Christianity is a rational religion. If anyone doubts this proposition, I would be happy to refer him or her to any number of writings which demonstrate its truth. And yet, Christians must go beyond mere rationalism if they wish to experience the depths and riches of Christianity. There seems to be a tendency to apply to Christianity a exceedingly strong rationalism that we would apply nowhere else in life. As Mr. Clark pointed out in his last post, most of our knowledge comes to us by two ways: on the testimony of others and by direct personal experience. I know of no way to prove that I am writing a blog post right now, nor do I know how to prove that 2+2=4. Yet I believe both those things. Reason, as G.K. Chesterton reminded us, is a matter of faith, since it takes faith to believe that our thoughts have any relation to reality. We know the importance of this more realistic rationalism in our everyday life, but we forget it when we come to Christianity. We refuse to accept the testimony of those who have experienced Christ in their lives and likely were we to experience Him ourselves we would dismiss it as an irrational aberration.
Yet, Christianity is not irrational. It is, as I have said, rational, but it is also in some very important ways nonrational, or arational. We talk so much about reason today that we forget it only covers part of the human experience. It is not rational to open the door for another person you will never see again, it is not reasonable to fall in love. This is obvious to us. Yet, once again, it is a truth we forget when we come to the subject of Christianity. It is a most dangerous truth to forget. This is because Christianity is not primarily about becoming rationally convinced of a set of facts about the cosmos- though it is also that- but about falling in love. One can read all the books one wants about proofs for the existence of God, or about the historical evidence for Christ’s Resurrection- and I do recommend doing so- but one will have entirely missed the point if it is not understood that Christianity is about falling in love with a person, the person of Jesus Christ, God and man. God is not a theory, but a person. He is not a proof, but a being.
Christianity teaches that God so loved the world that He did not abandon us even when we abandoned Him, but He instead gave us His Son to draw us back into communion with Him. This is a teaching which is meant to move the intellect, yes, but also, maybe mostly, the heart. Living as we do in a hyper-academic community, the truths of Christianity will for most people here have to be grasped intellectually before they can move us in the depths of our beings. And that’s good. But the most important knowledge of Christ will come from experience, and from living in His love. That’s how we will really get to know Him. Those on the fence about Christianity should consider jumping down- you have nothing to lose, and everything to gain. You won’t regret it.
These kinds of considerations are highly relevant when a non-believer objects that if God really exists, His existence would be obvious to everyone. God is not especially interested in convincing anyone of His mere existence; He wants to draw each of us into a mutually voluntary and permanent love relationship with Him as Lord. It is not just a matter of the intellect, but also of the will; in fact, the whole person.
You’re right on in pointing out that God’s ultimate aim is a love relationship. If our understanding and arguments do not lead to this, we’ve missed the point of our existence. God is not coldly dispassionate, but a lover.