Is Christianity a Reasonable Worldview?

With so many religions in the world and secular scientism dominating the academy, it seems to many people that a serious belief in a single (especially religious) worldview is naive, narrow minded, and obviously preposterous. Subscribing to a religion in its entirety appears to give up your ability to think for yourself. To say that belief in Christianity is out of fashion right now is an understatement. Notice, however, that public opinion is completely irrelevant to whether a set of ideas are true or not. Atheism is a statistically rare belief and has been since the dawn of time, yet it is clearly ridiculous to suggest that atheism is false on these grounds. Simply put, opinions do not determine reality. So the question stands, is Christianity a reasonable worldview for the 21st century?

Has Science Replaced Religion?

With how far we have come in understanding the universe, God’s place seems to continually shrink away with one bombshell discovery after another. First we thought we needed God to sustain the universe, then came Newton. Next we thought we needed God to make sense of morality, then came Rousseau. Then we thought we needed God for complex biological life, then came Darwin. Finally, we thought we needed God to create the universe, but many claim that we don’t even need him to do that (take your pick between multiverse theory or A Universe From Nothing). God can’t even perform miracles anymore––modern medicine is far more effective and used far more often. Why, then, is theism still popular? Is this just plain ignorance, with superstition and stubbornness to boot?

This conceptualization, however, is a gross mischaracterization of modern belief. Belief in God is not utilized to cover gaps in our knowledge, it is used as an inference from the knowledge we already have. I would like to argue (and indeed will argue many times, I’m sure) that the God-hypothesis is still the best explanation for the universe as we know it. Science continues to demonstrate that the universe was created in an explosion of space, time and matter, and that the best explanation for complex digital information in biological life is actually a designer. These facts, as well as others, actually point to a powerful and intelligent mind as a cause for the universe and the principles we find in it.

Christianity is Plausible

Theism answers questions that science itself asks in response to our observations. This alone, however, does not prove a hypothesis without further evidence. From here, there is only one real question which philosophy should be concerned about: does God exist? If there is evidence that God exists, this evidence must be examined on its merit and accepted or rejected accordingly. To me, this seems like a profoundly useful and reasonable place to start when analyzing what reality is like. The evidence for God seems to be as follows:

• The existence of a universe (the fact that there is something rather than nothing).
• The apparent presence of objective moral values.
• The fine-tuning of the universe, its physical laws, and its biological inhabitants.
• The reality of consciousness.
• The experience of beauty, the longing for purpose, and the array of human experience.
• The ministry and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth.

This list is not exhaustive, but it is noteworthy. Obviously much of these observations can be explained by alternate worldviews, and there are lengthy conversations to be had about what we can conclude from these premises. The idea, however, that there is a mind at the foundation of reality and it exercised power to create a universe and share it with human beings is a not unreasonable when presuppositions are set aside. Christianity bears much explanatory power, and the arguments which stem from these facts form a convincing cumulative case for the truthfulness of Christianity.

Christianity is Beautiful

Defending the truthfulness of Christianity is only a portion of our project here at Well Read Christian. Perhaps even more importantly, I want to demonstrate that the Christian view of reality is a captivating, beautiful and winsome outlook which enables a person to understand the external world as well as the internal one. Whether it is the capacity for human art, the beauty of a mountain range or the laughter of an infant, Christianity is ultimately a pursuit of a God who would create these things. A real devoted believer (not just a church-goer) who chases the God of the universe with their heart, soul, mind and strength, is actually seeking to know the soul of the one who invented musical notes, the heart behind the crafter of sexual intimacy, and the mind of the one who designed intergalactic orbits and atomic equations. The seeker of God is searching for the spirit of a being who would spend his time orchestrating the ecosystems of every habitat on planet earth, while managing microbes and black holes.

Admittedly, this is not always the God of which Christians speak. All too often God is a plaything for sophistry, a genie for little Timmy’s math test, a supervisor for your next job interview, and the Michelin Man for your tires, ensuring safe travels and blessed meals. Let me to assure you, whether you are a Christian or not, this is not the God of the Bible nor the God of which Jesus spoke. That is why art often does a better job than prose at showing who God is. Much of Scripture is poetry and narrative for a reason. My goal is to expose you to a tiny glimmer of the true God, not the American one.

Christianity is a Story

Allow me to get a working definition of Christianity on the table. After all, it’s in the name of the organization. Christianity, at its core, is actually a story. Belief systems, doctrine and ethical codes emerge from the story, yes, but Christianity is far more simple than the sum of its parts.

Essentially, Christianity is the message that God created the universe and each human being within it. Human beings are corrupt, however, and not only commit evil but wish they could commit more evil than they already do. Since God is perfectly just, his just nature demands that human beings be eradicated and punished. But God, because he loves us, died in our place in the person of Jesus Christ to fulfill the requirement of justice so that those who believe this story and repent for their sins can be reunited with God in peace, happiness and harmony in this life and in the next.

This story is called the Gospel, and it is the beating heart of Christendom. Without each component, you do not have Christianity. Any additional or necessary details are just clarifications and expositions on the components above. This story, as I hope you will see if you spend any amount of time here, is a profoundly beautiful one which has changed, shaped and inspired millions of people. This story (or components of it) has become the starting point for systems of law, the catalyst for majestic art work and unparalleled literary achievements. This cosmic story touches and fulfills the human heart like nothing that has come before or since. The more you look at every angle, crevice and example of this story in reality and in Scripture, the more life changing and magnificent and enthralling it becomes.

Conclusion

Since Christianity is a deeply moving story which brings with it existential peace, intellectual cohesion and emotional well-being when believed and acted upon, it seems worthy of our attention. When examined, it is also the best working hypothesis which explains the most pertinent questions about the universe’s origins, the grounding of morality, the fine-tuning of biological life and our deepest intuitions about reality. Many have examined Christianity throughout the centuries and found a God worth living and even dying for. The person of Jesus Christ is without question the most enigmatic and fascinating man to have ever lived, and I sincerely hope you can see his influence in my work. I will conclude with quote.

“Here is a man who was born in an obscure village as the child of a peasant woman… He worked in a carpenter shop until he was thirty and then for three years was an itinerant preacher. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never owned a home. He never had a family. He never went to college… Nineteen wide centuries have come and gone and today he is the center of the human race and the leader of the column of progress. I am far within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever marched, and all the navies that were ever built, and all the parliaments that ever sat and all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man upon the earth as powerfully as has this one solitary life.” 

Dr James Allan Francis