http://fefc.com/blog/2007/06/05/made-without-hands/ 8000 Middlebrook Pike, Knoxville, TN 37909 :: 865.470.9800 Thu, 20 Nov 2008 09:03:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 http://fefc.com/blog/2007/06/05/made-without-hands/#comment-284 J.R. McCalla Thu, 21 Jun 2007 08:54:32 +0000 http://fefc.com/blog/2007/06/05/made-without-hands/#comment-284 I know that Greg was not disparaging philosophy at the beginning of the sermon. That said, my comment centers around expounding a point that he made in passing in order to counterbalance his statements regarding the 'foolishness of philosophy'. Namely, that it is important to think about the nature of existence etc. So what is the role of philosophy in finding meaning etc.? Greg suggests that we cannot use philosophy to explain Christ; I assume he means philosophy cannot fully grasp or circumscribe who and what Christ is. Most people don’t ‘accept’ Christ into their heart on the basis of a logical argument. Besides, philosophy can be (not always) misused in such a way as to encourage contemporary Pharisees. There are those who use philosophy to explain Christ so as to defend their own barricades while attempting to conquer others. They may present a fine eloquent exterior while they talk at people. Meanwhile, talking at people doesn’t acknowledge the heart of the person that only God can circumcise. On the other hand, studying philosophy can be an act of faith, worship and hope; as, God throws open the sepulcher of one’s heart and digs out the stench of swallowed false beliefs and its byproduct of disordered intentions. There can be apathy in the soul of man that yields many sins of omission—an apathy fed by non-reflectively living by the presuppositions of one’s culture. God showing you that apathy is a painful cutting away of dead flesh-a life long process. Strangely, it is in the cutting that we come to be more present, that we learn what it looks like to actively engage in loving God and others. I know that Greg was not disparaging philosophy at the beginning of the sermon. That said, my comment centers around expounding a point that he made in passing in order to counterbalance his statements regarding the ‘foolishness of philosophy’. Namely, that it is important to think about the nature of existence etc. So what is the role of philosophy in finding meaning etc.? Greg suggests that we cannot use philosophy to explain Christ; I assume he means philosophy cannot fully grasp or circumscribe who and what Christ is. Most people don’t ‘accept’ Christ into their heart on the basis of a logical argument. Besides, philosophy can be (not always) misused in such a way as to encourage contemporary Pharisees. There are those who use philosophy to explain Christ so as to defend their own barricades while attempting to conquer others. They may present a fine eloquent exterior while they talk at people. Meanwhile, talking at people doesn’t acknowledge the heart of the person that only God can circumcise. On the other hand, studying philosophy can be an act of faith, worship and hope; as, God throws open the sepulcher of one’s heart and digs out the stench of swallowed false beliefs and its byproduct of disordered intentions. There can be apathy in the soul of man that yields many sins of omission—an apathy fed by non-reflectively living by the presuppositions of one’s culture. God showing you that apathy is a painful cutting away of dead flesh-a life long process. Strangely, it is in the cutting that we come to be more present, that we learn what it looks like to actively engage in loving God and others.

]]> http://fefc.com/blog/2007/06/05/made-without-hands/#comment-131 Geoff Warfel Tue, 05 Jun 2007 15:16:55 +0000 http://fefc.com/blog/2007/06/05/made-without-hands/#comment-131 Thanks for putting the sermons out as mp3 files! Thanks for putting the sermons out as mp3 files!

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