Kreeft, 2002. Chapter 9, "Look Out! It's Alive!

Chapter 9, “Look Out! It’s Alive!” (Loc. 1502)

We continue with Socrates’ third meeting of the Christology class. Socrates has read the New Testament as a follow-up to the Old Testament. He has met Jesus. His conclusion is that the Jesus as presented in the New Testament is quite real. While they participants in the class are concerned to learn Socrates’ reaction, maybe a mystical experience, Socrates wishes to discuss Jesus, as that is the goal both of the course and life (Loc. 1520). There were various groups with various reactions. Of them all, Socrates first though the disciples had an unusual reaction because they engaged with a concept of one person with both a divine and human nature. In the New Testament Socrates met this same person whose natures go beyond our reason and logic. The other participants have decided that to believe the two natures in the one person requires blind faith, abandoning reason. Socrates insists that reason can remain intact when contemplating the supernatural.

What Socrates does not understand is where the Christians are, why their lives are not changed by an encounter with Jesus. The class is offended by this question (Loc. 1586). They see Jesus as a good idea, maybe archetypal, but not so much as an historic person. The Bible portrays him as both, which changes the entire paradigm.

Socrates concludes, counter to the professor, that the biblical account is of a real resurrection and real life imparted by the real man who is God, Jesus. He also rejects multiple ways to the same God, a figurative view of the resurrection, and any scenario in which we believe in a falsehood such as an invented resurrection.

Kreeft, 2002. Chapter 8, "How Odd of God to Choose the Jews"

Chapter 8, “How Odd of God to Choose the Jews” (Loc. 1192)

We rejoin Socrates at the second Christology class. In the past week Socrates has read the Old Testament to learn about the Jewish background of Jesus. Socrates then explains what he has learned of the God Jesus would refer to. Before this, Thomas Keptic states we cannot think of ideas which are not governed by our upbringing, which Socrates roundly rejects.

Socrates considers that there is one true and unknown God. Some in class dispute the claim of the existence of truth, while one student repeatedly quotes Chesterton to the annoyance of the others. Socrates’ desire was to find out about the true God. He hoped to find data wich would guide his pursuit. The reality of evil was a problem in all his models to identify God. The best solution (Loc. 1276) was that God was not all-powerful. The proper service to God was to live an ethical life.

In the Jewish Scriptures Socrates found that there was only one God, perfectly good. He was surprised at the insistence that all others were false. He was surprised at the universal claims, that this was the God of all people. Creation explained an all-powerful God. Socrates also saw that things were willed by God to be good. His goodness is very concrete. He was also struck by the perfect nature of the God who created everything and could govern it all. Yet what is greatest is that God’s will is for the good of his people, not himself. Finally, what struck Socrates the most was God’s revelation of his name as “I am.” His nature is as the subject, that which cannot be observed but which acts.

Kreeft, 2002. Chapter 7, “Jesus: One of a Kind”

Chapter 7, “Jesus: One of a Kind” (Loc. 1021)

Socrates continues his experience at Have It Divinity School by attending a Christology lecture. He is interested in knowing who Jesus is. Socrates is pleased that the course is a discussion forum rather than a lecture. He prefers dialog and knowing people to the more predictable interactions with books.

The professor greets each member of the class and all introduce themselves. The professor is interested in “the Christ-event” and does not consider that a term loaded with cultural baggage. Socrates explains that he does not know anything of the terms of Christology. From the term AD Socrates begins asking about the lordship of Christ. The class finally agrees that Jesus taught love. This does not seem revolutionary. Eventually it comes out that the majority view of Christianity is that Jesus is the supreme God. Jesus claimed deity, his followers accepted that claim, and much of the world became convinced. Socrates asks if the members of the class accept the claims. If not, they should not consider Jesus wise or good.

Kreeft, 2002. Chapter 6, “How to Be Comparatively Religious”

Chapter 6, “How to Be Comparatively Religious” (Loc. 765)

Socrates has just attended a comparative religion lecture at Have It Divinity School. He was unable to ask questions in class so turns to fellow student Bertha Broadmind. Socrates chose not to question the professor because he appeared ready with any answer but not to have worked with questions.

In particular, Socrates does not like Professor Shift’s attitude toward Christians who have made up their minds, “fundamentalists.”

Bertha does not entirely understand Socrates’ hesitation as she views being “liberal” as a positive. Socrates questions the term which she ties to thinking religions are all equal. Socrates says it should be possible to be open-minded and still decide one religion is right. Bertha disagrees, saying we should never be closed-minded. Socrates demonstrates that she has an interest in truth. He then discusses religions, showing that in their tenets, major religions disagree about what God is.

The root question seems to be what the essence of religion is. In the inquiry, a religion is an ultimate concern. Socrates can apply this to religions as well as philosophies and some political commitments. Bertha would like it to be more specific but the discussion is inconclusive. Socrates suggests that true religion may be of divine rather than human origin.

Kreeft, 2002. Chapter 5, “Are Miracles Unscientific?”

Chapter 5, “Are Miracles Unscientific?” (Loc. 586)

We find Socrates and his friend Thomas Keptic leaving a lecture of Science and Religion. Socrates is disappointed because he would like to have asked the professor some questions. Specifically, he would like to know about the truth claims of the developments he heard about. This is certainly more important than the time of the statements.

Socrates speaks with Professor Flatland, asking him whether miracles happen and how we can know. The professor shows that belief in miracles is typical in prescientific ages but disappears in more scientific ages. Socrates wants to know why lack of belief in miracles indicates that they do not happen. The professor says that science itself has disproved miracles so its opinion is authoritative. Socrates does not see it as impossible, for instance, that demons would use germs to attack people.

The professor asserts that since science has shown how many things can operate without need of miracles it will eventually show how everything is non-miraculous. Socrates demonstrates that this is more of a religious idea  than a scientific one. The professor next tries to define all amazing things as miracles, which Socrates will not accept because it is so nonspecific.

Socrates demonstrates then that miracles do make logical sense. They go beyond normal events but are not logically impossible.

Kreeft, 2002 Chapter 4, “Candy Confessions”

Chapter 4, “Candy Confessions” (Loc. 451)

Socrates discusses his wisdom with Bertha Broadmind, observing that the oracle about him said nobody was wiser than he and that he knew that he knew nothing. The causal link that his wisdom was “because” he knew nothing was a later deduction.

Introduced to candy, Socrates is ready to confess progress, though he is told of health risks so wants to explore the wisdom of candy eating. At issue is the definition of good. Why would we choose something bad? Socrates’ default is that we do it from ignorance (Loc. 490).

Through some logical inquiry, Socrates is able to determine that sin is a real thing and consists of disobeying what God wants. He then wants a more thorough understanding of “this God of yours” (loc. 511). Bertha makes some brief explanations and says that people who admit sin is real have a very bad idea. Socrates does not see a necessary problem with God being both loving/forgiving and just/punishing. We find out then about Bertha, in Socrates’ words, “you agree with the Bible when the Bible agrees with you, but not when it doesn’t” (Loc. 525). How can she prove that God forgives? The only authority on that point is the Bible, which also teaches that God is just and judges.

By the end of the discussion Socrates is no longer identifying evil strictly with ignorance. People are able to choose evil which they understand.

Kreeft, 2002. Chapter 3, “Was Jesus a Fundamentalist?”

Chapter 3, “Was Jesus a Fundamentalist?” (Loc. 339)

Socrates finds that he is already registered for his courses at Have It Divinity School. One of the courses is “Fundamentals of Demythologizing,” about which he asks his friend Bertha Broadmind. She explains that the course is about leaving fundamentalism, which she defines as “basically narrow-minded thinking, forcing everything into rigid, preconceived little categories” (Loc. 343). The topic of Christianity then arises. Socrates asks Bertha if she is a Christian and what that is. She does not answer his question, but explains she is a religion student, may seek to be a minister, and is not a fundamentalist. Bertha rejects fundamentalism because it teaches only a few are saved, which is the valid conclusion of the logic at work. Yet Bertha will not give a reason why she rejects the conclusion. She wishes to stop the conversation while Socrates wants to continue to the conclusion so as to know what fundamentalism is and why it is wrong.

Socrates pursues the source of information and finds that Bertha’s assumptions about fundamentalism are based on broad polls rather than consulting reliable and knowledgeable sources. He finds that Christianity is based on Jesus, the reliable authority. Socrates then insists on gathering what Jesus said about life, getting the information before interpreting it.

Kreeft, 2002. Chapter 2, "Progressing Away From Progress"

Chapter 2, “Progressing Away from Progress”

Socrates has wandered to “Have-It Square” where he meets a divinity student, Bertha Broadmind. Socrates is surprised by automobiles displacing the pleasure of walking. Upon finding hat most people would not continue their work without pay, Socrates equates them with slaves. He is perplexed by the lack of freedom which labor-saving devices have created. He also identifies progress as the new god. Yet this new god does not value beauty. People live in ugly but expensive surroundings and go to visit beautiful areas rather than building beautiful places.

The conclusion is that progress is not making beautiful things. It is not making people happier. It does not put people in control of their world. Socrates goes on to discuss wisdom and knowledge. He finds that people value wisdom but pursue knowledge in the name of progress.

The discussion turns to progress. Socrates views progress as a move toward what is perfect, i.e., the god. His interlocutress, Bertha, views deity as always changing. Rather than progressing to a clear goal, we live in an undefined hope.

Disappointed, Socrates asks if the divinity school deals with eternal truth. The answer is hopeful, but indistinct. Yet it leaves him ready to continue his investigation.

Kreeft, 2002. Chapter 1, “From Hemlock to Have It”

Chapter 1, “From Hemlock to Have It” (Loc. 96)

Socrates awakens in the basement of a library at Have It University, 1987. He looks for those who were with him at his death. In an interchange with the janitor he questions whether he is in the Isles of the Blest. He then finds he is in a library. After some investigation he finds a registration slip indicating he is enrolled in the divinity school.

Socrates’ discussion partner, the library janitor, suggests he go about his philosophical inquiries but not ask too many questions. Socrates agrees this was problematic before. They part, allowing the janitor to do his cleaning and Socrates to pursue his answers.

Kreeft, 2002. Socrates Meets Jesus - Introduction

Kreeft, Peter. Socrates Meets Jesus: History’s Greatest Questioner Confronts the Claims of Christ. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2002.

Introduction:

Kreeft was inspired to write this book by Kierkegaard’s observation that Socrates and Jesus were history’s two greatest teachers. He took courage to write by the fact that disciples of Socrates met with disciples of Jesus in Acts 17. He will couch the discussion in a setting he calls, “Have It Divinity School,” and will trust that the reasoning God gave all humans and especially Socrates will enable him to find the truth of God even in a heterodox divinity school.