withallyourmind.net

I finished Martin Luther’s The Bondage of the Will last night and I thought I’d take a minute to do a review. The book was written as a reply to Erasmus’ Diatribe Concerning Free Will and is divided into four main sections. In the first, Luther discusses Erasmus’ preface and introduction, noting how he defines his terms and what he sets out to prove. In the second, he discusses Erasmus’ biblical and theological arguments for free will. In the third, he discusses Erasmus’ treatment of biblical texts that are commonly used to argue against free will, and in the fourth he attempts to give his own biblical defense against free will.
The first thing that surprised me about the book is just how little things have changed in the Calvinism vs. Arminianism debate (although of course it wasn’t known as that back then). The same texts are treated and many of the same arguments are given by both sides. More than once I had to remind myself that I was reading a book written about 450 years ago and marvel at how little has changed. It was also interesting for me to read something written by Martin Luther simply because he is a man who I’ve heard so much about but who never took on a personality until I read this (and watched Luther ;-)).
Luther’s writing itself is very thorough, although in many places repetitive. Many of his arguments were quite strong and he had an obvious mind for logic and knowledge of the Scriptures. Nevertheless, many times he took his arguments to prove much more than they did, and much of his writing seems arrogant and insulting to Erasmus (although he realized this was a flaw of his and apologized for it in his conclusion). Erasmus sought to prove that the human will can by some small effort prepare itself for grace, and so far as Luther argued against this conclusion and that the will is completely helpless in issues pertaining to salvation, I agreed with him. Unfortunately, he went beyond this to argue that everything that happens does so by necessity, which is where I would differ with him, for reasons I won’t go into here. Suffice it to say, I don’t think he argued conclusively for that fact.
I would definitely not reccomend this book as an intro into the debate on the freedom of the will or issues regarding the Calvinism vs. Arminianism debate, but for anyone with an introduction to these issues who seeks a historical background and to acquaint themselves with some of the writings of the reformation, this book is an enjoyable read. The historical introduction by J.I. Packer and O.R. Johnston in the Baker edition alone was worth the price of the book (for me anyway).
The last thing I wanted to discuss, and the thing that surprised me most, was how central Luther thought the question of the bondage of the will and God’s sovereignty in salvation was to the reformation. In a time when most Protestants don’t believe in the reformation doctrines later formalized into the five points, and we are taught that the reformation mainly occured because of indulgences and the abuse of the Pope, I was surprised to read this from Luther’s pen (from his concluding marks to Erasmus):

I give you hearty praise and commendation on this further account - that you alone, in contrast with all others, have attacked the real thing, that is, the essential issue. You have not wearied me with those extraneous issues about the Papcy, purgatory, indulgences and such like - trifles, rather than issues…you, and you alone, have seen the hinge on which all turns, and aimed for the vital spot.

I have posted several blogs based on Harry Blamires’ The Christian Mind over the past several days. I thought I might offer a brief assessment of the book at this time.

The book is divided into two sections. The first, which contains two chapters, is an argument decrying the lack of a Christian mind. Just as there is a “modern” mind and a “scientific” mind, there should be a Christian mind which influences society. Among the voices heard in modern society, there should be heard a distinctively Christian way of thinking about things. He makes the point that Christians are overpowered by secular thinking and adopt a secularist way of looking at the world. I think that he certainly makes a valid point.

The second section attempts to define and illustrate what a Christian mind looks like. To Blamires, a Christian mind bears several marks. It is oriented toward the supernatural, not the natural. It is aware of evil, both in the world as well as its attempts to make inroads into the church. It believes in truth - not some post-modernist conception of truth, but the presence of absolute truths. It accepts authority and, by doing so, rejects the idolatry of individualism which permeates the secular. It is concerned for the person, one made in the image of God. Secular society tends to treat its subjects as machines or systems. The Christian mind penetrates this view by proclaiming the value of the person. Lastly, Blamires suggests that the Christian mind has a sacramental cast. It “shows life’s positive richnesses as derivative from the supernatural”.

I found much in this book to inspire and cause one to reflect. The message is surely a needed one - that Christians need to serve the Lord with all their mind and contribute intellectually in a secular society. The book can sometimes be a little difficult to read in that it was written in England in the early 1960’s. It contains numerous references to people, places, and events with which the modern reader may not be familiar. I will close with the last paragraph of the book, which is still as pertinent as ever (See Al Mohler’s recent blogs on Darkness at Noon):

The time has come at which Christians must take the initiative in order to avoid being outmanouvered. What is demanded of us by the voice of the Church, if properly understood, is likewise dictated by tactical and prudential considerations. In short, it is better to define, establish, and nourish a Christian mind in freedom now, as a positive last effort to bring light and hope to our culture and civilization, than to have to try to gather the miserable fragments of Christian consciousness after triumphant secularism has finally bulldozed its way through the Church, as a body of thinking men and women.

I have just finished reading The Privileged Planet by Guillermo Gonzalez and Jay W. Richards. In it, the authors present a compelling case for the fact that our world seems designed for discovery. As someone who has always some interest in astronomy, I found it interesting reading. This book is primarily about astrophysics. Gonzalez is a professor of astronomy and physics at Iowa State University. Richards has a Ph.D. in philosophy and theology from Princeton. Their combined backgrounds enable them to produce a penetrating work of science and philosophy.

They begin by looking at our local environment (galactically speaking), the earth and its solar system, and how we find so many “coincidences” which enable us to discover the laws and physics of the cosmos. The second section of the book deals with galaxies and the universe. I finished reading these first two sections with a greater appreciation of how remarkably fine tuned nature is both to enable life to exist and to enable that life to discover the wonderful cosmos in which it was placed.

My favorite part of the book was the third section, which deals with the implications of the first two sections. Especially enlightening was the setting straight of the revisionist history of the Copernican Revolution. Chapter 11 was worth the price of the book in itself. It was from this chapter that I previously blogged. My brief review of this book will end with a quote which summarizes the entire book from chapter 15: A Universe Designed for Discovery.

We live in a universe with laws and initial conditions finely tuned for the existence of complex life. Although narrowly constrained, they do not inevitably give rise to such life. They are necessary but not sufficient for it. In extremely rare pockets of that universe, conditions are congenial to the existence of beings who can observe the starry heavens above and ponder the meaning of their existence. In at least one of these places, despite struggle and adversity, some came to believe that the world around them was a rational, orderly universe, accessible not only to rational thought but also to careful investigation. Centuries of study, amplified by technological tools and innovation, have given rise to an unparalleled knowledge of the world around us. The combination of those preliminary discoveries now gives rise to another: The same rare conditions that have sustained our existence also make possible a stunning array of discoveries about the universe.

First of all, I am now back from a recent trip where I enjoyed some much needed rest and relaxation. So, back to the blog. I have just finished reading The Design Revolution by William A. Dembski. I have shared a few thoughts along the way in previous blogs. I thought I might offer a quick review of the book at this point.

Dembski, of course, is in the forefront of the Intelligent Design movement. He holds a Ph.D. in mathematics and philosophy, as well as degrees in statistics, theology, and psychology. This book approaches ID from a perspective of answering objections offered by its opponents. Each chapter proposes a question and then answers it in a complete, concise manner. It is a thorough work and a good resource for anyone interested in Intelligent Design. He addresses many issues, philosophical and scientific. His arguments are powerful and well-reasoned. Although most of this book can be enjoyed and understood by most anyone, there are some chapters which may be difficult for someone without a background in science or math.

Dembski presents a convincing argument for a new (actually old) paradigm for science. Here are his own words contained at the close of the preface:

But visions endure only so long as they can be grounded in reality. The Darwinian vision of life is fast losing touch with reality and specifically with the design that pervades the world at the biochemical level — a world about which Darwin knew nothing. As with all dying paradigms, Darwinism’s old guard will not, to paraphrase Dylan Thomas, go gently into that good night. Count on them to rage against the dying light. Notwithstanding, the Darwinian vision is on the way out, to be replaced by a new vision that captures our imagination and at the same time is grounded in reality. Intelligent Design is that new vision.

I have recently finished reading a book that I borrowed from my son, Jeremy. It is one of the most practical, helpful books I have ever read. Decision Making and The Will of God, by Gary Friessen, should be required reading for all Christians. If you are unsettled and anxious about knowing the will of God, this book will help. Not only that, it may bring peace over decisions made in the past. Most Christians I have known have a deficient understanding of what God’s will is for their lives and how to know that will. Thank God for some clarity on the subject. Who does God want you to marry? What career does God want you to have? What school does God want you to attend? How much money does God want you to give? For answers to these and other questions, read this book.