Furthermore, I believe it just to consider that biases are adaptive. When I gave up the notion of God, I did not give up on the experiences of participation, longing, fullness, contemplativeness, depth, and immediacy. When asked, do you believe God exists?, I cant help but response with, what do you mean by God?'. One of the things I wonder is how these two general groups not talk past each other. Are you willing to also consider; Hindu scriptures, Muslim scriptures, Buddhist, scriptures, Taoists scriptures, etc? I would like you to rethink your own perspective a bit more, perhaps move a bit more toward universalism and religious pluralism like John Hick, but even that would not be nearly as far away from your present point of view as the distance you have already come from fundamentalism to your present point of view. But lacking a definitive first hand revelation of God and with all of your questions, at what point does one cease asking yet more questions, and perhaps start to view all religions as limited expressions or interpretations of God like prof. of religious philosophy John Hick eventually did after growing up Evangelical? It isnt about intellectual knowing and many people butcher Christianity when they think it is Im afraid. In both stories, the boat comes to rest on a mountain and birds are sent out to find land. Dr. Enns is a biblical scholar who teaches and writes on Old Testament, New Testament, Second Temple Judaism, and the intersection of biblical studies and contemporary Christian faith. who made you need milk? Which faith offers the greatest fulfillment of the cosmos longings? By Peter K. Enns I have published three books: Hijacking the Agenda (with Chris Witko, Nate Kelly and Jana Morgan), Incarceration Nation, and Who Gets Represented? Youve concisely and clearly explained the way I understand my faith and conviction in the existence of God. Because of these aspects, thinking is a collaborative engagement. M.Div. That said, I can see the contemplative Hindu or Buddhist saying the exact same thing. I would take as examples of this people such as Jesus and the profound impact on the entire world for the good, that his truth has produced, and by extension, His Apostles and their experience. Dr. Peter Enns (PhD, Harvard University) is Abram S. Clemens professor of Biblical Studies at Eastern University, St. Davids, PA. Im all for that. Fideism is a rich and credible approach to knowing God. At the same time, I was taking philosophy and religion courses and was drawn to finding ways to explain my ongoing relationship/wrestling match with God-Jesus-Spirit. contemplative Hey Ed; I can definitely understand what youre saying and thats why many people go thru many religions while on this path of truth. Per the books blurb, The Sin of Certainty models an acceptance of mystery and paradox that all believers can follow and why God prefers this path because it is only this way by which we can become mature disciples who truly trust God.. As is our deference in religious spheres to authorities revelations. I think there are multiple reality tunnels and people make many different claims concerning their personal experiences. Differing, I believe there are grounds for excluding ones own or other faiths. Interesting title. People who call others incredibly stupid and foolish beyond measure for not sharing their own religious positions ought to take a look in the mirror. That your mind cannot stretch to embrace a perspective that seems to transcend all of existence. Or read my own my testimony where I mention the effect that finding and fully acknowledging goodness in people of all beliefs or none had on me. One final question. There is no difference between His Person and His Attributes, and His Attributes should not be differentiated or distinguished from His Person. And it seems that these books coming out by Evangelicals who are now more tentative or moderate or courageously admitting they have doubts are a bit disingenuous, since they all seem to rely on being certain that the God of the Christian Bible exists regardless of ones doubts. Or even what the cosmos is? Peter Enns (Ph.D., Harvard University) is Abram S. Clemens professor of biblical studies at Eastern University in St. Davids, Pennsylvania. And if Peter didnt write it and the author was not present; is it still considered an eyewitness testimony? enns has published three books hijacking the agenda: economic power and political influence (winner of the gladys m. kammerer award, presented by the american political science association to honor the best book published during the previous year in the field of u.s. national policy), incarceration nation: how the united states became the most An Atheist Evolutionist Asks a Good Question of Dr. Peter Enns October 22, 2012 It seems that Young Earth Creationists are not the only ones who find BioLogos' attempt to "reconcile science and faith" lacking. Enns prefers this approach because it supports his view of Adam as proto-Israel (107) and maintains an Israel-centered focus rather than a universal one (106). Many miss it here because they want to be in control of any such relationship. Are they indeed properly basic?. As a United Methodist, part of how I articulate this is in the language of experience (1 part of what Albert Outler named the Wesleyan quadrilateral). I think there is a model there where the subjective, but real experience of God is the starting point for understanding the perceptual equipment, which will help us to acknowledge the existence of a real Being that makes the subjective states or experiences real. So I would never presume to tell someone like Pete or the Dali Lama that their experiences are not in their subjective sense real. Only that any confidence they glean from those experiences to then conclude what they believe they encountered they actually in fact have, well, that I would claim is highly suspect and demonstrably so. I think you are conflating your own journey with mine. Which I think is the case, but I dont want to speak for Ed. When people insist that the Apostles Creed is where you have to start, its no wonder that you wind up with some people who dont believe in God and other people who dont believe in the World. And whether that link between what you perceive or experience and reality is as strong as you think. Thanks for an honest perspective which does not offer more than can be proven. While some would say the orthodox Nature of God and his Oneness pertains to Being, I think most more linearly worship something that is more a manner of /a/ being than Being. Thats not to say that understanding the world as-is doesnt matter; it does. Which then opens up the question of what reality it what knowing we are engaged in. . Anyhow, as I have stated before I respect your thoughts and journey, but I do not think it has to be every doubters Journey. He brings these questions to his conversation with Jim, wrestling with how the Bible relates to our lives today. And I would suggest this hypothetical is realized in all actuality within spiritual perception. He has written widely on hermeneutics, Christianity and science, historicity of the Bible, and Old Testament interpretation. Im not certain as to where youre taking your evolutionary train of thought. Dr. Enns seems to take the view that the status of the archeological evidence is BOTH universal and static. Presume? Im loosely affiliated with an international church (evangelical) in Beijing; and it is quite stark to me here how the Western mind (American in particular) shapes and engages with Christian faith. You can hold your views and that is simply fine (I respect them) but just because you cannot see the reasons for people maintaining a doubting christian faith does not mean you are right and everyone else should take a step further and doubt the whole thing That is an over simplification of the complexity of the christian faith. Evidence: The heavens declare the glory of God. Youre still rooting your argument in the same notion of the proper locus of religious conviction. Posts about pete enns written by Jesse Winn. Peter Enns, Ph.D. Peter Enns Abram S. Clemens Professor of Biblical Studies 610-341-1491 McInnis 200B penns@eastern.edu Dr. Enns is a biblical scholar who teaches and writes on Old Testament, New Testament, Second Temple Judaism, and the intersection of biblical studies and contemporary Christian faith. Normal people can figure it out. Its generally NOT considered trustworthy; if it was then Bigfoot and alien abductions would be accepted beyond the fringe as accurate descriptions of reality/history. Scientism and that we can only know things based on empirical evidence or data is also obviously wrong. 'The board voted 18-9 to suspend Enns, an Old Testament professor whose book created controversy on how to interpret the . Which may be revealed when two people have mutually incompatible direct perceptions in these experiences. Bradley Jersak (Author), Peter Enns (Foreword) 167 ratings 4.5 on Goodreads 141 ratings See all formats and editions Kindle $14.99 Read with Our Free App Audiobook $0.00 Free with your Audible trial Paperback $16.55 8 Used from $10.79 25 New from $13.67 Great on Kindle Great Experience. Rule out experience and youre forcing yourself into mysticism. Then here you go! much more defined by their longing than by theirexperience. Read Dr. Enns full CV, B.S. Some people really like what I say. But by putting these experiences on the table and sharing them, we can say some objective things about them. I realize that there is a long and rich history of discussion over difficult philosophical issues concerning the existence of God. You never know, He might answer you in a marvelous and loving way. The western way of knowing privileges the observation and analysis/testingofexternal evidence by knowledgable, experienced, and educated people who make arguments and defend them. He was after all, our first RC President. How we study and understand these relationships, and their separate parts, and the enjoyment of the results of that understanding, are very important, fulfilling, stretching etc. Evidence presented to our reasoning faculties is one way of knowing, not the only way, which is obvious. Bravo for that! To dig down a little deeper theologically, I can deeply understand the paradox of the Incarnation of not only a God-as-man, but in the form of a baby in a manager in Galilee in first-century Palestine. Universalism is the belief that everyone eventually will be saved. In Roman Catholicism, Peter is seen as the first vicar of the church and so on. Their experience will be every bit as powerful, transformative, transcendent, etc. 2. So thats where I am at this stage of my journey on the whole God thing. There is none for 11 Peter, a writing a majority of critical scholarship places at some point in the 2nd century long after Peters death (Wikipedias page on it is a decent starting point showing the various arguments). Peter K. Enns Professor, Department of Government and Brooks School of Public Policy and Robert S. Harrison Director of the Cornell Center for Social Sciences Summary Peter K. Enns is a Professor in the Department of Government and the Brooks School of Public Policy and Robert S. Harrison Director of the Cornell Center for Social Sciences. One who holds such a faith cannot form a true concept of God, he is *IGNORANT* and will always try to believe in some *creation* of his *imagination* as his god. He argues that the Bible should not be used as a literal "instruction manual but as a model for our spiritual journey," a very liberal take on Christianity. In reality you rarely hear about the average Christian,. Here's the heart of it: 'Westminster Theological Seminary's board voted to suspend tenured professor Peter Enns last week after a two-year theological debate over his 2005 book, Inspiration and Incarnation. What gives? http://infidels.org/library/modern/ed_babinski/experience.html, Speaking of the vibrant Christian life, Leaving the Ministry. You use the word sin in your title; I havent read your book, but I hope that in the discussion in the book you avoid much use of the term. That is a blessing from God. Having beliefs was like always clinging tightly to something in the water to keep one afloat, always being afraid of letting go and learning to swim in the sea of faith. Peter Enns is the last person that I will analyze simply because he probably best typifies what can happen once one begins the downward spiral on adopting an evolutionary view to Scripture. As we give exercise to examples, we often discover these characteristics are more descriptive than prescriptive in their nature. To me there is a sacred goodness in characteristics of the way and Christianitys wins over the centuries are attributable to this. And look to see if theyre shared. Id suggest there are other qualitative characteristics too. Call it a transcendental trust like Thoreau had, or like John Hick in our own day. In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. perhaps the matter of knowing God is based on ones necessity to survive. Frank Schaeffer is an interesting fellow, son of the Apologist Francis Schaeffer, and co-founder with his dad and other prominent Evangelicals in the 1970s of Americas Religious Right and also the Right to Life Movement. It loads making sure we hold the correct beliefs with too much weight; we then shore up our set of beliefs in a fortress of impregnability, making them the source of our trust and so-called certainty rather trusting in the living God. Why? Something that transcends your petty thoughts as to self, or day to day concerns, and fills you with so much love and gratitude and beauty that if feels your heart will burst.