Phi Beta Kappa
The Key Reporter (Jan. 1958), the periodical of the well known
honor society, carries an article by Professor C. J. Ducasse of Brown University,
Providence, R. I. In one way the article is disturbing: in another way it is encouraging;
and it is worth a moment's attention.
In an address to a group of Phi Beta Kappa initiates Professor
Ducasse praises philosophy as the guide of life in specific contrast with science
and religion. It is the latter that interests us.
The decline of religion as a controlling factor in the lives
of the great majority, the commendable decline apparently, results from a wider
acquaintance with the religions of far off peoples. In earlier days when transportation
was difficult and communication sporadic, people knew little or nothing of religions
other than their own. Now they can make comparisons. Now they can see how beliefs
and dogmas irreconcilable with their own can and have worked in other civilizations.
In thus comparing the different religions modern man sees "that the needs that
turn men to religion are on the whole satisfied by the other religions for their
devotees as effectively as they are satisfied for him by his own."
Undoubtedly this statement correctly represents the opinion of
a large segment of our college professors and students. Before one can judge whether
this opinion is true or not, it is necessary to ask what these needs are that all
religions satisfy. The article gives a hint of its own view. "Articles of faith...
are seen to be not statements known to be true or false, but essentially psychological
tools: instruments mankind has automatically devised for performance of certain
important social and personal functions." Other authors sometimes specify integration
of personality, health, friendship, and other items.
Now it may well be admitted that all religions are fairly successful
in satisfying these needs. No doubt a Buddhist or a Moslem, nurtured in and devoted
to his faith, is fairly well satisfied; he is probably a relatively well integrated
personality; and his religion provides him with friends, if not with health.
But is it for the satisfaction of these needs that we preach
Christ and him crucified? Of course, we can, we do, and we should find friends in
the Christian community. And as Christ cured insanity, we hope that belief in his
gospel will stabilize our minds in time of tribulation. We look to God for the strength
to bear our burdens. But these are not the motivations of Christianity; these are
not the needs, the main needs, that our belief satisfies. The need, without which
we could as well throw Christianity on the junk pile, is the need of heaven and
the need of escaping hell. The need that the gospel claims to satisfy is the need
of pardon for sin and justification before a just God.
Only by ignoring the one great need can a writer conclude that
all religions are equally successful. Only by presupposing the falsity of Christianity
to begin with can they all be indiscriminately merged in a sort of general religion.
It is disturbing that Christianity is pictured as a psychological
tool invented by man. It is disturbing that such an opinion should receive such
wide acceptance — that our colleges should be so secularized — that the Christian
religion should be contrasted with wisdom as the guide of life. It is disturbing
that men do not recognize their main need.
But at the same time there is something encouraging about this
article too. The position maintained is so transparent, the fallacies are so obvious,
the pre-judgments are so prominent, that, if these are the worst attacks Christianity
must face, we have little to fear. Our intellectual position is far superior.
The mere presentation of a position, no matter how clearly made,
even when that position is a straightforward proclamation of the gospel message,
does not insure its acceptance. To some this seems unfortunate. If our arguments
are so superior, why could we not argue men into the kingdom of heaven? But we cannot.
This does not mean that we should cease to present the claims
of Christ in clearly intelligible terms. Our arguments, our beliefs, our message
must be made known. But only the almighty power of the Holy Spirit can cause men
to accept the message. Come to think of it, that does not seem so unfortunate after
all.
G.H.C.
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