Re Along the Way, March editorial
“Allowing Space for Other Possibilities” may seem reasonable but is it right, does it harmonize with Scripture?
Reason and the revelations through Scripture often do not concur. Reason is often used to question God and his existence or such things as Special Revelation in Christ. I do not think we should see reason as “God’s gift” for it is tarnished by sin, is limited by its inherent earthly logic and is shaped(influenced) by culture.
I recall when at Knox College reading Luther’s book the “Bondage of the Will” wherein he argues vigorously with his scholastic friend Erasmus on the folly of viewing freewill and reason as means or steps to the eternal.
As opposed to reason being a way, it many times gets ‘in the way’. Therefore, I don’t think that reason should be the primary guide on this and others issues.
I acknowledge that reason has some use but I am keenly aware of its limitations and I have to say that at times it has been a major limiting factor. Let me give you an illustration I experienced of this on a fishing trip off the West Coast of Vancouver Island. When I headed out from Tofino, I found myself lost, enveloped in a thick fog. I could not see beyond ten feet. Then I discovered I had left my compass back at our campsite. So I chose to use my powers of reason to guide us to our fishing spot by using my observations of the wind and tide direction and the limited light of the sun as markers. One hour later I began to see dim images of building and familiar sights. A humbling feeling came over me when I realized we had come full circle and were back in Tofino.
So much for my reasoning abilities! I ended being off course in a major way.
I am concerned something similar will happen to our church through this issue, when we use reason as the primary guide on it and not Scripture.
