What follows is an essay I wrote in the Spring of 2003 for the Systematic Theology Class of the Penn West Academy for Ministry.
The
relationship between faith and history is a turbulent one at the least. Much like a pendulum, popular thought and
theory tends to swing from one side to the other. Beginning with the historical period called
enlightenment, the relationship of these two schools became strained and set
off a debate that still rages on in many to this day. Faith in Jesus, in his teachings and his
death and resurrection came under direct challenge as scholars began to rely on
the supremacy of human intellect.
During this period scholars began to view the human ability to reason as
perfect.
During this time great strides were
being made in the sciences and the liberal arts. Our ability to solve complex problems, to
imagine, invent, create, and conquer brought about an idea that our ability to
reason could solve every puzzle and answer every question. Rational thinking and scientific methods had
successfully advanced human knowledge.
As success begets success, reason became the yardstick for all studies,
including theological. In looking at the
life of Jesus, this brought about more questions than it solved. McGrath discusses three major problems that
arise when the Gospel of Jesus Christ is studied through reason: chronological, metaphysical, and existential
(McGrath 362).
The
metaphysical problem is best described as an unwillingness or inability to
believe in miracles. Two scholars in the
middle of the 18th century, H. S. Reimarus and G. E. Lessing refused
to accept human testimony to a past event as creditable evidence when current
experience was contrary to the testimony (McGrath, 360). For this reason, the resurrection of Jesus
witnessed and reported in the New Testament could not be truth because no such
resurrections were taking place now.
Lessing called the stretch from anecdotal knowledge to scientific
understand an “ugly great ditch” which he could cross (McGrath 363).
Although
McGrath separates the chronological and existential problems, they are similar
in understanding. Both are based on the
factor of time. The chronological
problem states that the events of the New Testament took place so long ago that
they cannot be trusted (McGrath 362).
The existential problem is one of relevance. What do events that took place so long ago
in a vastly different culture and a time before the enlightenment have to offer
this “modern” world (McGrath 365)?
As
the pendulum continued to swing in this direction, rational studies searched
for the Historical Jesus, the religious personality of Jesus, and the life of
Jesus. All struggled with how to view
the Christian faith in this new age of enlightenment. It was in the critique of these studies that
we begin to see the pendulum swinging in the opposite direction.
Martin
Kahler challenged the search for a historical Jesus by regarding Jesus as
“supra-historical” figure. That is one
who transcends history and as such, the historical methods being used really
cannot apply (McGrath 371). For Kahler, the importance of Jesus is not found in
the historical facts, but in the “Christ of faith”, the Jesus preached (McGrath
372). Rudolf Bultmann took it one step further.
History is only necessary in that Jesus existed, and the Christian
kerygma is grounded in his person (McGrath 373). Bultmann brings the pendulum
back even farther in reintroducing the divine back into the equation.
Faith
by definition is a belief that does not rest on logical proof or material
evidence. And it is in this that a
Christian finds strength for each day and hope for tomorrow. Lessing and others believe in their ability
to reason. If they could not work it out
in their minds, them it must be false or an “ugly great ditch” that cannot be
crossed. They wanted to remove faith in
the divine from the equation because they could not comprehend the divine.
The
relationship between faith and history cannot be one of equal proportions. Faith, in order to be faith, must be able to
look beyond the facts and see the possibilities, hope in things not seen
(Hebrews 11:1). History is important to
our understanding of the world because it tells us how we got to where we are
and defines our character. It is a
reminder of past mistakes that should be avoided. History can encourage faith when it reminds
of our victories. But faith is the key
to understanding God, not history.
Works Cited
McGrath, Alister E.. Christian
Theology, An Introduction 1997:358-384
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