, we all commented on how the smoke had turned the sun burning red. I made a big deal about how beautiful it was.

As the sun began to slide behind the horizon, I began to have difficulty focusing on anything but the biggest flames. I turned to the lady on the right to mention this, only to see a dark grey face staring back at me. I then realized I was still wearing my sunglasses.

The old King James translators had a way with words; in 1 Corinthians 13:12 they have Paul informing the folks in Corinth that "now we see through a glass darkly." Their choice of words came alive for me when I realized I was still wearing my shades after dark.

There is another truth hidden in this experience: tradition, when used correctly, will prevent churches and denominations from moving critical boundaries, destroying key foundations, and distracting members from mission; tradition, when used incorrectly, obliterates boundaries, weakens structures, and obscures vision. Slowly, the Son-light slips below the collective horizon, what is supposed to be seen “dimly” is now seen not at all. So too with my cool shades.

DISCERNMENT: Blind cave salamanders & other sightless, lightless things!

For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins.

2 Peter 1:9

There exists in our south central states (Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas), a troglodytic (cave-dwelling) salamander, which is blind and virtually colorless: where its eyes ought to be are two black dots. In the Ozark variety, eyelids do develop but promptly fuse over eyes that do not function. Most remarkably, when raised in ambient light the salamander’s eyelids degenerate even more abruptly.

The Ozark variety was the first such blind cave salamander to be found in North America. All varieties of the Typhlomolge Rathbuni appear to be on an endangered species list somewhere.

In our text, Peter is writing of the fruitful life in Christ Jesus we ought to have; he offers virtues we should add to our character in order to possess this life.

“He writes of faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, patience, godliness, and brotherly kindness. He concludes with charity, or love, Christian love, which is completely unselfish love.

"Without these characteristics, says Peter, the professed Christian is as totally unable to discern spiritual things as the salamander is unable to discern physical things.” [James A Tucker]

Man living without these virtues is a man living in darkness. Over an extended period of time, man’s spiritual eyes have grown shut, his heart-eyes degenerating to the point of being non-functioning. The first sightless human was found in the Garden of Eden; but praise be to God, all varieties are on the Lord’s endangered species list.

See also - Follow the Bouncing Ball

2 Peter, Christianity, Discernment,
Illustration, Religion