May 6, 2006

• Outstanding Christian Leaders of the 20th Century...

  I'm not sure quite how to begin this post...  so I'll just start writing, below.      (BTW, the continuation of the resurrection thread is still in the works - hopefully coming later this week).

   

  In your own estimation (dear esteemed reader), who are some of the most prominent/heroic Christian leaders of the 20th century, and why?  Who stands out in your mind as very noteworthy, and why?

  Off the top of my head come five people for my "Top Tier" - Gresham Machen, Henry Morris, C.S.Lewis, Francis Schaeffer, and Alvin Plantinga.  I'll explain why in just a moment.  Second tier candidates for me include John Piper, Billy Graham, John MacArthur, James Dobson, Mother Theresa, Al Mohler, Karl Barth, Carl Henry, Alexander Solzhenitsyn, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

  By the way, I'm aware that God is the only One who truly deserves glory... and that whatever faithful deeds these men and women have done are only due to His enablement.  Yet I think it is helpful to clarify "who are our heros" (in a Hebrews 11 way) and to learn about their lives.

  Each of the five men that I will now mention is impressive in my mind for taking a strong stand in believing God in an extremely anti-supernaturalistic environment (i.e. far more hostile than the environment we find today).  They are like "Daniel" types - standing courageously and innovatively for God in a hostile atmosphere.

   

  - Gresham Machen

  At the turn of the century the "higher criticism" was esconced almost wherever educated Christians were found, and with it a thoroughgoing skepticism toward all miraculous elements of the Bible.  This was, perhaps, the pinnacle of naturalistic thought, culminating the 17th and 18th centuries of rationalism (Descartes, Hume, Kant) and the 19th century (Darwin, Schweitzer, Nietzsche).  In the midst of this environment, Gresham Machen, influenced by B.B.Warfield, published a treatise defending the virgin birth of Christ.  He also wrote influential books such as "Christianity and Liberalism."  He went on to found Westminster Theological Seminary and the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, and his impact continues to be felt.
  - Henry Morris

  Henry Morris became an outspoken proponent of young-earth creationism in the 1960s, writing "The Genesis Flood" and founding the Institute for Creation Research.  This was very much an "against-the-tide" stand, as very few scientists of that time period were willing to be known for espousing creationism (furthermore, science was even more highly esteemed in that day than it is today, with scientists (think NASA, moon-launch, Cold-War, and "patriotism") occupying basically a "priestly" position in society).  His work (and the work of others before him like A.E.Wilder-Smith and George McCready Price, and the work of others after him like Carl Wieland and Ken Ham) launched a revival of young-earth creationism - a willingness to believe in a literal interpretation of Genesis 1-11 and search for scientific evidences for that model.
  - C. S. Lewis

  Famous for his stories, Clive was an agnostic who converted to Christianity at around 33 years of age.  In the many influences on his life, friends such as J.R.R.Tolkien and authors such as G.K.Chesterton and George MacDonald pointed out to him both the sensibleness and the beauty of Jesus Christ and the life of discipleship.  Eventually he agreed and became a passionate (though cool and witty in person) defender of Biblical truth.  His fiction like the "Space Trilogy" and "Narnia" were imaginative arguments for God and Christianity.  I tend to think of them as "the Fourier Transform of Christianity", and I can explain that further if anyone wants.  With two of his works in particular, "Miracles" and "Mere Christianity", he sought to clear away much of the liberal mush/ambiguation surrounding Jesus Christ and present Him as the very real, very challenging person that He was (and is).  Lewis fought hard rhetorically against the prevalent anti-supernaturalistic bias, striving to bring it to the surface (where it began to look feeble and ridiculous) whenever he found it.
  - Francis Schaeffer

  Schaeffer had many influences on his life (as we all do), such as Cornelius Van Til and (to a lesser extent) Carl F.H. Henry.  As an eighteen-year-old and a self-proclaimed agnostic, he decided to read through the Bible and decide about God.  He became a pastor in Pennsylvania, then several years later he and his wife moved to Switzerland.  But around 48 years of age he experienced significant doubts in his faith.  He spent the next year or two in excruciating study and thought, after which his faith was restored.  He and his wife founded L'Abri (meaning "The Shelter"), a camp to which hundreds of young people over the years have visited to study and discuss the deepest issues of life (i.e. God).  L'Abri is unusual in that all visiting students spend part of each day in physical work in the community.  Schaeffer wrote "A Christian Manifesto", challenging Christians to make a difference in society, and a number of other books, such as "How shall we then live", an analysis of Western philosophy and art.  He also wrote a trilogy, "The God Who Is There", "Escape From Reason", and "He Is There And He Is Not Silent", whose thesis was powerfully that God was and is real.
  Schaeffer, although not the originator of many of his teachings, was very foresighted.  He also connected many strands of thought together in broad teaching.  In his constant interactions with collegiate students, he deeply saw the direction that global philosophy was moving: Postmodernism (although that name was coined later).  He engaged the fissioning modernist and postmodernist philosophies deeply and epistemologically, drawing from the classical thinkers and from his own experience.
  - Alvin Plantinga

  At one point in my college experience, I happened to ask a particular Christian philosophy professor the following question - "If you would recommend any one book as a good overview to philosophy, which book would that be?"  His answer was somewhat unusual, but I am now very glad of it.  He recommended reading "Warranted Christian Belief", by Alvin Plantinga.  He told me that although it was a tough read, it explained the direction of much contemporary Christian philosophy, and would provide a good introduction to philosophical terms and techniques (he was right).
  The April 8, 1966 Time Magazine cover asked the question - "Is God Dead?" ...due to the philosophical consensus of the day.  At the time, philosophical questions about God asked not whether the Biblical picture of God was true, but whether the word "God" even meant anything at all.  Plantinga, influenced by the reformed tradition under Henry Jellema, led a philosophical revolution, including the founding of the Society of Christian Philosophers and the journal Faith and Philosophy.  He propounded several key arguments, including the idea that belief in God could be "properly basic" in philosophical terms, just like my belief in my memories, in the existence of other minds, and sense perception.  He also expanded C.S.Lewis' critique of evolutionary naturalism that suggests that randomly-evolved brains have no reason to be considered reliable, especially when it comes to religious and epistemological issues.   Finally, he wrote an article called "Advice to Christian Philosophers", in which he challenged Christian philosophers to take their faith seriously, and allow it to color all aspects of their lives, including their professional research.

   
  I suspect that I may modify my list of "outstanding Christian leaders of the 20th century" over time (and especially as you share your thoughts!)...  in fact, I anticipate doing so.   Two quick things that stand out to me - one is the place in God's kingdom for intellectuals who "used to be skeptics" (including the apostle Paul!).  I like what CDebater says: "all christians are either pre-skeptical or post-skeptical." 

  The second noticeable thing is the inevitable "man behind the man"... the pattern of men and women behind each of these leaders who prayed for them, witnessed to them, challenged them, taught them, inspired them, mentored them, and in every way modeled Christ to them!  Each of these leaders "got their ideas mostly from other people," and were supported by numerous other Christians (and sometimes even by non-Christians).

  The "supporting"/"mentoring" role is extremely non-trivial.

  And finally, again, God Himself is the One who is truly/most/completely worthy of our adoration and praise.  No one else compares.  The brightest of our light is simply a dull reflection, or more accurately a weak transmission (fiber optic analogy), of the magnificent, compassionate, almighty, Light of the World.

  Which Christians from the last century stand out most to you?

   

   
   

   

   

   

   

  • 9:33 pm
  • 5 Comments