Reggie Weems Blog

I just finished listening to Tim Keller’s first MP3 on Exclusivity.  (Have you gotten any further, Eric?)  If you’re interested in going deeper into his arguments for Christianity, you can read his new book, “The Reason for God.”  His criticism of the “absolute vantage point” argument against Christianity, actually Henry (Lesslie) Newbigin’s missiological argument against paganism, is simply brilliant but so simple that it’s often overlooked.
 

By the way, if you don’t want to come to Heritage and hear me preach on Easter, listen to his sermon on Exclusivity because I’ll be using the same text and his introductory arguments for Christianity’s exclusivity (but from the book).     

    
 I appreciate Newbigin’s perspective and it’s absolutely magnificent - in the same line as someone arguing against absolute truths with an absolute claim.  In other words, if the speaker is serious and sincere, then the statement, “There are no absolute truths” only proves there must be absolute truths.  It cannot, by virtue of its own claim, be an absolute truth or make an absolute claim about absolute truths, which only means, there must be absolute truths.  When you understand that, it shows that the statement (1) not only  undermines itself but then (2) also reflects a worldview for absolute truths.  The argument doesn’t simply argue against itself but it wins the day for the other side.  So it is with the blind men and the elephant.    
  Keller claims, “religion is a set of answers to the big questions” and not an institution.  By deinstitutionalizing religion he makes every person religious (that’s a good argument but actually that’s the weakest part of his discussion (my humble perspective) because you have to gain agreement before you can move on to the next point but its weakness is understandable since it’s not the point of his message and thus, underdeveloped).  If you agree with that point, however, then you also have to confess with Keller that, “everybody’s got a set of exclusive beliefs” and the real question is “which set” best gets us where we want to go?  That’s a loaded question and he must be depending on sanity to respond.   
  One of the most interesting creatures in Narnia is the Marshwiggle.   In the ‘Silver Chair’, the Green Witch challenges the Narnians: “Put away these childish tricks. I have work for you in the real world. There is no Narnia, no overworld, no sky, no sun, no Aslan.”  Remarkably, because it’s so out of character for him, Marshwiggle responds, “I ‘m on Aslan’s side even if there isn’t any Aslan to lead it. I’m going to live as like a Narnian as I can, even if there isn’t any Narnia.”  Don’t you love the two consecutive prepositions?  [Ginger Cox told me they were prepositions so if you disagree, you can e-mail her and tell her what they really are, at ginger@hbcjc.org.  Go ahead, e-mail her.  It’s her first day ministering at Heritage and she needs a reality check)  Nonetheless, only Lewis could write like that!
  Keller is right.  Because of grace, the exclusivity of Christianity necessarily leads to the most inclusive worldview on the planet, even in a world that the Scripture claims is fallen, evil and anti-Christ.  Because our world is inhabited by men and not Narnians, the Christian world/belief system is only a reflection of the real Narnia.  Yet through grace, we commit ourselves “to live as like a Narnian as I [we] can.”  (I know…you can’t believe I can work The Chronicles into everything!?)    
 The world asks how we can live as Christians without the definitive proof demanded of us.  Yet arguments against Christianity always turn in on themselves and collapse under the weight of their own reasoning (or lack thereof).  It’s true that Christ has not yet come Presently, Aslan does not reign on earth.  It would certainly be much more simple to prove his existence if he did.  Still, there is every reason for hope and hope that can be explained (1 Peter 3:15).    He is not, surely will be, but not yet.  What the world will be it is not yet but surely will be.  Until then, Christianity commits itself to “live as like a Narnian,” as exclusively as is possible.  It’s the only hope of the world.