Paul's Intellectual Courage in the Face of Sophisticated Unbelief

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3. Jahrgang

MARTIN MBS Texte 63 BUCER 2006 SEMINAR

Thomas K. Johnson Paul’s Intellectual Courage in the Face of Sophisticated Unbelief

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TheologicalTheologische Accents Akzente TableInhaltsverzeichnis of Contents

Romans 1:16–32 (original translation)...... 4 The Human Condition before God: An Exposition of Themes from Romans 1...... 4 General Revelation, Christian Learning, and Gospel Proclamation...... 9 Annotations...... 16 The Author...... 16 Impressum...... 17

1. Aufl. 2006 Paul’s Intellectual Courage in the Face of Sophisticated Unbelief

Paul’s Intellectual Courage in the Face of Sophisticated Unbelief: The Advantage of Grasping General Revelation Thomas K. Johnson

The Apostle Paul was one of the most the whole range of Jewish and Gentile courageous men who ever lived. He was worldviews, beliefs, and cults. This able to overcome all sorts of fear, anxi- makes an important question unavoid- ety, and doubt in a vast array of situ- able: Where or how did Paul attain this ations. When he was beaten, stoned, high level of intellectual courage? The or shipwrecked, he found courage to answer, as given in Romans 1, seems to continue on to the next city or vil- be that Paul attained this intellectual lage, even though his next encounter courage from his understanding of the with pain might be worse than the last. human condition before God, a condi- When he faced distortions of the faith, tion characterized by the repression of unbelief, and gross immorality in the God’s general revelation. In the follow- new churches, he responded firmly but ing, in a way that should not be very patiently, calling his people to live con- technical or very original, we will try to sistently in light of the core of the New gain an overview of Paul’s understand- Testament proclamation and teaching. ing of the human condition of reject- And running in, through, and under ing God’s general revelation, which his other types of courage was an over- includes parts of a theory of knowledge. powering intellectual courage: he had This will be in three parts: an origi- complete confidence in the truth and nal translation of Romans 1:16-32; an importance of his message, in spite of exposition of selected themes in this the fact that the massive majority of text; and some theological/philosophi- his neighbors thought his message was cal reflections inspired by Paul’s method simply foolish nonsense. This becomes of thought. The goal of this study is to more striking when one sees that Paul assist believers in understanding the did not live in a spiritual ghetto, sepa- condition of the unbelieving world, rated from the various religions and thereby increasing our intellectual and philosophies of his day. The New Tes- practical courage in communicating tament portrays a man who carried the biblical message in the midst of a on a living, continual dialog, with the secular world.1 literature, ideas, and representatives of

Theologische Akzente Thomas K. Johnson

Romans 1:16–32 ever. Amen. (26) Therefore, God gave (original translation) them over unto dishonorable passions; for example, the women exchanged I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is natural sexual relations for those which the power of God intended for salvation are contrary to nature, (27) as also the for each person who believes, first for the men left natural sexual relations with Jew and then for the Greek. (17) In it women and burned in their desires for the righteousness of God is revealed by each other, man for man, contrary to faith and unto faith, as it is written, the scheme of nature; and thereby they ... The righteous will live by faith ... receive in themselves the repayment which was necessary for their delusion. (18) For the wrath of God is being (28) And since they did not recog- revealed from heaven against all the nize the knowledge of God that they godlessness and injustice of men who had, God gave them over to a confused suppress the truth by means of injus- state of mind, to do those things which tice, (19) since the knowledge of God are inappropriate. (29) They are full of is plain in them; for God has made envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. himself known to them. (20) His invis- They are gossips, (30) slanderers, God- ible characteristics are received into haters, insolent, arrogant, and boastful; consciousness through the creation of they invent ways of doing evil; they dis- the world, namely his invisible power obey their parents; (31) they are sense- and divine nature, so that people are less, disloyal, lacking in normal affec- without an apology. (21) Although they tions, and merciless. (32) They know knew God, they did not glorify him or the requirement of God that those who give thanks to him, but became worth- do such things are worthy of death, but less in their thoughts and their senseless they not only do these things, they also hearts were darkened. (22) Claiming to approve of those who do them. be wise, they became foolish and (23) exchanged the glory of the immortal God for the image of the likeness of The Human Condition before mortal man, birds, animals, and rep- God: An Exposition of Themes tiles. from Romans 1 (24) Therefore God gave them over by means of the covetous desires of To understand Paul’s conception of their hearts unto uncleanness to dis- human nature before God, one has to honor their bodies among themselves, be ready to see human knowledge and (25) particularly the very people who life as filled with contradictions and ten- exchanged the truth of God for a lie and sions. At the center of these contradic- deified and worshipped the creation in tions stands the problem that all people place of the Creator, who is blessed for- have knowledge of God, even though

MBS Texte 63 Paul’s Intellectual Courage in the Face of Sophisticated Unbelief people often do not want to accept or As Paul describes this general revela- acknowledge that they have a knowl- tion, it is important to notice that it has edge of God. Though Paul did not very significant content. It is not only give us precise terminology to use, he a vague feeling or awareness of some- assumes some type of contrast between thing higher or holy, though this is two types of knowledge of God, some- surely included. At least three distinct thing like a contrast between a deficient aspects of the content of general rev- knowledge and a proper knowledge, or elation are specifically mentioned: the a contrast between a rejected knowledge power of God, the deity of God (vs. and an accepted knowledge. The first 20), and a very significant portion of type of knowledge is what all people the moral demands of God’s law (vs. have by virtue of creation, whether it is 32), which fits closely with a natural called deficient or rejected knowledge scheme or pattern for life (vs. 27). This of God. The second type of knowledge, content is much of what has often been whether it is called proper or accepted, called “ethical monotheism;” in Paul’s comes only by the gospel. way of thinking, ethical monotheism Paul claims that God really is reveal- is the pattern of truth proclaimed by ing himself through creation to all God through creation (as well as in the people on earth, and the language he Scriptures). uses is in the present tense, meaning As a result of this general revelation, this is an active, ongoing work of God there is a very important sense in which through all of human history. God all people in all times and places know did not merely create the world and go God. Paul says the knowledge of God into retirement (as some Deists seem to is plain to all people and in all people think); he is currently speaking to all (vs. 19) and this knowledge is taken men, women, and children, whether or into the consciousness of all people (vs. not they want to listen to God or believe 20). Of course, there is also an impor- in God. To avoid misunderstanding, tant sense in which many people do it may be wise to notice that Paul sees not know God; this is what makes the this activity of God as coming before gospel so important. One of the deep- any human interest in knowing God or est self-contradictions or paradoxes of asking about God. This activity of God human experience is that in at least has often been called general revelation, one area, lack of knowledge is based on natural revelation, or creational revela- knowledge, namely in relation to God. tion by followers of Paul. Each of these How can this be? terms has certain strengths, since this People generally do not like knowing revelation of God is general (to all peo- God. And for this reason this knowl- ple), coming through nature (including edge is suppressed or repressed, with human nature), which is always under- the result that people can easily say they stood to be God’s creation. do not know God, while, at the same

Theologische Akzente Thomas K. Johnson time, they really do know God in an very similar is happening all the time in important sense. They know a lot about relation to God. People say they do not his power, his deity, and his moral law. know God, when they do know God. But they “suppress the truth” (vs. 18). This is lying, an act of injustice in rela- In recent centuries psychologists and tion to truth. Unbelief always involves psychiatrists have sometimes talked sin, since unbelief is epistemological sin. about the suppression of memories or One could wonder if unbelief is close to truths that are frightening or deeply the very core of original sin. disturbing, but this is not a new idea. A sin of this magnitude is not with- It is already present in the Bible. One out significant results in the entire life can take the account of Adam and Eve of those guilty of the sin. Some of the hiding from God behind a bush or tree results that Paul mentions are closely as a metaphor for what many people do related to the arena in which the much of the time. Or maybe one could sin occurs, that of thinking and the think of the way small children imagine internal life of the mind and soul. He that if they cover their eyes so they can- says, they became worthless in their not see other people, other people can- thoughts and their senseless hearts were not see them; if people say they do not darkened. Claiming to be wise, they know God, they imagine that God does “became foolish” (vs. 21–22). Here one not exist or does not see them. Only should not confuse cause and effect. when we grasp the gospel that God is Worthless thoughts, darkened, sense- so gracious and forgiving that he sent less hearts, and claims of wisdom that his Son to purchase our redemption can cover up true foolishness are the result, we begin to recover from this illness of not the cause. The cause is the episte- mind and soul that leads us to claim mological sin of unbelief. People claim that we do not know God, when in fact they do not know God when they really all of us do know God. do know God. According to Paul’s description of These worthless thoughts, darkened the human condition, much of our hearts, and general foolishness lead to predicament is epistemological sin or a profound exchange or substitution: epistemological injustice. If a witness People try to replace the Creator God in a criminal court trial does not tell with something he created. In verse the court all he or she knows about the 23 he says, they “exchanged the glory crime under consideration, that witness of the immortal God for image of the is guilty of an important crime or sin in likeness of mortal man, birds, animals, the realm of knowledge. He or she did and reptiles.” This means that people not publicly acknowledge all that he or create substitute gods to try to replace she really knows. We could call this an the Creator. Unbelief does not lead act of epistemological (related to knowl- to irreligion; unbelief in the Creator edge) crime or injustice. Something leads to all sorts of religions. People are

MBS Texte 63 Paul’s Intellectual Courage in the Face of Sophisticated Unbelief unavoidably religious, even if they may God is that one can be wise without claim not to be religious and even claim God, denying the power of God or his they cannot or do not know God. Peo- moral demands. The second part of ple are constantly creating new gods, this substitution or replacement is the and Paul’s language suggests a wide worship of creation (or some dimension diversity of substitute religions. Some- of creation), in place of God. If people times people imagine gods or goddesses find themselves almost compelled to that are images of themselves, as seen in worship something, and if they refuse many types of polytheism. Sometimes to worship God, it is only natural that people imagine a god or gods that are people worship something from cre- similar to something else in creation, as ation or an imagined image of some- seen in various nature religions and fer- thing created. tility cults. Whatever the type of substi- In the confrontation with God at the tute religion, unbelief in the known but center of every person’s life, God does denied Creator drives people to replace not somehow remain passive or inac- him with something that may seem to tive. The God of the Bible is never pas- promise what only God can provide. sive or inactive. What God does is to Paul claims that human life is filled give people over to their sinful desires, with self-deception on a scale that few a claim that Paul repeats in similar other people have imagined. terms three times over (vs. 24, 26, and This leads us to a second major theme 28). This seems to mean that God lets in Paul’s thought in this text. In spite people experience some of the results of the fact that many people may deny of repressing their knowledge of God. it, the human confrontation with God In verse 24 Paul uses terms that echo is a central, essential characteristic of the tenth of the Ten Commandments, human existence. that which forbids coveting. God lets In general, misbelievers are guilty of people go into their own coveting. In a twofold substitution or replacement verse 26 Paul says that God gives people in their confrontation with God. There over to dishonorable passions. In verse are no unbelievers, since everyone 28 Paul says that God gives people over believes something and has some sub- to a confused state of mind. These are stitute god (vs. 25). The first part of this probably three complementary descrip- substitution was already mentioned, tions of the same type of act of God. but it bears repeating. People replace What probably unites these three com- the truth about God with a lie. This is plementary descriptions is the claim the truth that comes from God and is that God repays the act of people dis- about God. It includes the knowledge honoring God (by not accepting their of much about the demands of God’s knowledge of him) by allowing people law, the so-called natural moral law. to dishonor themselves. In this way The lie which replaces the truth about there is pure justice in the repayment.

Theologische Akzente Thomas K. Johnson

And to bring about this type of justice punishment for the sin of disbelief and God does not need to intervene from rejection of God’s created order. outside by a special act; God repays dis- Something similar must be said honor by allowing people to dishonor about the whole list of sins in verses themselves. A key assumption in this 29 through 31. The confused state of act of God, which is not always noticed mind and heart resulting from reject- by readers, is that there is a proper way ing God leads people to do all sorts of for people to honor themselves; namely, things that are inappropriate, meaning by recognizing the truth of God and contrary to the honor of those who bear living according to his plan for his cre- the image of the Creator. The prob- ation. When people accept their status lem is not primarily that people do not as image bearers of the Creator, there is know that these actions are wrong; peo- honor for all; when people create god- ple know that many things are wrong substitutes in their own image or in the and that these actions are condemned image of some lower part of creation, by their Creator. But their actions arise there is dishonor for all. Much of what from their confused state of mind aris- Paul says about sinful actions in this ing from unbelief, not from what they text can best be understood as ways in know (but probably reject) about what which people dishonor or debase them- is truly right and wrong. The confused selves, because God lets them do so. condition of people can go so far that What Paul says on the topic of homo- they not only do what they know to be sexuality can best be seen as a particular wrong; they can sometimes even begin example of self dishonoring. He claims to excuse or condone those wrong homosexual desires and actions arise actions which they know to be wrong. from a darkened heart and mind, a heart and mind deeply alienated from God and God’s creation order. There is Comments a knowable scheme or pattern of nature, Paul’s understanding of the human which means a created order that all condition before God was closely people should follow, and this is hetero- related to his tremendous confidence in sexual. Actions and desires contrary to the truth and importance of his gospel. this scheme of nature will be self dis- In preaching he assumed that the peo- honoring, assuming that actions that ple to whom he was speaking already correspond to the scheme of nature will had a long history of conflict with the be self-honoring. This means there is God whom they know, and whose law something deeply honorable about mar- they know at least in part, but whom riage and childbearing, whereas homo- they pretend not to know. Rather sexuality is self dishonorable. Though than being ashamed of the gospel, in homosexuality can be described as a certain sense, Paul was proud of the sin, it can also be described as the self gospel, since the gospel is the message

MBS Texte 63 Paul’s Intellectual Courage in the Face of Sophisticated Unbelief that God has not left the human race body of Christ as a whole have received in the predicament we have made for a missions commission from our Lord, ourselves. It is the message of forgive- but that missiological commission ness and reconciliation with God, lead- calls us to reach people who have often ing to the beginning of a new way of grown up in a culture of unbelief which life that is marked by a renewed heart is shaped by various misbelieving phi- and mind, replacing the darkened heart losophies, worldviews, and religions. and mind. This new way of life would Therefore, we must ask how a Pauline be in closer conformity with the law type of analysis can help us to under- of God and the scheme of nature, and stand the lives, ideas, and culture of the for this reason it would also be more people who need the gospel. There is honorable. It goes without saying that no attempt to be original or creative in Paul’s assessment of the human condi- what follows, since most of these ideas tion before God has deep roots in the are found in the better evangelical theo- Old Testament. In addition to being a logians and apologists of the last few commentary on the early chapters of centuries. But before going further, it Genesis, it also appropriates the claim is appropriate to notice a few extreme of the prophets, that the human prob- points of view that should be avoided. lem is not primarily that people do not know right and wrong, but that people do not want to follow the knowledge of Extreme Points of View right and wrong that has been given by Regarding General Revelation. God to all people. During the Nazi time in Europe, there were some Protestant theologians who combined a seriously confused the- General Revelation, ory of general revelation with aspects of Christian Learning, and the Nazi ideology to form the so-called Gospel Proclamation “German Christian Movement.” While the sad details of this type of thinking In the previous section I attempted are beyond the purview of this essay, to exposit aspects of the message of the “German Christian” theologians Romans 1:16–32, putting matters of claimed there was a general revelation technical exegesis into the translation of God’s law through the demands of itself. Now it is appropriate to try to the Nazi-Germanic people, or alter- demonstrate the significance of a Paul- nately there was a general revelation of ine approach to God’s general revelation God’s redemption in the work of Adolf for the interaction of believers with the Hitler.2 Very few Christians today will secular, unbelieving world. The role of be inclined to mix the biblical faith and believers in the secular world is always the National Socialist ideology, but the missiological, since all believers and the tragic mistakes of these theologians

Theologische Akzente Thomas K. Johnson

(and the churches that followed them) Talk of a self-giving, forgiving presence stand as a warning for all time; believ- of God in general revelation makes one ers must be very careful about how we wonder if the gospel is necessary. In think about general revelation and its stark contrast, Paul’s interpretation of relation to secular ideologies and world- general revelation shows why the gospel views. is so urgently needed. In reaction to the German Chris- tians, Karl Barth is properly famous for shouting, “Nein!” with such vol- Understanding General Revelation. ume that his voice is still echoing in Sometimes believers have said that parts of the church today. Barth was the revelation of God in nature makes concerned that any talk about general it possible for us to use rational argu- revelation tends to reduce the bibli- ments to infer or prove the existence of cal message to be merely a religious God. This is one of the main sources dimension of a particular culture so of the long tradition of various types the church becomes merely the depart- of arguments for the existence of God. ment of religion of a particular society. According to this way of thinking, our While many of Barth’s concerns about natural knowledge of God (that comes the “German Christian Movement” before the gospel) is largely indirect and and the theological streams that led received by means of rational reflection up to this movement are surely right, on creation. On the other hand, other these problems result from a misun- believers have thought that the revela- derstanding of general revelation, not tion of God in creation is largely inside from a proper understanding of general ourselves, within the human mind and revelation. A Pauline understanding of heart. According to this way of think- general revelation enables believers and ing, our natural knowledge of God the church to become confident critics (that comes before the gospel) is direct of society and proclaimers of a gospel and intuitive, perhaps without much that all people need. reflection and without arguments for Another extreme point of view is the existence of God. But in light of found in the writings of the so-called Romans 1, it would not be wise for us to “Transcendental Thomist” Roman exclusively follow either of these parts of Catholic theologians. The most famous the Christian tradition, without regard of these writers is probably Karl Rahner. for the other part of the Christian tra- Whether or not it is exactly what these dition. Paul’s way of thinking seems to writers intend, one can easily receive the include both a revelation in nature that impression from their books that God’s provides a basis for rational reflection general revelation is so complete that leading to arguments for the existence people do not need the gospel of Christ, of God, and also a general revelation of which only comes via special revelation. God within human nature, meaning

10 MBS Texte 63 Paul’s Intellectual Courage in the Face of Sophisticated Unbelief inside the human mind and heart cre- almost too stupid to consider? Because ated in the image of God, which leads all people have a lot of knowledge that to a direct or intuitive knowledge of makes everyday human (not merely God. God is revealing himself both animal) life possible, knowledge that through nature and through human comes to us from God’s general revela- nature created in his image, with the tion, so that our created minds are in result that our knowledge of God some ways the images of his creating coming through creation is multifac- mind. Since the time of Augustine, eted and received into consciousness Christians have often said the human in multiple ways. One of these ways mind is somehow illumined by God’s is a direct awareness or sense of his mind, as part of his general revela- divine nature. tion. But people often do not want to It is very clear that Paul claims that acknowledge God and therefore do all people know something about God not want to the total extent to which and his moral law from general rev- we are dependent on God. This may elation. It is probably safe to also con- be why some people do not want to clude that many other things that all even consider how it is that we can people know come from general rev- have such common sense. elation. These might be called com- Even though there are traces of monsense ideas, the first principles of God’s mercy and kindness in his gen- practical or theoretical reason, or the eral revelation, so that his rain falls transcendental conditions of human on the just and the unjust alike, yet experience. They are the truths that we there is no clear statement of the gos- need to know to carry on our everyday pel of Christ in general revelation. To lives but that we do not really learn know that “Christ died for our sins” from our five senses. How is it that all and that “in Christ, God was recon- people seem to know that we can usu- ciling the world to himself,” we truly ally trust our five senses to tell us truth need the special revelation of God in about the everyday world; that two Christ and in the Scriptures. A proper plus two will still equal four tomor- understanding of general revelation row; that people generally know what will not reduce our sense of need for love, honesty, justice, and loyalty are? special revelation; a rich understand- How do we know that the world still ing of general revelation will increase exists when we are sleeping, or how our understanding of our deep need do we know that other people have for special revelation. Using the tradi- minds something like our own? How tional evangelical distinction between is it that people know that simple logi- law and gospel, with caution one can cal deductions somehow correspond say that general revelation is only in to the real world? Why is it that many the realm of law, while special revela- people will think these questions are tion contains both law and gospel. And

Theologische Akzente 11 Thomas K. Johnson one of the chief functions of God’s law Because we have the difficult task is to show our need for the gospel. This of bringing the gospel to people who means the acceptance of God’s general may be hiding from God and suppress- revelation pushes us to also accept his ing their knowledge of God, we should special revelation, which has the gospel expect some frustrations and many of Christ at its center. misunderstandings. People who are One of the slogans of the Protestant suppressing the knowledge of God in Reformation was “Lex semper accu- general revelation may have a tendency sat,” the law always accuses. God’s law to reject our presentation of our reasons accuses us because we are sinful, and why we believe the biblical message to if a person does not trust the gospel, be true. Nevertheless, the several ways that person will have a strong sinful of presenting why we think the biblical tendency to reject, deny, or suppress message to be true, e.g., arguments for the knowledge of God’s law that all the existence of God, attempts to prove people have. Only in light of the gos- the resurrection of Jesus, evidence for pel of forgiveness can we acknowledge the historical truthfulness of the Bible, the depths of our sin and the depths arguments that show the coherence of of our knowledge of God’s demand in theism or the incoherence of atheism, his law. In a very important way, it is all tend to increase the level of cogni- the gospel of Christ that enables us to tive dissonance for the unbeliever. The accept or acknowledge God’s general person who has a suppressed knowledge revelation, which we would otherwise of God deep within, while claiming want to suppress. When we talk about to believe something else, has a deep the gospel with unbelievers, they enter tension within that will probably need into the discussion feeling accused and to reach a breaking point for him/her maybe condemned by the law of God to come to faith. The various types of which they may want to ignore or deny. apologetic presentation can each tend Whatever method of presentation we to increase the level of tension or dis- might decide to use, they are not objec- sonance within the unbeliever, which tive hearers or observers. They will have can lead to the breaking point and total deep prejudices that effect what they change of mind we call repentance and can accept and believe, even if we think faith. we might be presenting rather objec- Ever since God asked Adam and tive reasons why one should accept the Eve, “Where are you?” God’s speech Christian faith. For this reason, it may or general revelation to all people has be necessary to talk about God’s mercy included questions that seem to just and offer of forgiveness before talking arise in human experience and which about whether or not God really exists, need biblical answers. These questions though this order may seem exactly range from “What is the meaning of backwards. life?” to “Why do we feel guilty and

12 MBS Texte 63 Paul’s Intellectual Courage in the Face of Sophisticated Unbelief what is the solution?” to “What is the suppress the knowledge of God given origin of the world and of human life?” in general revelation, they cannot cease and “What happens at death?” For this to be religious, but their worship gets reason we should say that honest ques- turned in inappropriate directions. tions require honest biblical answers, The suppression of general revela- though sometimes the questions may tion has multiple extensive effects on need to be slightly corrected to receive academic and educational life. There biblical answers. But because God is the are many foolish claims of wisdom and one who asks the questions via general knowledge which are the result of dark- revelation as a way of driving people to ened hearts. These foolish claims to wis- the answers in special revelation, we dom are then communicated through can expect to find a deep correlation a culture and an educational system, between honest questions and honest making it more difficult for people to biblical answers. In presenting the bib- accept the proper knowledge of God in lical message we should always be lis- Christ. At the same time, even the most tening to the questions and concerns of foolish ways of thinking may contain the people we address and try to point traces of truth which come from God’s them to the biblical answers. general revelation. Just a few illustra- When people do not come to an hon- tions can be given. Once people select est faith in the God of the Bible, they one dimension or aspect of creation as have a strong tendency to create a God- an idol (maybe unconsciously), they substitute which is usually some part or have a tendency to interpret all of life, aspect of God’s good creation. At the thought, culture, and experience in core of such a religion substitute there light of that idol, which leads to a series is normally some promise that speaks of idolatrous worldviews and philoso- to the inner religious needs and ques- phies on the pages of history and in our tions of men and women. For example, society today. For example, the Marx- in our time there is a strong tendency ist ideology or philosophy was a result to make wealth or prosperity a God- of turning the economic dimension of substitute. When Jesus talked about the life into an idol, and then thinking that “deceitfulness of wealth” (Matt 13:22) humans are primarily economic crea- he was probably thinking that wealth tures, so that all of life and experience makes a deceitful or deceptive prom- was seen as controlled by economic fac- ise to make us happy or secure. This is tors. This philosophy largely controlled probably indicative that most God-sub- the schools, media, and culture of the stitutes contain a deceptive or deceitful communist countries, with disastrous promise, meaning that we think we results. But even though this deceptive hear a promise from some part of cre- philosophy destroyed the lives of many, ation when, in fact, only God himself there probably was an element of truth can make such a promise. When people in Marxist philosophy. In contrast with

Theologische Akzente 13 Thomas K. Johnson some theories before Marx, it correctly if the claims one hears and reads are noted that socioeconomic matters do the result of worldviews, ideologies, have some influence on much of life. or philosophies that suppress the gen- This element of truth came from general revelation of God or which result eral revelation. The Nazi ideology was from idolatry, absolutizing one dimen- the result of turning blood and race sion of creation. At the same time, one into a God-substitute and then inter- must always be open to find elements of preting all of life and society in light of truth which result from general revela- their religion substitute. The ideology tion, even within worldviews that seem was then communicated in every pos- to be largely demonic. sible means in the society under Nazi Another effect of the suppression of control, with results so disastrous they general revelation in educational and need no further mention. But such a academic life is the tendency for aca- demonic ideology had an appeal for demic theories to falsely absolutize many people because it contained an and separate aspects of creation and element of truth, that all of us are mem- human experience that properly belong bers of particular peoples, nations, or together. Examples can be found in tribes, a minor truth recognized in the many different academic disciplines, Bible. (In the New Testament, there is a but only a few from the field of the strong interest in reconciliation between academic study of ethics will be men- people groups who were alienated from tioned. In the common secular (mean- each other, e.g., Jews and Gentiles.) ing God denying or God ignoring) the- This trace of a minor truth in the Nazi ories about ethics that are not nihilistic ideology was probably the result of gen- (meaning those theories that do not eral revelation. The philosophy of exis- think moral truth is unavailable), there tentialism absolutizes human choice or are at least four contradictory theories decision, with a marked tendency to about right and wrong. Each claims to think that individual choices or deci- be a total explanation of moral life and sions are all that matter in the world, moral experience. The deontological or regardless of what those decisions may Kantian ethicists say that ethics is all be. Like the other worldviews that sup- about our rational duty. The utilitar- press the general revelation of God, ian or consequentialist ethicists say that existentialism stands in serious tension ethics is all about the consequences or with the world that God has made and results of our actions, whether for good in which we live, even while the whole or evil, in the lives of other people. The philosophy arises from absolutizing one virtue ethics theorists say that ethics is truth (that decisions are important) and all about what kind of person each of worshipping one dimension of creation us should become. The social contract (human decisions). In academic and ethicists say ethics is all about the for- educational life, one must always ask mal or informal social agreements that

14 MBS Texte 63 Paul’s Intellectual Courage in the Face of Sophisticated Unbelief hold society together and prevent social Comments chaos. From a Christian perspective, The apostle Paul had tremendous one can say that each of these ethical intellectual courage, meaning confi- theories contains elements of truth that dence in the truth and importance of result from God’s general revelation. A his message, and this intellectual cour- proper theistic ethic can include these age was worked out in the middle of the elements within a larger framework secular worldviews and multiple reli- coming from the Bible, while also gions of his day. His intellectual cour- observing that in everyday experience age was closely tied to his understand- these proper ethical considerations ing of the human condition before God, blend or merge together. Each of these a condition largely characterized by the secular ethical theories takes one of the rejection and suppression of the knowl- many ways in which God’s moral law edge of God which comes from gen- comes to us through creation, with- eral revelation, while this rejected and out regard for God, the Bible, or the suppressed knowledge from and about other ways God’s moral law comes to God continues to make human life still us through creation. Because unbelief human. Believers who live in the West tends to lead to false absolutizing, secu- in the twenty–first century face a world lar ethical theorists have a tendency to with strong similarities to the world of isolate these considerations from each Paul’s time; we face a bewildering vari- other and to see them as totally contra- ety of secular worldviews, mixed with dictory. This very brief analysis of the all sorts of religions. In this situation we tendency for people to falsely absolutize need a strong intellectual courage that different aspects of creation in the realm gives a foundation for other types of of ethical theory can also be repeated in spiritual courage. Careful reflection on most fields and disciplines of education Romans 1 can help us in this direction. and academic life. An understanding of general revelation, and the tendency of people to suppress that revelation, helps us to understand and avoid the problem. Believers must question or criticize this tendency to absolutize parts of creation in education, while we carefully prac- tice a critical discernment that allows us to accept all elements of truth into a biblical worldview. This effort can help to open the minds of unbelievers to the gospel, while also helping believers to remain faithful to God’s truth.

Theologische Akzente 15 Thomas K. Johnson

AnnotationsAnmerkungen

1 No bibliography and very few footnotes are 2 More information on the German Christian included in this essay, since that would unneces- Movement can be found in Thomas K Johnson, sarily extend its size and make it less accessible Helmut Thielicke’s Ethics of Law and Gospel (Ph. to readers. Implicitly, this essay is a dialog with D. dissertation, University of Iowa, 1987), chap- much of the history of western theology and phi- ter one. The footnotes and bibliography provide losophy, but to make that explicit might exceed references to the primary and secondary sources. the patience of the reader and the writer. Most A lightly revised version of this text may appear of the relevant sources can be found in the bibli- as a book, probably from VKW in Bonn, in 2006 ography of Thomas K. Johnson, Natural Law or 2007. Ethics: An Evangelical Proposal (Bonn: VKW, 2005) pp. 147–168.

TheÜber denAuthor Autor

Thomas K. Johnson, M.Div. ACPE, Ph.D. serves Martin Bucer Seminary as Professor of Apologetics and Dean of Czech Pro- grams. He is also Director of Komensky Institute of Prague and teaches philosophy at Charles University. He is a pastor of the Presbyterian Church in America and his work is largely sponsored through the International Institute for Christian Studies. Johnson served as a Visiting Professor of Philosophy and Psychology at the dissident European Humanities University (1994–96) in totalitarian Minsk, Belarus. He also taught evangelical theology in the Ortho- dox theological faculty of EHU. (EHU was later closed by force at the orders of the dictator.) He has been a church planter in the U.S. (Hope Evangelical Church, Iowa) and a pastor in the former Soviet Union. He has taught in nine universities or theological schools in five countries.

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