Belief...by Francis S. Collins

May 12 - G. K. Chesterton and Hans Küng

Question 1.  OK…is it just me, or does Chesterton’s writing style leave you a bit unsure as to where he’s coming from?  He does make some evocative statements, including liberal amounts of sarcasm and humor, but fails to fully explain his perspective…at least in terms that I can confidently interpret.  Perhaps this is simply due to the amount of change that has occurred since this was written.  In his opening portion on “The Suicide of Thought,” he states, “The modern world is not evil; in some ways the modern world is far too good.  It is full of wild and wasted virtues.  The virtues have gone mad because they have been isolated from each other and are wandering alone.”  How did you take this?  Do you agree?  Why or why not?

Question 2.  On the topic of humility, Chesterton writes, “A man was meant to be doubtful about himself, but undoubting about the truth; this has been exactly reversed.”   I found this discussion to be intriguing…how about you?  How does this confusion of roles and values play out in today’s culture?

Question 3.  Perhaps my favorite quote (p. 284) is this, “It is idle to talk always of the alternative of reason and faith.  Reason is itself a matter of faith.  It is an act of faith to assert that our thoughts have any relation to reality at all.”  That’s a loaded statement!  How do you see and experience this close relationship between reason and faith?  What potential caveats are necessary as we consider their dependency, yet also their individual characteristics?  How does this play into an attitude of proper humility?

Question 4.  Hans Küng takes on an ancient, but lingering question, “Is religion merely wishful thinking?”  (Similarly, can Vikings fans really expect their boys to win the Super Bowl?)  Küng’s primary focus here is Freud’s contribution to this subject.  By and large, he dismisses Freud’s atheistic position, though validating some of his criticisms of the Church’s many abuses.  He states, “It is true that the wish alone does not contain within itself its fulfillment.”  And later he notes, “The existence of God must remain an open question.”  So, from your studies and observations, how do religion and psychology differ?  What traits and pursuits do they share?

Question 5.  Küng asks, “Can faith in science replace faith in God?”  He thinks not, stating, “But for innumerable people throughout the world belief in God has gained a new future, particularly in our time.”  He then asks, “Is there really an essential contradiction between science and belief in God?”  How do you respond to this ongoing question?

Question 6.  At the beginning of page 296, Küng argues that many in today’s culture turn neither toward science nor religion as a total explanation of reality.  “Between skepticism and affirmation we now find all too often not indeed a militant atheism, but one that is practical, everyday, and banal.”  He closes with a partial justification of Freud’s critique of religion, pointing to “defective forms of religion, the Church’s misuse of power, and the traditional image of God.”  How do we address such shortcomings to an ever-increasing attitude of skepticism in today’s world?  What are the ultimate strengths of the Christian faith that allow us to prevail in our witness to God in Christ?