I just received my monthly issue of Christianity Today.
Chuck Colson and Catherine Larson contribute a fascinating short piece about the recent spate of high-profile atheists who have begun to hear the padding paws of the Hound of Heaven.
The article is worth reading, if you can track it down. (I tried to find a link, but there's none detectable on the Christianity Today website.)
After citing a couple of atheists who have renounced atheism (Antony Flew and A.N. Wilson), Colson and Larson write:
Likewise, Matthew Parris, another well-known British atheist, made the mistake of visiting Christian aid workers in Malawi, where he saw the power of the gospel transforming them and others. Concerned with what he saw, he wrote that it "confounds my ideological beliefs, stubbornly refuses to fit my worldview, and has embarrassed my growing belief that there is no God."
Parris has not yet come over to the theistic side, but we can always hope. :-)
Some of the recent atheist converts cite phenomena such as language and music that they cannot explain from an atheistic worldview.
It all reminds me of Sunshine Mama's recent question: how are nonbelievers trying to deny the wonders of the world, these days?
As Colson and Larson write, Christianity is a reasonable faith. Many deep-thinking people come to Christianity because in the end, they believe it is the logical worldview to hold. They find faith through reason, not in spite of it.
Others find faith written in what earlier generations called the Book of Nature: the mysteries of math, of music, the beauty of mountains and the sound of wind.
Still others find it written in the inexplicable love of an aid worker in Malawi.
All good books in our world--scriptural, natural, and mortal--bear the same signature.
Which of these books is speaking to you today?
14 comments:
I'm going to be honest here. There are times when I almost regret being raised in my faith. I've had my doubts through life, but never to the point where I denied my God.
Yet I've found that some of the most ardent believers were at some point the most ardent nonbelievers. Perhaps the deeper doubt carves into us, the more faith we can contain.
Very interesting. When I was a freshman or sophomore in college (1976-78), Anthony Flew was in a high profile debate with a prof from the churches of Christ, Thomas B. Warren. Flew argued that there was no God; Warren that there was. Just this year I received a book about how Flew has come to faith in God. Utterly amazing.
Hey Billy,
I appreciate your thougths here. But, I've experienced the chilling affects of doubt, and I sure don't ever want to again. I may, and am ready for it, but I didn't like the chills, fear and lack of sleep! I worked through some intellectual issues to get back, but the intellectual work had a hard time stilling the emotional disruption.
Maybe that Paul guy was right....whoda thunk? ;)
This post is amazing. I'm still processing it! And I do wonder like, Billy. Do we need to go down to the depths of despair to be really awakened to Him and All that God is? Can you tell I'm in the midst of searching of a greater closeness to God right now?
Thanks for the follow, now I've found your blog. :)
Hope to visit more often.
I see Rachelle represents your work. Cool. We are friends!
Hi there! So fun to meet you. Thanks for stopping by my blog to read Jody's interview and taking time to read my column as well. I can't cite any books offhand, but I've become a loyal follower of fellow mother-writer Jennifer, who writes a blog at Conversion Diary. She's also in the process of writing her memoir about finding Christianity after being an atheist through most of her adult life. I find her perspectives amazing, especially given her background. She's taking a blogging break this week but check out her back posts if you have time. It's great stuff. I find this kind of thing fascinating as a believer who is always searching and intrigued by those who come at it from a different place than I did. I also plan to stop back here -- thanks for introducing yourself! :)
Hi! It's so nice have stumbled across your blog, I'n not sure what site I was actually on before I got here (there are so many that I visit).
God has been so faithful to me, especially to date in my writing. He continues to guide me to a better understanding, a supportive community of writers, and wonderful books on craft. I grew up in a church home so having built a relationship earlier on helped, even when I was tempted to go in opposite directions.
I bless His name for He has done great things!
I grew up as a Pastor's kid surrounded by the Christian faith and accepted Christ at a very young age. Then, in high school, I took a worlds' religions class (a history elective) and discovered that everyone else thinks their way is THE way. I wrestled through the tough questions for about 6 months before emerging with a faith that was MINE instead of simply the way I was raised.
Am I stronger for having wrestled? You bet. And I've been able to share honestly with other seekers as a result.
Thanks for the deep thinking today!
When I taught my daughter, in science, how the earth and the sun and the moon interact with each other...how any slight disruption in the distance from the sun to the earth...how precise everything has to be for just one day of life to occur on earth...it baffles me that anyone could call that an accident.
Nice post.
Very well written thoughts, Rosilyn. Are you sure you write fiction, because your posts are show casing your non-fiction writing ability!! :)
As I was studying the migration of birds yesterday with my daughters, I was overwhelmed with the intelligent design of the migration process! It's amazing how birds need the right amount of food, that if they have too much or too little before migrating they'd die during their trip.
The evidence around us points to God whether people choose to acknowledge that or not!
The Book which always speaks to me says this:
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:16)
Sounds like that works!
I've been uplifted and spurred to further thought by all your comments. Thanks so much to everyone for coming by, and for such insightful contributions. It's a privilege and a pleasure to converse with you in blogland.
They find faith through reason, not in spite of it.
Amen!
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