I was writing a prayer letter and couldn’t condense my thoughts, or decide what would be appropriate for that medium. So I wanted to come here and flesh out some things I have been thinking.

Today I learned that in England it will likely soon be illegal to claim that one religion is the only truth about God, or something like that. Apparently this law exists already in Australia. It seems that you can be arrested for not being politically correct. I tried to find that online to confirm, but wasn’t able to. [But in my search I did find a site whose sole purpose is to undermine evangelical Christianity. There are hundreds of articles written by any manner of sources contributing to fanciful ideas about methods of Christians in evangelism. One former pastor even wrote an article on the techniques of spreading the virus of evangelicalism that was quite scathing, and altogether untrue. Sadly, I know that the authors of these articles can point to a number of "believers" who have given them this perception of Evangelical Christianity by their inappropriate and offensive methods.]

That was a long sidebar. But I’ve started to recognize that the world mostly sees religion as an earthly endeavor. Even if they know the implications are for Heaven and Hell, in conversations with people from different parts of the world, I’ve seen that person after person, when describing religion seems to view it as something very small and insignificant and almost connected to an era of philosophy that is destined to pass on. It’s dying because it’s just like any other fad. Just like sideburns. Someday it might be popular again, and you can participate in a way that everyone notices, or that just kind of blends in, but society will ultimately determine whether it stays or goes, and now the leaning is towards a clean shave. Soon all religion will be irrelevant.

And I’m ok with that. Sort of. It makes me a little uncomfortable reading Jonathan Edwards who refers to true faith in Christ as true religion. Because today’s society has shaped the context of that word even in my own mind. So in discussing Christianity, or really any other religion for that matter, I prefer to discuss it in the context of something more permanent. More permanent in the eyes of the world, I mean. How about science? I can say that religion is just the science of understanding God. That’s consistent, right? It’s current, it describes most religions… But it leaves the impression that we are to actually look for answers. It implies that we actually need to study God. Am I ok with those implications?

Most people seem to see religion and science as fundamentally separate from one another. Maybe even opposed to one another. I fully disagree. Recently I was in Assisi having breakfast with two biochemistry professors from Scotland. (I know, really random, long story). Anyway, I was asking them about their beliefs with regard to evolution and creation. Both are staunch evolutionists. But one claims to be a believer, and the other an atheist. (They happen to be married to one another, which no doubt makes things interesting) They are fully convinced that evolution will one day be proven fully and seemed unaffected by my arguments otherwise. But for the wife, the believer, the central question for her was why so many people see the theory of evolution as being opposed to the existence of God. And while I don’t fully agree with her viewpoint, I do share her opinion that the general mindset that says science and religion are opposites is incorrect. I believe that science is a wonderful way to learn about God’s creation. It’s absolutely incredible that as far as science has come, there is still infinitely more to learn.

But I think too many believers are afraid that science will one day disprove God. What? Can I really say that? Yes! I think believers all over the world have simply bought into what happens to be the truth about God without taking the time to analyze it for themselves. Which isn’t all bad until someone challenges them on their faith. Now, I’m not suggesting that we all go take seminary classes on apologetics and doctrine survey. But I am suggesting that it’s ok to ask why you believe something. In fact, I think it is essential.

And that (sort of) brings me back to my definition of religion as the science of understanding God. I think all religions came from this point. In the beginning God’s existence was rarely questioned. People just wondered about His identity. Today people can’t get past the question of His existence, to move on to deeper questions of understanding His identity and His character. But those questions are essential. And those are the questions that we must ask in order to find truth about God.

So the Bible. Logically, I think it is reasonable that if God created man, and wants to reveal Himself to man, He would do it through Creation, through History, through Man himself… but how about in written form. That’s exactly what the Bible claims to be. And I believe that’s what it is. I’m likely not going to convince someone that the Bible is exactly what it says it is. Most students here believe it has been changed, or that it was written by men, or that it’s not supposed to be interpreted literally. But most of them can’t tell you why they believe that. Those are bold claims, and I always challenge students not to make them lightly. There is research available. If you’re going to conclude something about a book so historically significant as the Bible, you’d better know why you reached that conclusion.

Ok. this is long. I’m just going to end it rather than spend more time bringing it to a neat conclusion. I”m sure there will be more later.