I.
Christianity, Science and the Arts: being a Christian in a secular society

I briefly mentioned earlier that our view of God (or lack of one) informs our behaviour and the way we construct societies. Christians believe Jesus’ teaching and example are the authoritative sources for making the link between our view of God and how we are to live in societies. Since Jesus had no specific political agenda except for his final return to complete his own eternal kingdom, until then Christians are allowed a tremendous flexibility to craft Christian responses in the midst of all kinds of human political systems. Since the West has largely abandoned a faith based political model in favour of a secular one, Christians have adjusted to participating and responding as co-citizens instead of seeking to impose a new model.

Earlier I also mentioned the statement the Bible makes of people being made in the image of God. Even though this image gets marred by sin, we nonetheless recognize that beauty, creativity, and scientific discovery are all marks of this image and are general gifts of providence from God to mankind.

Western science, in and after the Renaissance and the Enlightenment, was built on the recognition that the universe is God’s creation and it is mankind’s privilege to explore and discover this creation an act of worship. Today, even in a place like Oxford that celebrates the views of Darwin and non-theistic explanations of origins, one will find that some of the finest philosophers and scientists are firm believers in Christ as Lord and the Bible as God’s revealed Word, and they integrate their faith and science in profound and articulate ways using the full measure of academic rigour.

In the midst of all societies, Christians are to be as salt in food, or leaven to bread, a permeating influence to witness to God’s standards of morality, to the reality of His judgment, and to His offer of salvation in Christ. This life is not all there is and the next life will be the long one spent with God Himself. Also, the Bible presents human sinfulness as being the core problem underlying the world’s problems. It presents that the only way people can really be changed is through an inner transformation that comes through personally experiencing God’s forgiveness through Christ, and through God sending His Holy Spirit to live within the Christian believer. Though laws and political systems can moderate behaviour through external constraints, actual change in the human heart to make it better can only come from a transforming experience of the grace of God.

At its best, Christianity has sought to liberate human thought and life and direct it toward eternal realities. At times, it has been misused as a tool of political repression, as is a common misuse of religion. The proper attitudes and focus are best seen in Jesus Christ. As the eternal Word of God it is said that in Him ‘is hidden all treasures of wisdom and knowledge’. He is the source of all approaches to life that are truly liberating, and truth from His teachings and example can be integrated into all areas of our lives and all areas of academic study. One of His many titles which attest to this is that he claimed to be the Bread of Life as the one who can uniquely satisfy the eternal hunger within each of us.[1] Jesus said concerning people, ‘I came that they might have life, and have it abundantly’.[2] The eternal life He promises to give is a quality of life marked by peace, joy, love, and contentment, which starts in this world and continues into the next. May you be blessed as you consider the God of the Bible and the relevance of His claims.

Thank you for listening.

Given at the Oxford University Club, Mansfield Road, Oxford, 2 June 2009.