Paradox in Christian Theology: An Analysis of Its Presence, Character and Epistemic Status by James Anderson

Author:James Anderson
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Religion & Spirituality, Christian Books & Bibles, Theology
Publisher: Paternoster
Published: 2015-01-12T05:00:00+00:00

5.5 Warranted Christian Belief

The basic A/C model supplies an account of warranted belief in God. Christian belief, however, involves considerably more than mere belief in God (or beliefs about God); among other things, it includes beliefs about the spiritual state of human beings, about God’s response to the human predicament, and about a historic individual, Jesus of Nazareth. Plantinga’s goal is to show that even these more specific beliefs can be warranted to a degree adequate for knowledge; but rather than concern himself with controversial denominational views (e.g., convictions about the meaning and application of the sacraments) he proposes to restrict himself just to those ecumenical Christian beliefs expressed in the early creeds and confessions (or what C. S. Lewis dubbed ‘mere Christianity’).67 To accomplish this, Plantinga develops an extended A/C model, according to which these beliefs are no less warranted than the theistic beliefs of the basic A/C model.

Reflecting Plantinga’s own approach, I will sketch out the extended model before focusing in on the details. First of all, the extended A/C model posits those propositions affirmed by the basic Christian narrative, just as the basic A/C model posits the existence of God (as the author of the sensus divinitatis). According to the extended model, God created us in his own image, as persons possessing both intellect and will, endowed with the sensus divinitatis and therefore enjoying knowledge of God. We are also capable of affections and were originally made so as to share God’s affections; to love what God loves and to hate what God hates.68 However, ‘we human beings have fallen into sin, a calamitous condition from which we require salvation—a salvation we are unable to accomplish by our own efforts.’ This sin affects not only our relationship with God, but also our knowledge of God; in particular, ‘the sensus divinitatis has been damaged and deformed [and furthermore] sin induces in us a resistance to the deliverances of the sensus divinitatis’. But there is also good news:

God … has provided a remedy for sin and its ruinous effects, a means of salvation from sin and restoration to his favor and fellowship. This remedy is made available in the life, atoning suffering and death, and resurrection of his divine Son, Jesus Christ. Salvation involves among other things rebirth and regeneration, a process (beginning in the present life and reaching fruition in the next) that involves a restoration and repair of the image of God in us.69

Such are the basic theological contours of the extended A/C model; nothing that ought to prove controversial for any orthodox Christian believer. However, the extended model also makes some more specifically cognitive claims. In order to inform human beings of his scheme of salvation, God has specially inspired a collection of human writings, the Bible, in such a way as to be its principal author.

Furthermore, he has commissioned the Holy Spirit, in accordance with the promise of Christ, to produce faith in us, by which we are enabled to grasp and induced to believe ‘the truth of the central Christian affirmations.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.