Selah
The last few years of intentional philosophical investigation into Life, the Universe and Everything have been like walking through tracks in the forest, going on detours along some interesting sidetracks, sometimes unintentionally and sometimes in order to see what is there, but generally moving in the same direction.
It now feels like I have entered a clearing. As well as the thoughts which I have collected on the philosophical path I arrived on, there are other paths coming in from different directions which have also contributed to my collection.
There is my spiritual journey which I have walked for as long as I can remember and has followed Christian paths of various traditions.
There is Christian doctrine which is received largely on authority and is more a matter of trust than history.
There is the historical evidence for the factual truth of Christianity
As these paths merge, how do they shed light on each other? Are there any conflicts?
It seems like a good time to pause and to look around and see what have I discovered on the journey so far. A time to re-examine beliefs which I have held for a very long time and, perhaps, have taken for granted. What do I believe now after my investigations? Why do I believe what I do? Has my exploration confirmed the beliefs I was brought up with or challenged them? Or both?
Is it is no coincidence that I was brought up Christian and now believe that Theism is the best hypothesis for the Universe and that Christianity is closer to the truth than other belief systems. This is something which concerns me. To what extent are my beliefs rationally founded rather than from having been blinkered by environment?
So now is the time to re-examine the core ideas of the Christian faith which I am committed to, to see how my views and assumptions may have been influenced by nature and nurture and to see how my philosophical journey meshes with my spiritual one. Rather than making what I believe more clear, this examination necessarily brings to the fore many new questions, not always comfortable ones.
In some ways it feels like it might have done for Meriwether Lewis when he reached the Lemhi Pass thinking that he had reached the summit and that the onward journey would be a smooth one. Then he found out that, far from the rest of the path being a smooth one, a whole new terrain had come into view and the destination is very much beyond the horizon.
As I continue along the path, I intend to still follow the guidelines:
- Truth is the goal – even if it is uncomfortable
- Be willing to be refuted – that is the way to learn – so please refute me!
- Treat the views of others with respect and charity – even if I don’t agree with them
To embrace the responsibility of taking the heretical imperative: by speaking out when necessary or asking awkward questions that will often upset the status quo; by making relationships the priority, and not reputation.
Above all, is the Christian faith I was brought up with and have followed ever since really true? If not then that would require a serious paradigm shift. Nevertheless, for me, an uncomfortable truth is more to be sought than a comfortable lie.
Let’s see where this takes us…
So where do I stand now?
My quest started when I was very young when I was surprised at the fact of my existence and that I was conscious of it. It continued as I pondered how free I really was in the light of the apparent subversion of desire caused by puberty. My quest was underpinned by the religion in which I was brought up and which led me to believe that there was more to life than the material out of which our bodies are made.
So where am I now, nearly 70 years later? Some things have become clearer but other questions remain and many new questions have emerged. Things which I took for granted have been revealed to be anything but clear-cut.
Being as objective as I am able, my investigations lead me to believe that the religion I was brought up with is the one which has most supporting evidence, both historical and experiential. I find no contradiction between my religious beliefs and the science and philosophy which I have studied and read.
The childlike curiosity which prompted me to start a quest in the first place is still there. I have not grown out of it. So, now is the time to remain in the security of the clearing for a little longer, and from that base, explore some of the paths which are there.