Re: RFEP and the Heart of Christianity

From: Josh Bembenek (jbembe@hotmail.com)
Date: Fri Sep 19 2003 - 10:38:48 EDT

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    > But does the larger scientific community feel any need for a principle
    >with
    >religious connotations, even one with (as you've said) only minimal
    >theological content?
    >Such a principle may appeal to some non-Christian theists who are
    >scientists, but many
    >scientists are content with a much simpler principle which has _no_
    >explicit theological
    >content: The natural world can be understood in terms of natural
    >processes. To them (&
    >also to many religious believers, Christian and otherwise) RFEP as a
    >postulate is simply
    >that latter principle with some religious language added. So what is
    >really the cash
    >value of RFEP as a postulate?
    >
    > & in fact RFEP as a postulate may be seen simply as a surrender by
    >religion, a
    >concession that it has nothing to do with the real world which science
    >studies. I
    >realize that that's not your intention but it's the way many people will
    >read it. So if
    >the question is, "How persuasive will RFEP as a postulate be to the
    >scientific community
    >as a whole?", my guess is "Not very."
    >

    George, perhaps you could inform us as to how the RFEP should be MORE based
    upon Christological arguments? I see the principle as mostly derived from
    the evidence of science, such that it can be made without direct reference
    to some biblical text. And what would be wrong for challenging scientists
    to think, even if all natural phenomena can proceed as observed and
    postulated by mainstream science, what could be the source of it all? I see
    no problem with meeting scientists where they are and asking them to
    consider the legitimacy of Christian faith one step at a time. And frankly
    I can't see how you could make the RFEP say something like "because capable
    and efficient natural causes, Christ."

    Josh

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