Faith Interface

A Critique of Buddhist Thought - From Within

Ellis Potter is the Pastor of the Basel Christian Fellowship and a former Member of L’Abri Fellowship.  He was born in California and was a Zen Buddhist for many years before becoming a Christian. In this talk, posted on Apologetics 315, Potter gives an informative and generous account of Buddhism, its underlying philosophy and its limitations as a lifestyle and worldview.

Listen to the presentation on Apologetics 315 here.

 Other useful resources on Buddhism:

Introduction to Buddhism - Dr Timothy Tennent

The Spirit of Buddhism (David Burnett)

Paperback. 288 pages.

The Buddha lived about 2500 years ago in India on the borders of what is now Nepal, and achieved a unique experience which he described as enlightenment. Around this experience the Buddha constructed an elegant philosophy that is both simple in its character and logical in its analysis. The Buddha claimed that human beings are responsible for their own salvation, and put forward a new ideal of the holy life. This religious philosophy has given rise to great civilizations, art has flourished and scholarship has reached new heights of intellectual discussion. With the increasing popularity of the New Age Movement, Eastern religions - particularly Buddhism - have a growing fascination for the West.

What is this religion? Where did it come from? What are its main tenets?This volume aims to provide a Christian perspective on Buddhist thought.

David Burnett is the author of Clash of Worlds.

The Canberra Declaration

With an Australian Federal Election approaching on August 21st, the usually rather apathetic Australian population, including Australian Christians, are stirred from their slumber and transformed into placard-waving political animals, even if only for a short time. Amongst this renewed political and societal vigour, a group of Australian Christians has got together to put together what they have called “The Canberra Declaration”, described by the authors as “a call to Christian conscience and action”. In their own words:

The Canberra Declaration, drafted by a number of concerned Christian leaders from various backgrounds, addresses some of the key issues and values facing this nation. The values listed here are under threat in many ways, and need to be vigorously and continually championed.

The immediate reason for this Declaration was the August 21, 2010 Federal election. However, the principles enunciated here are timeless principles, and are relevant both for Australia’s short-term and long-term future.

The authors of this document commend it to you for your careful consideration and support.

I must admit that I am inherently suspicious when ambiguous, poorly-defined and frequenty misused terms such as as “Family Values” are bandied around by fellow Christians. I also find it lamentable when the wonderful, timeless and life-transforming message of Christ, and the complex yet cogent Christian worldview built around that message, is reduced to a simplistic discussion of “Family Values” and right-wing, hyper-conservative political moralism. In many ways, Christians have so much more to offer secular Australian culture than harping on the usual flashpoints of gay marriage, abortion, euthanasia, the creation vs. evolution debate, etc. And yet a large segment of the Christian church in Australia, as in other Western nations, allow (even aid and abet) the message of Christ to be reduced to screeching moralism and sloganism.

That said, I actually largely agree with the content of the Declaration, despite its over-simplified content.  I fully support the notions of:

1. The benefits of the ongoing presence of the Judeo-Christian ethic and moral philosophy in secular nations such as Australia.

2. The utmost importance of protecting freedom of speech, freedom of belief and freedom of religious expression in the secular and pluralistic nature of modern Australian society.

3. The stabilising influence of the traditional notions of marriage and family units, both to children and to society in general.

4. The value and sanctity of all human life, by virtue of its status as being made in the image of God. I also believe in the vital need for adequate protection for those human lives in our society who are most vulnerable and have least ability to protect themselves. This includes the unborn, the disabled, the elderly, the mentally ill, the socially displaced, those living in poverty, victims of domestic violence and abuse, and bona-fide refugees from other countries. The message and example of Jesus gives Christians absolutely no other option but to vigorously and energetically protect fellow human beings such as these.

THE CANBERRA DECLARATION

The Preamble to the Australian Constitution contains the words, “Humbly relying on the blessing of Almighty God”. As Australian citizens we continue to declare that we too put our trust in Almighty God.

For centuries, to speak of Western civilisation was to speak of Christian civilisation. The two were in many ways synonymous. The values that we have cherished and sought to strengthen are in large measure founded on the Judeo-Christian belief system. The many freedoms, advantages, opportunities, values and liberties which characterise the West owe much to the growth of Christianity with its inherent belief in the dignity of the human person as created in the image of God and the code of behaviour that flows from this belief.

The Canberra Declaration follows on from the 2009 Manhattan Declaration and the 2010 Westminster Declaration. It declares that when Christian values are respected and allowed freedom of expression, not just confined to so-called sacred spaces but in the public arena as well, society is richer and healthier.

We wish to emphasise three areas that demand particular attention in our contemporary Australian society, namely religious freedom, marriage and the family, and the sanctity of human life. Were we to undermine any one of these values, the social fabric of our nation would be seriously weakened, to our personal and collective detriment.

Religious Freedom

Religious freedom includes freedom of conscience and freedom of speech. The importance of these freedoms is shown in countries where they are threatened or absent. Police states and totalitarian nations inevitably begin with the curtailment of basic liberties, including religious freedom and the right to speak one’s mind and conscience. This includes the right to change one’s religious beliefs.

We affirm the basic necessity of freedom of conscience, having the liberty to speak publicly about one’s faith and beliefs, and having the right to practise the religion of one’s choice. If these freedoms are removed – even in the name of supposed benefits – the prized values of democracy and liberty are seriously undermined.

In Australia today these freedoms are being restricted by laws which, although appearing positive on first reading, have the potential to lead to unintended and unacceptable consequences. These laws include anti-discrimination legislation, hate crime laws and legislation on religious and sexual vilification – each of which may be interpreted in a way that effectively works as a barrier to religious freedom and freedom of speech.

Thus the signers of this declaration affirm the fundamental right of Australians to religious freedom and freedom of speech, and we oppose legislation which denies such freedoms. We likewise oppose laws subjugating our nation to foreign powers and instrumentalities which restrict these freedoms.

Marriage and Family

Another vital package of values and social benefits is the long-standing institution of the natural family resulting from marriage between a man and a woman – as affirmed by the definition of marriage in the Marriage Act: “…the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life”.

No other social institution has done so much good for people and for nations, yet marriage is being undermined, to the detriment of children, individuals, and society itself.

Lifelong marriage between a man and a woman guarantees children their biological birthright to a mother and a father and has a proven track record of providing them with protection, education, welfare, support and nurture. No other arrangement has improved upon the benefits of marriage.

In the face of competing alternatives and moves to redefine marriage, we affirm the importance and social utility of marriage between a man and a woman and the families formed thereby.

Human Life

The third important set of values revolves around the sanctity of human life which is being undermined in much of the Western world, through abortion, euthanasia, and some of the new reproductive technologies.

We believe that all human life, being made in the image of God, has intrinsic and equal value from conception to life’s natural end.

The very heart of a humane and civilised society is based on the way it treats its most vulnerable and innocent members including the unborn and the disabled. We therefore insist on the right of all persons, including those who are vulnerable or dependent, to protection from conception to natural death. We will support, protect, and be advocates for such people, since to do anything less is to weaken our humanity and despise our personhood.

We will not comply with any directive that compels us to participate in or facilitate abortion, embryo-destructive research, assisted suicide, euthanasia, or any other act that involves the intentional taking of innocent human life.

Conclusion

Religious freedom, marriage and family, and the sacredness of human life have provided the foundations enabling Western democratic societies to flourish. We erode these foundations at our peril.

The faith which is at the heart of many of the values and strengths underpinning the Australian nation now compels us to speak up in their defence.

For the future of this nation, and for our children’s future, we call upon all like-minded citizens to support and sign this declaration.

View the website here.

View the Declaration here.

The Object of Faith - Kierkegaard

The object of faith is not a doctrine, for then the relationship would be merely intellectual. The object of faith is not a teacher with a doctrine, for when the teacher has a doctrine, the doctrine is more important than the teacher and the relationship is again intellectual.

The object of the faith is the reality of the teacher - that the teacher really exists. The object of faith is hence the God-Man in the sense of his existence.

Søren Kierkegaard, Concluding Unscientific Postscript (1846)

Rage Against God - Peter Hitchens

What if notorious atheist Christopher Hitchens, bestselling author of God Is Not Great, had a Christian brother? He does. Peter Hitchens details a very personal story of how he left the faith but dramatically returned. And like many of the Old Testament saints whose personal lives were intertwined with the life of their nation, so Hitchens’s story is also the story of modern England and its sad spiritual decline. Hitchens brings his work as an international journalist to bear as he documents firsthand accounts of atheistic societies, specifically in Communist Russia, when he lived in Moscow during the collapse of the Soviet Union. He shows that the world’s bloodiest century, the 20th century, entailed nothing short of atheism’s own version of the Crusades and the Inquisition. The path to a secular utopia, pursued by numerous modern tyrants, is truly paved with more violence than has been witnessed in any era in history. With warmth, with humor, with undeniable truth, Hitchens provides hope for all believers whose friends or family members have left Christianity or who are enchanted by the arguments of the anti-religious intellects of our age. It may actually be true, he writes, that ‘the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.’

Here, for the first time, in his new book The Rage Against God, Peter Hitchens, brother of prominent atheist Christopher Hitchens, chronicles his personal journey through disbelief into a committed Christian faith. With unflinching openness and intellectual honesty, Hitchens describes the personal loss and philosophical curiosity that led him to burn his Bible at prep school and embrace atheism in its place. From there, he traces his experience as a journalist in Soviet Moscow, and the critical observations that left him with more questions than answers, and more despair than hope for how to live a meaningful life.

With first-hand insight into the blurring of the line between politics and the Church, Hitchens reveals the reasons why an honest assessment of atheism cannot sustain disbelief in God. In the process, he provides hope for all believers who, in the words of T. S. Eliot, may discover “the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.”

Train vs Petra

Calling All Angels - Train

I need a sign to let me know you’re here
All of these lines are being crossed over the atmosphere
I need to know that things are gonna look up
‘Cause I feel us drowning in a sea spilled from a cup

When there is no place safe and no safe place to put my head
When you feel the world shake from the words that are said

[Chorus:]
And I’m calling all angels
I’m calling all you angels

I won’t give up if you dont give up [Reapeat x4]

I need a sign to let me know you’re here
‘Cause my TV set just keeps it all from being clear
I want a reason for the way things have to be
I need a hand to help build up some kind of hope inside of me

[Chorus]

When children have to play inside so they don’t disappear
And private eyes solve marriage lies cause we don’t talk for years
And football teams are kissing Queens
and losing sight of having dreams
In a world that what we want is only what we want until it’s ours

[Chorus x2]

Calling all you angels [Repeat till fade]

Grave Robber - Petra

There`s a step that we all take alone,
an appointment we have with the grave unknown,
like a vapor this life is just waiting to pass,
like the flowers that fade, like the withering grass,
But life seems so long and death so complete &
the grave an impossible portion to cheat,
but there is One who has been there & still lived to tell,
There is One who has been thru both Heaven & Hell,
and the Grave will come up empty handed that day,
Jesus will come and steal us away

(CHORUS:)
Where is the sting, tell me where is the bite?
When the Grave Robber comes like a thief in the night,
Where is the victory, where is the prize?
When the Grave Robber comes and death finally dies

Many still mourn, many still weep for those that they love who have fallen asleep,
But we have this hope tho our hearts may still ache,
just one shout from above & they all will awake
and in the reunion of Joy we will see, Death will Be swallowed in sweet Victory

(CHORUS)

When the Lust it`ll be is gone , from the dust will come a song,
those asleep will Be awakened, not a one will be forsaken
each will wipe away our tears, He will steal Away our fears
there will be no sad tomorrow,there will be no pain, no sorrow

(CHORUSx2)

Advice to Christian Philosophers - Dr Alvin Plantinga

The Christian philosophical community need not devote all of its efforts to attempting to refute opposing claims and or to arguing for its own claims, in each case from premises accepted by the bulk of the philosophical community at large. It ought to do this, indeed, but it ought to do more. For if it does only this, it will neglect a pressing philosophical task: systematizing, deepening, clarifying Christian thought on these topics.

So here again: my plea is for the Christian philosopher, the Christian philosophical community, to display, first, more independence and autonomy: we needn’t take as our research projects just those projects that currently enjoy widespread popularity; we have our own questions to think about. Secondly, we must display more integrity. We must not automatically assimilate what is current or fashionable or popular by way of philosophical opinion and procedures; for much of it comports ill with Christian ways of thinking. And finally, we must display more Christian self-confidence or courage or boldness. We have a perfect right to our pre-philosophical views: why, therefore, should we be intimidated by what the rest of the philosophical world thinks plausible or implausible?

Alvin Plantinga, Advice to Christian Philosophers.

To read the entire article go here.

New Atheism - Dr John Lennox

Over the last few years, the New Atheism has argued that faith is inherently irrational, and that religion should not be tolerated, but rather “countered, criticized and exposed by rational argument wherever its influence arises.” Authors Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, and Sam Harris, among others, have in particular been evangelists of this “New Atheism.”

In this 81-minute video discussion, Forum speaker Professor John Lennox discusses Christian theism, his journey to faith, and the New Atheism. The discussion is available for live streaming here. It can also been downloaded as an mp3 or as a video file for Quicktime or iPod.

John Lennox is Professor of Mathematics in the University of Oxford, Fellow in Mathematics and the Philosophy of Science, and Pastoral Advisor at Green Templeton College, Oxford. He is also an adjunct Lecturer at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford University, and at the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics, and is a Senior Fellow of the Trinity Forum. In addition, he teaches for the Oxford Strategic Leadership Programme at the Executive Education Centre, Said Business School, Oxford University. He studied at the Royal School Armagh, Northern Ireland and was Exhibitioner and Senior Scholar at Emmanuel College, Cambridge University, from which he received his MA and PhD. His most recent book, on the interface between science, philosophy and theology, is God’s Undertaker - Has Science Buried God? (Oxford, Lion-Hudson 2009). He debated Richard Dawkins on “The God Delusion” in the University of Alabama (2007) and on “Has Science buried God?” in the Oxford Museum of Natural History (2008). He has also debated Christopher Hitchens on the New Atheism (Edinburgh Festival 2008) and in Samford University, Alabama, on the question: “Is God Great?”

Quantum Physics and God

In this lecture, philosopher Keith Ward explains how quantum theory undermines traditional physics and the out-dated strict materialism it spawned. This is the strict, rigid materialism forced down our throats by the New Atheists like Richard Dawkins.

Ward claims that philosophical principles uncovered by quantum theory such as the effect of observation on subatomic particles, probability wave electrons, indeterminism and entanglement of subatomic particles, exposes traditional materialism as an outdated worldview that can no longer be intellectually justified.

Ward goes on to claim that quantum theory is more likely to support the premises of philosophical idealism, which maintains that the ultimate nature of reality is based on the mind or ideas. In the area of particle physics, idealism would suggest that, rather than the ultimate nature of reality being based on nothing but brute physical matter as suggested by traditional materialism, quantum theory suggests that the observer creates phenomenal reality. Quantum physics gives us a picture where the nature of the observer’s consciousness, creates the reality we perceive out of an underlying reality whose true nature must be forever hidden from us.

“No elementary phenomena is real unless it is observed”

(Emeritus Professor John Wheeler, Theoretical Physicist)

“Study of the external world [in quantum physics] leads to the conclusion that contents of consciousness are the ultimate reality.”

(Professor Eugene Wigner, Mathematical Physicist)

Ward suggests that it looks as if consciousness has a fundamental and ineliminable place in our conception of what the physical world is like. In other words, the physical is not simply there, apart from consciousness. Consciousness has to exist for physical reality to exist in the way it does, in relation to us – and we cannot get beyond that to a deeper reality, except in a purely mathematical sense. It is not just ‘secondary qualities’ like colour and smell that only exist in relation to a human observer. Now the very electrons and atoms out of which physical reality appears to be constituted only exist in relation to a mind that observes it.

“All real things are contents of consciousness”

(John von Neumann, Mathematical Physicist)

What is the nature of this underlying consciousness on which phenomenal reality relies? It is not, as some New Agers (think ‘The Secret”) would suggest - the power of our own individual consciousness that creates our reality. No, Keith Ward follows in the tradition of the famous idealist philosopher, Bishop Berkeley, claiming that the ultimate ‘cosmic consciousness’ on which our physical reality depends is God.

To here this fascinating lecture by Keith Ward, Religion and the Quantum World go here.

The Lure of the Australian Greens Party

Written by Angela Shanahan.

Christians should beware of the lure of the Australian Greens. Underneath the nostalgia for a less consumer-orientated society where the ideals of community and eco-friendly natural harmony prevail, and humanitarian causes like refugees are embraced, there lies a dangerous philosophical ethic which, far from being a coherent choice for Christians, in fact positions itself in direct competition as an alternative to traditional Christian human-centred ethos.

A brief investigation of the philosophical underpinnings of the Greens confirms this. If you need a quick reference for the Greens’ philosophical outlook, I recommend you read a book that Bob Brown co-authored with the Greens’ long-term philosophical guru and former political candidate, Peter Singer in 1996. Called simply The Greens, the book sets out a new ‘green ethic’ that, according to Singer, directly contradicts the old Christian, biblically-based ethic of man at the centre of creation.

According to Singer, the traditional view of man and his environment is essentially exploitive ‘Christian’ ethos, derived from the Bible and the teachings of the Church Fathers. Only the Greens challenge it. Whether the Greens assessment of this apparently ‘Christian’ ethic is accurate seems not as improtant to the Greens. What is important to Brown and Singer is to establish the Greens philosophy as a distinct alternative to the traditional Christian view.

Ultimately however, it should give Christians pause for concern - to say the least - that the supreme utilitarian Peter Singer is regarded as a philosophical Godfather of the Australian Greens.

Read the full article in on page 7 of Viewpoint Magazine, as a digital online version here or a PDF document here.

More on Viewpoint Magazine here.

I have blogged about Peter Singer before:

The Moral Abyss of Peter Singer

‘Chronos’ and ‘Kairos’ living

by Bruce Hulme

Are you like me, pinching yourself that we’re nearly half way through 2010? I have papers to be written, work tasks overdue, and I constantly find myself operating out of the urgent-important quadrant much more than I would like. My alarm clock feels like it’s going off earlier and earlier each day, my inbox feels out of control, and my lists seem to get longer, not shorter! Of course, I’m not crying “poor me!”; this is chronos living which we all experience. You would know that chronos is the Greek word for time by the clock. Due dates, reminders on our phones and email programs, watches on our hands and frustrating red lights when we’ve cut it too fine to get to an appointment—these all reinforce the chronos dimension of living in a fast-paced society.

Increasingly I have come to believe that a deep life in Christ beckons the intentional cultivation of kairos living each day amidst a chronos culture. Kairos, the other Greek word for time, is God’s perfect timing … “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children” (Gal 4:4-5). Karios is the gift of God’s ’now’.

Jean-Pierre De Caussade called it “the sacrament of the present moment”. Amidst the freneticism of all that chronos living presses us to accomplish, the Spirit beckons us to embrace a kairos perspective, to pay attention and be present to who and what is before us. A child sharing an achievement with us; a friend in casual conversation hinting of deeper pain; a meal to be savoured rather than just devoured; a ’chance’ encounter with someone in need of a word of hope; a Scripture inviting deeper reflection … God places so many kairos moments before each day, if only we would be willing to stop and look, to listen, and to pay attention.
In the flurry of all we feel we have to achieve in this chronos culture, may we increasingly give priority to those rhythms in our lives that foster a kairos way of life, and so learn how to readily embrace the sacrament of the present moment.