Other Church Father's Views

For the LORD gives wisdom;

From His mouth come

knowledge and

understanding;

He stores up sound wisdom

for the upright;

He is a shield to those who 

walk uprightly;

Proverbs 2:6-7

     The statement that what is false to the reason and the senses may be true in religion caused the Lutherans to be under the same necessity for their doctrine of the Person of Christ involves the denial of the primary truth.  The truth being that attributes cannot be separated from the substance of which they are the manifestation. Within the Lutheran Doctrine there is some contradiction concerning the Lord's supper.  This contradiction involves the assumption of the ubiquity of Christ's body, in regards to the Sacrament, that is that the body of Christ can be everywhere at the same time causing for a contradiction in terms.  In some sense this places the body of Christ in the bread of the Sacrament, yet this is not admitted in those exact terms by the Lutherans.  How important is this?  It is where and in what do we place our faith, the object of our faith.  

     It can be said that Luther's sayings on this subject are not very consistent.  While arguing against the continued obligation of monastic vows, there was no hesitation on his part to say that what was contrary to reason was contrary to God. But in regards to the sacrament and its controversy he will not allow reason to be heard.  He avows that in the things of God, reason or nature is "stock-star-and-stone blind."  Is it?  Luther adds to the confusion of his theology on this subject when He illustrates: "audacious enough to plunge in and stumble as a blind hours; but all that it explains or concludes is as certainly false and wrong as that God lives.: (Words, edit. Walch, vol. xii. pp. 399,400).  Then in another place he sounds like the Apostle Paul when he says that reason, when she attempts to speculate about divine things, becomes a fool: (cf. Romans 1:22; 1 Corinthians 1:18-31).

     Turning to Lutheran theologians we will find that they make a distinction between reason as it was before the fall and reason as it is now.  The will admit that no truth of revelation can contradict reason as such. But, it may contradict the reason of man whose faculties are clouded or ruined by sin.  What does this mean?  It did not simply mean that the unrenewed man is opposed to the truth of God and that "the things of the Spirit" are foolishness to him and it seems to him absurd that god should be found in fashion as a man and further that He should be the propitiation for sin, or have a hand, if not total authority to save man, not all men but to save one and not another and this according to His own pleasure.  This line of reasoning is compatible being taught in the Bible and believed by all Christians; therefore there is no contradiction between reason and religion. Is this so?  Now for the atheist the being of God is foolishness, and for the pantheist a personal God and immortality is foolishness.  It must be asked: "who would admit that these Doctrines are contrary to reason?  The Lutheran theologians teach that the mysteries of the Bible are above reason.  In fact they cannot be understood, nor can they be demonstrated.  Further, they teach that "the things of the Spirit" are foolishness to the natural man and are in conflict with human understanding.  Now, as they say, if by a correct process of reasoning they can be demonstrated to be false making those strict terms that what is true in religion is false in philosophy. 

     Luther recanting what the Sorbonne, the old University of Paris (1500's) stated, that what is true in religion is also true in philosophy and anyone who did not agree were heretics.  This Doctrine does nothing more than to be understood that the Doctrines of faith are to be subjected to the yoke of human reasoning.

      I am taking it slow while I discuss this subject of faith and reason, or faith and knowledge.  It is paramount that we achieve understanding on this if we are to grow and mature in our faith and not be misled by those whose presuppositions and pre-determinations cloud Biblical truths.  It is by this careful unwrapping of this tremendous subject that the gift received will enlighten and strengthen our Christian walk.

Remember me, O LORD, with
     the favor You have toward
     Your people.
Oh, visit me with Your
     salvation,
That I may see the benefit of
     Your chosen ones,
That I may rejoice in the
    gladness of Your nation,
That I may glory with Your
     inheritance.
                         Psalm 106:4-5

Lord Grant Us Wisdom

Richard L. Crumb