THIS IS CANCELLED: His main public presentation will be Saturday, February 15, at 8 p.m. in Sydnor Performance Hall, Schewel Hall, University of Lynchburg, drawing from . The Bible (NT and OT) both contain stories of humans having doubt while also trusting God (Elijah, Peter, Thomas, hell, all of them for that matter). In other words, I dont believe in God because I see no evidence for God or I believe in God because the evidence proves it are both nonsensical claims for me.. Can I find a certain kind of longing and hope to possibly be filled even on the Trump Train? Which then opens up the question of what reality it what knowing we are engaged in. I also suspect that you and Frank probably share many criticisms of your more conservative Christian pasts. Differing, I believe there are grounds for excluding ones own or other faiths. Does God exist? Yet how is this testimony for more than such kind of belief being an adaptive trait? Many dont understand that the contentions among faiths are fought (and will be won in the end) not on the grounds of being right, but on the grounds of making the world right. prof at Westminster Seminary for his progressive evangelicalism, and has not identified himself as a universalist. Its not that we dont know, its that our knowing is ultimately so relative. Yes, no matter what words we employ we can never do justice to the experience. He is the Robert S. Harrison Director of the Cornell Center for Social Sciences and Executive Director of the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research. To me it seems, the more beliefs correspond to reality, the better the organism is adapted to survive and reproduce. Instead of humbly stating this belief as an opinion, Joker3857 blatantly says "then dont be one". Professor; Executive Director, Roper Center for Public Opinion Research; Robert S. Harrison Director, Cornell Center for Social Sciences. Good point. Evidence can be internal, which whether or not you rationally elaborate upon or take the direct perceptive route nonetheless still falls into that domain. Call it a transcendental trust like Thoreau had, or like John Hick in our own day. How do you know these are HIS words? Which I think is the case, but I dont want to speak for Ed. It just begs the question, which one? Scrivenings Christians depression, suicide. But in the formerit seemssome individuals cannot ask the does God exist? question without deeply wondering about which God?? 3 He begetteth not, nor is He begotten; Well that seems to me to be more of a way of guessing then? To the person without that God-Given faith, none of this makes any sense or is believable. That said, I can see the contemplative Hindu or Buddhist saying the exact same thing. I realize that there is a long and rich history of discussion over difficult philosophical issues concerning the existence of God. God means many different things to people. Culturally, we tend to have a project-based approach toward church life. Good concepts of God and faiths are ripe with irony and paradox in their making the world right. Find it on Amazon: http://amzn.to/19X9WC7Find it at CBD: http://bit.ly/1dnBcesPeter Enns discusses the inerrancy of the Bible as an often contentious topic. Try an approach that says were really not sure but most likely in my opinion this is the one I think it is. As for your books title, The Sin of Certainty, you seem pretty certain that sin exists, though I suspect humans dont really need thatll added theological term since it seems more like a metaphor for any selfish behavior people of all religions or none already view in a negative fashion. Show Notes This episode was . That said, I can see the contemplative Hindu or Buddhist saying the exact same thing. Israelite history; Old Testament and ancient Near East; Old Testament theology; biblical theology; wisdom literature; Second Temple Judaism and the New Testament. Many people arrive at different conclusions (that is fine) and see things differently doubt is a complex subject that will not fully be flushed out in this conversation. Pete Enns (PhD, Harvard University) is the Abram S. Clemens Professor of Biblical Studies at Eastern University, St. Davids, Pennsylvania, and co-host of The Bible for Normal People podcast. In addition, he late dates the Exodus in the mid . One of the things I wonder is how these two general groups not talk past each other. Government, College of Arts and Sciences/Public Policy, Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy. Peter Enns' new book, How the Bible Actually Works, at its best seeks to place us on the hard, but rewarding, path of wisdom. With the exact same merit. enns has published three books hijacking the agenda: economic power and political influence (winner of the gladys m. kammerer award, presented by the american political science association to honor the best book published during the previous year in the field of u.s. national policy), incarceration nation: how the united states became the most I am married and trust my wife but like anything, marriage is a complete trust that the other person will be faithful (for better or worse) we live in the tensions of trusting people everyday (even strangers we do not know who drive vehicles). You never know, He might answer you in a marvelous and loving way. AMA. For those who hold the view that the Bible contains an ever-expanding revelation of the truth and knowledge of God from beginning to end, what is to be taken away from your article? Professor. Open your eyes to what there is to see, or let Jesus open them for you (Mark 8, by daubing mud) and I theres not that much problem. Evidence presented to our reasoning faculties is one way of knowing, not the only way, which is obvious. Who said God is a HE? Peter Enns (PhD, Harvard University) is the Abram S. Clemens Professor of Biblical Studies at Eastern University in St. Davids, Pennsylvania. So its great that God is guiding you and keeping you safe but yet not doing the same for kids with cancer etc. I'm an author and biblical scholar. Indeed, it is a way of knowing that has been championed as part of the development of culture in the Western tradition, but to pigeon hole the method as somehow distinctively Western is to lose something about its universality in a universe that significantly appears to exhibit fundamental uniformity. I didnt say anything about your knowledge of other religions. Really, evidence is simply a modern, western way of coming to belief or faith or knowledge? And if you dont fit into the system? To me, simply, neither these two billion adherents nor there leaders really seem all that differentiated from their peer adherents of Allah, Brahma, and more in sacred task of transforming the world. Honestly and looking ahead, my mind is more centered on the significance of the sixth extinction, climate change, the forth-coming dissipation of petroleum energy, a huge human population, limited supply of fresh water for all, and need for compassion for and collaboration with others to existentially address all this. He has taught courses at several other institutions including Harvard University, Fuller Theological Seminary, and Princeton Theological Seminary. Were two thousand years in. Peter Enns Age He was born on January 2, 1961, in Passaic, New Jersey, in the United States. Youre still rooting your argument in the same notion of the proper locus of religious conviction. Edit. In passing, he also makes a very interesting observation about contemporary Protestant theology: "I live in an ecclesial world in which those who value Christian orthodoxy as a concept seem invariably to drift towards either Rome or Constantinople or some amalgamation of the two which is represented by no existing church. As if chosen by God to tell people who should be a christian based on their concerns regarding the bible. That is a blessing from God. I think the sooner the Church heals the Great Schism and returns to the even the faith of Jesus certainly before Constantine and possibly before Paul, the better she will be on a cosmic mission. Also, be sure to read the book rather than a blurb to see what I am after. It is transrational. This way of knowing, too, is a pluralistic way of knowing and can be reflected upon both with and without special pleading. Too much struggle is maladaptive. . There is a type of love that can only be experience I think by a parent for their child. How sure are you that those are eyewitness accounts. He has written numerous books, including The Bible Tells Me So, The Sin of Certainty, and How the Bible Actually Works. ". When people insist that the Apostles Creed is where you have to start, its no wonder that you wind up with some people who dont believe in God and other people who dont believe in the World. We struggle with and within the limits of what we can come to know. Do you know many others like yourselves? ), having that preverbal felt sense of wonder, well-being & delight, sitting in the little Cave of flesh of oneself, hearing the birds twittering in spring sunshine for the first time, the thrill of having learned ones ABCs and the letters becoming words & the words becoming sentences when one is 6 years old, the gift and thrill of ones sexuality(Intense pleasure!) The social architecture of the church, from leadership to prayer groups, all functions along protocols and vetting systems based on doctrinal beliefs, trust-building with leaders, participation in activities, meetings and conferences, etc. Enns' view is that the Bible is essentially a human collection (s) of different stories (by different authors/editors) that have a common reference to "God". On another point, both in Johns writings and Peters writings there are statements of eye-witness testimonies. Great Value. Probably a different version of God I would presume. In both stories, the boat comes to rest on a mountain and birds are sent out to find land. Again, while it takes a God-given faith to believe the substance of Peter and Johns testimonies, are we to take from your article that we should not put trust in the authenticity of their writings? Such a person in fact believes Him to exist in Parts. But as for the title, in the publishing world, titles are meant to be succinct and attract attention (which obviously worked).The book explains what I mean. Some people really hate what I say--and I've lost a couple of jobs because of my views. Pete Enns is the Abram S. Clemens Professor of Biblical Studies at Eastern University. What are you reading good Sir, that I may know too? Praying is not the same as imposing a religion on others. If He was visible to the eye, and perceivable to the senses, He would have resembled the things that are visible and perceivable to the senses on account of their being compound and created and in that case He would no longer have remained a creator. Enns's methodology seems to be in direct conflict with an understanding of Scripture that affirms one divine author (and therefore one truth), and with a hermeneutic that, for the sake of knowing God and his gospel better, seeks to bring the entire relevant teaching of Scripture to bear on a particular passage.36 This is the reason, it seems . But it takes the work of the Spirit of God in ones life to actually believe and rely upon these evidences. Certainly they are subjective but that does not then mean they cannot be compared. Human faculties of conception, perception and learning, and attributes of volition, intuition and apprehension cannot catch sight of His Person or fathom the extent of His Might and Glory. This is a dangerous and unbiblical attitude. This happens not in our mind, but in our spirit. And I would suggest this hypothetical is realized in all actuality within spiritual perception. No- before the 70s it was safe for white little girls and boys to walk down the street correct yourself- thee was never a time in any country where there was absolute peace- even in the Bible. But how is it that you still believe in God? Intelligence, understanding and attainment cannot attain the depth of knowledge to study or scrutinise the Godhead. There are a variety of reasons (speaking myself) that I believe while having doubt and disparaging my trust in God (Jesus) does not solve the dilemma (my own opinion) but creates more problems ( I was not raised Christian either in fact I did not become a Christian until a few years ago). and disasters Speaking of each breath, the sustaining of human consciousness seems to rely on the humble oxygen molecule. But one alternative is to have a church, mosque, and a Jewish, Buddhist and Hindu temple, close together on every corner with no ones sign larger or higher than the rest, to remind ourselves we can indeed all truly get along. Roman Catholics and conservative Protestants have much in common and face common enemies in terms of secular humanism and all of the other anti-Christian hate groups and religions of the world. This sort of knowing is beyond reason, but it is not irrational. . But what I cannot comprehend is that after two thousand years, these loftiest of other-way-of-knowing-related claims have produced only some good. Rather, knowledge of God is described by terms like: immediacy In The Sin of Certainty: Why God Desires Our Trust More than our "Correct" Beliefs, Enns argues that certainty (especially the theological variety) is inappropriate, dangerous and unbiblical. Peter Enns (Ph.D., Harvard University) is Abram S. Clemens professor of biblical studies at Eastern University in St. Davids, Pennsylvania. Id suggest there are other qualitative characteristics too. Of course, it helps that I have absolutely no expectations of him whatsoever. just try it i bet you gain their trust better. Scientists tend to understand everything through the lens of our basic five senses which reside in our body and soul. Peter K. Enns Professor, Department of Government and Brooks School of Public Policy and Robert S. Harrison Director of the Cornell Center for Social Sciences Summary Peter K. Enns is a Professor in the Department of Government and the Brooks School of Public Policy and Robert S. Harrison Director of the Cornell Center for Social Sciences. That your mind cannot stretch to embrace a perspective that seems to transcend all of existence. Bradley Jersak (Author), Peter Enns (Foreword) 167 ratings 4.5 on Goodreads 141 ratings See all formats and editions Kindle $14.99 Read with Our Free App Audiobook $0.00 Free with your Audible trial Paperback $16.55 8 Used from $10.79 25 New from $13.67 Great on Kindle Great Experience. What religion, denomination, sect or cult doesnt seek to also inculcate an acceptance of mystery and paradox?. Peter Eric Enns (born January 2, 1961) is an American Biblical scholar and theologian. Pages turning Read Dr. Enns onThe Bible for Normal People And it is worth noting that my list is subjective too. It sounds like you are on that path. Peter Enns, Ph.D. Peter Enns Abram S. Clemens Professor of Biblical Studies 610-341-1491 McInnis 200B penns@eastern.edu Dr. Enns is a biblical scholar who teaches and writes on Old Testament, New Testament, Second Temple Judaism, and the intersection of biblical studies and contemporary Christian faith. Youre closer than you think. So Im not really sure what your point is. One who holds such a faith cannot form a true concept of God, he is *IGNORANT* and will always try to believe in some *creation* of his *imagination* as his god. On what basis is God still an option for you?. And the one thing that every single wisdom tradition or religious group teaches is the way. But may I pose this: No different than if we observed sight to function so unreliably that 10 different people looking at the same event saw 10 substantially different things and this happened again and again and again and was in fact the norm. So I would never presume to tell someone like Pete or the Dali Lama that their experiences are not in their subjective sense real. Only that any confidence they glean from those experiences to then conclude what they believe they encountered they actually in fact have, well, that I would claim is highly suspect and demonstrably so. Also check out The Inner Eye of Love by a Jesuit named William Johnson, or try books by Dom Bede Griffiths, a fellow convert with C. S. Lewis but who spent his life in India dialoguing with people of other religions. Academically, I graduated from Messiah College in 1982 (Behavior Science), WTS in 1989 (MDiv), and Harvard University in 1994 (PhD, Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations). Their work involves moving from the phenomenon through the perceptual equipment to the physical biology that makes subjective states objectively real. . But when you reach the point where there is little to differentiate between different encounters or transcendent perceptions yielding incompatible truth claims, then you are not just dealing with a measure of uncertainty to be tolerated, but rather a total lack of confidence in whether what you believe corresponds to actual reality. Fideism is a rich and credible approach to knowing God. But I dont think this way of knowing settles theGod question, since it presumes that God is anelement of the cosmos that occupies space and issubject to observation and testinglike a quasar, proton, or tectonic plateswaiting to be discovered or discerned through methods by which we know the physical world. Their experience will be every bit as powerful, transformative, transcendent, etc. The good news is that those who humble themselves and say yes when He calls do experience Him in an undeniable complete way. I count it a great privilege to help students keep their horizons in front of them and come to know God better on their life-journey. Normal people can figure it out. better bring your own redemption when you come I know others mileage may vary. As is knowledge of Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Shiva. Magic is not real therefore magical deities are impossible. But nonetheless they witness them. How have we regressed so far in 56 years? And we do this not by relying on our experiences at the subjective level as some private matter , but we take what can be shared about that subjective experience and put it on the table for all to look at and compare. Likely in my opinion this is the case, but I dont want to speak for.! 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