The Subtle Influence of Secular Ideas - Part 2 - A Tree is Known by Its Fruit

Jesus said that a tree is known by its fruit.[1] A good tree bears good fruit and a corrupt tree corrupt fruit. Even so, discerning whether the fruit is good or corrupt can be a challenge. If a witch doctor heals a man of a disease modern medicine can’t help with, is that good or corrupt fruit?[2] Some would say healing is good fruit, and this is a viable alternative to medicine, but we can’t look solely at the apparent benefit gained and ignore other spiritual implications. We have to look at the fruit the way our Heavenly Father looks at the fruit. The apparently-good fruit may have a hook buried in it like a fishing lure. In the case of the witch doctor, it should suffice to recognize the involvement of ungodly spiritual powers of whatever sort and decide without further evidence that the fruit is corrupt and that there is definitely a hook someplace in it, even though it may not be readily discernible.

With modern science and technology, our daily lives have been benefited immensely, and the fruit appears good. Yet, I want to look at what effect these same scientific advances have had on us as Westerners and as Christians – look at more of the fruit than just that which seems beneficial. I’ll look later at the foundation of modern science to see if it is sound or not. Like a witch doctor, if the tree is found to be corrupt from God’s point of view, then we will have corrupt fruit no matter how lovely it looks – no matter what the apparent benefits may be. A perfect example, of course, is Eve and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The fruit looked fine, but it was deadly. As it turns out, both some of the fruit and the tree of science are seriously flawed in multiple ways, and Christians have historically been unaware or intentionally ignored the danger signs.

I want to begin with the following comment by Herbert Butterfield regarding the general effect of the Scientific Revolution on the West.

… [The Scientific Revolution] changed the character of men’s habitual mental operations even in the conduct of the non-material sciences, while transforming the whole diagram of the physical universe and the very texture of human life itself, it looms so large as the real origin both of the modern world and of the modern mentality …[3]

Basically, the Scientific Revolution was not simply the addition of a couple of new ideas or innovations – mere novelties to make life safer, a little easier or more interesting – rather, it not only overturned the way mankind approached scientific knowledge, the Scientific Revolution overturned the foundation of the way Western man viewed reality. Our worldview was fundamentally transformed – for better or worse. Carver T. Yu, however, offers this Asian critique of the fruit born of the Scientific Revolution in the West.

Liang Chi Chao [1873-1929], a politician and philosopher, … became greatly alarmed by the cultural state of affairs he found [in Europe]. As he saw it, the former dream of the omnipotence of science has collapsed in the West. Western science did provide the driving force for material growth, yet the mechanistic world-view implicit in it had rendered moral responsibility meaningless, thus withdrawing moral restraint ... The sense of human freedom was also greatly eroded by the mechanistic, deterministic world-view. The meaning of personal existence was thus becoming more and more ambiguous. … ‘For the last hundred years, Science has brought material abundance more than all the past three thousand years could bring. But man has not become happier. Instead, he is swamped with spiritual predicaments. He is like a traveller lost in the desert; seeing a big shadow from afar, he struggles to go forward, thinking that the shadow may be his guide. After staggering for some distance, the shadow suddenly disappears, and he is overwhelmed with despair.’[4]

Yu and Chao, like many Christian authors of the last 30 years, identify the loss of a moral compass and meaning of life evident in the West. None of the Christian authors I’ve read, however, have linked it to the Scientific Revolution like these Chinese thinkers and some Western historians and philosophers of science. In fact, the authors of The Soul of Science, Nancy R. Pearcey and Charles B. Thaxton, professing Christians, embrace science as one of the wonders produced uniquely by Christianity and, in their opinion, only a truly Christian worldview could have produced science and all the marvels ensuing from it.[5]

What is interesting in their book is that they fail to show any substantive contribution of a Biblical worldview to the development of science, other than the participation of professing Christians.[6] They do, however, provide extensive evidence for substantive contributions from Greek philosophy, pagan worldviews and occult arts, all of which are antithetical to Biblical teaching. They show this without any critical concern or justification for accepting these origins, nor is there any analysis as to whether there might have been a deleterious effect on Christianity and the West. These pagan ideas were synthesized by Christians and briefly merged with Christian theology until science liberated itself from Christianity and theology not long after Galileo’s confrontation with the Church.

Briefly, in defense of Pearcey and Thaxton, Christians for centuries have uncritically accepted a plethora of ideas from all kinds of pagan sources. Harold P. Nebelsick reports the initial hesitation of Christians in the twelfth century which was quite short lived.

From the middle of the twelfth century onward, the writings of Aristotle began to flow into France from Spain. These were accompanied by the commentaries of Alexander of Aphrodisias (fl. 193-217) and Simplicius, as well as mystical pseudo-Platonic and Arab works on alchemy. So shocked was the West at the importation of this new knowledge, that in 1209 a provincial council in Paris decreed that neither Aristotle’s writings on natural philosophy nor his commentaries should be read either in public or in private. The University of Paris passed the prohibition in 1215. The thought of Aristotle, however, soon overcame the opposition. Within forty years of the prohibition, it had so moved into the culture that, as Dreyer tells us, Aristotle was not only accepted but in 1254 orders were issued prescribing the number of hours which should be devoted to explaining his treatises.[7]

Günter Howe (1908-1968) reports the awe with which Western intellectuals received Aristotle and other Greek philosophers.

…when Greek science which accompanied the works of Aristotle came into the Christian West at the end of the Middle Ages, the Occident saw with wonder and shock what tremendous accomplishments the human mind was able to bring about ‘without the light of divine revelation’.[8]

Christians were thoroughly impressed, awed and envious of such knowledge. It reminds me very much of Israel demanding a king of Samuel so that they could be like the pagan nations around them. They rejected God as their King and preferred the world’s way.[9] They complained that Samuel’s sons were corrupt, but it’s interesting that despite the less than ideal situation at the time, it was in God’s eyes better than setting a king over Israel. In the same way, the situation in the thirteenth century was surely far from ideal, yet Christians were willing to delve into whatever the world had to offer, even at some sacrifice of revelation. Butterfield takes this thought a step further.

The process was not stopped by any reluctance on the part of Catholic Europe to learn from the infidel Arabians or the Byzantine schismatics or even the pagan Greeks. Nor is it known that there was any opportunity which the middle ages missed – any great store of science that they turned their backs upon because it was tainted with paganism or infidelity.[10]

One example Nebelsick offers is that of Johannes de Sacrobosco (c.1195 – c. 1256), a noted English intellectual and astronomer of his day.

Sacrobosco, in contrast to his Christian predecessors, gave no hint of any interference of biblical cosmology with ‘scientific’ cosmology. Nor did he seem aware of the fact that classical understanding of the universe was built upon theological presuppositions which were quite antithetical to the teachings of the Christian faith.[11]

Christians for centuries have uncritically accepted all manner of thinking contrary to a truly Christian worldview – at least it’s been uncritical from the standpoint of identifying the pagan and occult source as potentially damaging to faith. Somehow, there has been the thinking that science specifically, and reason more generally, is quite safe despite warnings from the Lord in various passages of the Old and New Testament, but those will have to wait for another post.

This thinking has carried over for centuries and even into the Scientific Revolution. This awe and respect for science, which manifests in so many ways, is with us even today, and Pearcey and Thaxton are understandably under its spell like the vast majority of Western Christians.

Regarding the moral decline in the West, Christians generally attribute their concerns to post-modernism, relativism and the like without any explanation or analysis as to where these ideologies may have come from. One reason we fail to connect it to science is that, while science divorced itself from Christianity, Western Christianity has embraced science wholeheartedly, with the exception of the Theory of Evolution. Much needs to be said on this, but for now I want to state that I believe that Western Christianity has come to identify with and even base much of theology on science and even interprets much of Scripture in light of science. This is especially true with the advance of post-modernism. Christians find deterministic science to be a kind of safe haven in the storm of post-modernism, yet I believe it to be anything but safe and Christian because of its origin and demonstrable consequences.

What I want to point out for the moment, however, is that some outside of Western Christianity are historically seeing science as a major cause of a significant shift in worldview that is at the root of what concerns Christians today, and Christians are missing it. Science, however, isn’t the whole root. Greek philosophy, the Greco-Roman worldview more generally, and various occult arts pursued in the name of science are right there, too. I’d like to call Christians to at least look critically at what we believe to be a good tree bearing seemingly good fruit. It seems to be barbed.

In my next post, I want to present evidence linking advances in science with this decline in Western culture through some specific examples. I think it will become clear that science isn’t a neutral element that can be used for good or evil. Rather, it is an insidious poison carrying the West far away from a truly Christian worldview and the Western Church with it. The fruit should make evident the type of tree bearing it. Later on, we will see that we really shouldn’t be surprised that this fruit is coming forth.

Rob

---

[1] Matthew 12:33

[2] Most Western readers might think this a fictitious case, but there are testimonies of many instances in much, if not all, of the non-Western world today.

[3] Butterfield, Herbert, The Origins of Modern Science 1300-1800 (New York: The Free Press, 1957, 5^th ed. 1966), p. 7.

[4] Yu, Carver T., Being and Relation: A Theological Critique of Western Dualism and Individualism (Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press, 1987), pp. xiii-xiv – italics mine.

[5] Pearcey, Nancy R. & Charles B. Thaxton, The Soul of Science: Christian Faith and Natural Philosophy (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1994), p. 17 ff.

[6] They also state that Kepler was driven by his Christian worldview to resolve an eight-minute discrepancy in the orbit of Mars, but this is highly debatable and the only attempt to show a Christian contribution in content to science.

[7] Nebelsick, Harold P., Circles of God: Theology and Science from the Greeks to Copernicus (Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press, 1985), p. 120 – italics mine.

[8] Nebelsick, p. 82 – italics mine.

[9] 1 Samuel 8:1-7

[10] Butterfield, p. 89 – italics mine.

[11] Nebelsick, p. 125.

The Subtle Influence of Secular Ideas - Part 1 - Worldview

An interesting quality of mathematics is that all mathematical systems start with a few key assumptions which cannot be proven but which make good sense and are considered to be self-evident – without need of proof. These are called postulates and axioms. Entire branches of mathematics are built upon these basic assumptions, and different assumptions create very different results. The Euclidean geometry, that almost everyone studies in high school, is a prime example. Other examples are various non-Euclidean geometries which start from different assumptions, such as the idea that parallel lines intersect at infinity, much as railroad tracks appear to intersect at the horizon, even though they are parallel. Not all mathematical systems start with assumptions that are considered viable in reality – they are used just to explore what might develop from this new basis.

What is less clear, perhaps, is that humans operate this way in everyday life. We operate on the basis of assumptions which help us make decisions, and interpret and make some sense of the world we live in. These assumptions seem to us axiomatic – without need of proof. My discussions with people have shown up many assumptions which are not necessarily true.

A humorous, relatively benign example is that of a linguist who goes to a remote tribe in hopes of learning their language and reducing it to written form. He starts by pointing to various objects in hopes of learning what that tribe calls those items. To his amazement, everything he points to gets the same word in response: a tree, the dirt, a hut, etc., are all called the same thing in this language. Suddenly, it dawns on him that his linguistic helper has not been giving him the word for the objects he was pointing to. The word given is the word for finger. The tribesman interpreted his actions in a completely different way than he did.

The system of assumptions I’m referring to in what follows goes beyond communication. These assumptions are often referred to today as worldview. In the grand social scheme of things, our worldview determines our politics, our economics, whether we go to war or not, whether we make treaties with certain nations or not, and a whole host of other life altering issues. Personally, our worldview determines the type of lifestyle we lead whether simple or lavish, perhaps immoral or puritanical; the kind of church we attend, whether charismatic or liturgical; the ethics we live by whether honest or conniving; and a whole host of other choices.

A person’s real worldview can be discovered by the way he lives his life. For example, I play racquetball with a liberal who wants to give handouts to all the poor. I beat him regularly. Once I asked him if he wanted me to spot him some points to which he replied angrily that he didn’t want charity – he wanted to earn the victory for himself, even if he loses. A victory that way would mean more to him. Well, perhaps my friend is really rather conservative in his worldview – at least to some extent. There are conservatives who oppose aid programs, yet they will take advantage of every one of them they can. Perhaps they are really somewhat more liberal than they’d like to admit.

A very important point I want to make, however, is that our true worldview is hard for us to detect. The assumptions by which we live and which rule our interpretations and decisions in life seem to make so much sense – they seem to us so clearly without need of proof – that we are rarely aware they are there, and we almost never question their validity, as long as our system is sufficiently coherent – serving us well. It’s usually life crises that cause such a questioning, such as 9/11. Crises can also cause us to question our faith and fall away from the Lord. The result of questioning isn’t always a more correct answer, but an answer that seems to better fit the way we perceive reality.

I believe the Bible calls Christians to be aware of and to question their assumptions to see whether they are valid. As Luke wrote about the Berean Jews, “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”[1] They were ready to have their basic assumptions changed, yet they did so thoughtfully. Jesus’ disciples had a hard time dealing with His crucifixion because they had an assumption that all the Messianic prophecies would be fulfilled at the same time. They had completely missed the need for Jesus’ sacrifice for sins, even though it was written in the Scriptures, which Jesus elaborated to them after his resurrection.[2] The religious rulers at that time had a whole system of religion that, as it turned out, was opposed to the heart of God.[3]

We’d like to think that we now, unlike the Jews of Jesus’ day, are way past any such misconceptions, yet I think we will see that this might not be the case. I want to lay out negative changes in worldview that have taken place over time, which, I believe, have been powerfully affected by what we now call science, Greek philosophy and even certain occult arts – even the Western Church has been affected.

It is first very important to study our history to seek out where major changes in our worldview took place. Without this study, we aren’t even aware that something changed. Just as the proverbial frog in the pot heating up underneath him isn’t aware of any change until it’s too late, so we aren’t aware of any changes in thinking that have taken place over the past two millennia without looking critically at the history of Western thought, and in particular Christian thinking. Even then, if we are aware of a change, we fail to consider whether it was good or not.

Equally important, however, is the need to look at what provoked the change. As Christians, we must be keenly aware that we have an adversary who earnestly desires and relentlessly works to undo the work of God and to destroy us if at all possible and in any way possible.[4] The Scriptures make it clear that there is a world system over which Satan apparently has some form of rule[5] which he uses to his ends. Here is one of my assumptions in this study: any and every influence which finds its origins in this world system is at least suspect of bringing about Satan’s ends and opposing God’s purposes, and deception is one of his primary weapons.[6]

Some may argue that Christians can never be deceived based on Matthew 24:24, yet there are far too many warnings about false doctrine, teachings of devils, false prophets, sin entangling us, and the Devil seeking to destroy us for us.[7] These warnings are given because there is the real possibility of being deceived and falling away in a whole variety of ways. Jesus’ words to the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3 show that some went astray from Him. The histories of Israel and the Church are rife with examples.

One way for Satan to accomplish his purposes is through subtle changes to our worldview. It can be influenced by Satan to his ends and contrary to the Lord’s plan, if we aren’t watchful. I believe it has already taken place and the effects remain with us today.

Thus, I assert that every generation must look critically at the current state of affairs, not just from a standpoint of sin as we classically understand it, but also from the standpoint of where we may have gone astray in our thinking away from our Lord. Is what is currently being espoused by Evangelicals – and perhaps other Christians – as a Christian worldview truly a Christian worldview, and where might it have gone awry if not? As I put it to one friend not long ago in discussing this, I believe that, at best, the definitions of a Christian worldview I have heard are inadequately Christian and subtly compromised with worldly and even occult thinking for many centuries.

This brings me to another one of my assumptions: there is a truly Christian worldview that can be perceived and held, yet it is not automatic or obvious. I do not mean by this that all Christians in all cultures should look, think and behave exactly the same. There is allowance for cultural differences. Yet, I exclude so-called “cultural traditions” that are founded in pagan practices. I do believe there is, however, a common Kingdom worldview that should permeate all of Christianity. It is not necessarily found in historic Israel, modern Judaism or the historic Church. It is found in the Scriptures.

Yet, we have a problem. Our worldview interferes with our ability to see what, to people of other worldviews, is so clearly evident. For example, Westerners generally find the genealogies of the Bible quite boring and purposeless. Our oriental brethren, however, find each genealogy extremely important and vital. One of the reasons is that they prove beyond doubt that Jesus and Adam were real people. For us in the West, this hardly proves a thing. Suffice it to say that our differing worldviews make a big difference in what we get out of different parts of the Bible. Basically, there are significant portions of the Scriptures that we miss entirely or misinterpret because we don’t see the world in the same way as the writers of the Bible and the early readers. We’re missing the cultural context, language and basic assumptions, as we’ll see later. If that’s not enough, what about our so-called blind spots we talk about from time to time, issues we aren’t aware of? Don’t we also have misconceptions about God’s character that we discover sometimes years after holding a false view of Him?

What’s the solution? Just as it was necessary for the Holy Spirit to bring us to understand the truth about Jesus’ atonement for our sins and the necessity of – and even ability for – our faith in that atonement for reconciliation to our Heavenly Father, so it is necessary for the Holy Spirit to continue to lead us into all truth hence forth.[8] We’d like to think that all is set right at conversion as far as knowing truth – getting it all put right. Yet, I don’t think any of us would be so bold as to say such a thing, though it sometimes seems we believe it to be so.

While a truly Christian worldview is available and possible, it isn’t automatic. It comes through searching and seeking in the Scriptures, questioning assumptions and going to the Lord for help in discerning what is true and what is false. The Deceiver is always at work to thwart this effort, and the Holy Spirit is always at work to promote it. Our role is to resist the Devil’s efforts and cooperate with the Holy Spirit,[9] which isn’t always clear in itself.

While this discussion has postponed for yet another post my explanation of where I see we have gone astray, I believe it to be an essential foundation to that presentation. What I will be laying out illustrates very clearly how scientific thinking, at the very least, has drastically altered our view of reality, the universe, our place in the world, and even the work of God in the world. As a result, it has also drastically altered the very essence of how we view God and ourselves, and live out our Christian lives, not as aliens in this world[10] but as citizens far too comfortable with worldly ways, thinking and living. I think the words of various contemporary writers will illustrate this nicely.

Rob

---

[1] Acts 17:11

[2] Luke 24:27

[3] Matthew 15:1-9, 23:1-32, Mark 7:1-13

[4] 1 Peter 5:8

[5] Daniel 10:13, Matthew 9:34, John 12:31, 14:30, 16:11, Ephesians 2:2

[6] Matthew 24:4-5,11,24, Mark 13:5-6, Romans 16:18, Ephesians 4:14, 5:6, 2 Thessalonians 2:3, Revelation 20:3,8, and in both the Old and New Testaments there is mention of false prophets, deceivers and seducers.

[7] False or sound doctrine – Ephesians 4:14, Colossians 2:8, 1 Timothy 1:5-11, 2 Timothy 4:3. Teachings of devils – 1 Timothy 4:1. False prophets – Matthew 7:15, 24:10,23, Mark 13:22, 2 Peter 2:1, 1 John 4:1, not to mention Old Testament mention of lying prophets and spirits. Entanglements of sin – Hebrews 12:1. The Devil as a roaring lion – 1 Peter 5:8.

[8] John 16:13

[9] James 4:7

[10] 1 Peter 2:11