Christ found through faith, not everyday miracles

The search for absolute truth about the life of Christ, or about God, is a peculiarity of the 20th century. Philosophers have theorized on the existence of God for millennia, but attempts to use science and history to prove that which lies beyond the comprehension of both are mostly new to modern Christianity. Biblical literalism — or

fundamentalism — is just as recent a development. It is very obvious that both of these ideas suffer from a lack of refinement of thought, both logical and theological. Searching for absolute truths in the word of God, about God itself or about Christ is not only incorrect but also irrelevant.

Some try to point to supposedly historical proof of the events of the Bible, but attempts to accumulate historical proof from the ancient era is quite difficult, especially concerning early Christianity. Few ancient sources remain for events that were well-documented at the time.

We are limited to a fraction of what was originally written for even the life of Alexander the Great or the campaigns of Julius Caesar in Gaul. And while the life of Christ is very important today, at the time he was rather insignificant compared to these men. The birth, acts and death of Jesus Christ were, at the time, the life of yet one more messiah in a troubled age and a troubled place that was beset with more self-anointed prophets than ever before in history.

As a result, documentation of the life of Jesus is scant outside the Bible or other canonical works. There was thought to be at least one reference to Jesus by the major historian Flavius Josephus, but even this turned out to be a forgery by medieval Christian monks.

Interestingly, the prophecy of a “savior who would emerge from Judea” was common knowledge at that time. But most Roman historians named the savior as someone entirely different. For example, the Roman biographer Suetonius claimed the savior was the Emperor Vespasian, who won his fame in Judea and “saved the State” from the debaucheries of Nero.

Testimonials of miracles, and supposed historical proof thereof, is an even more dubious subject. At this point in the history of the world, reported omens and miracles were common occurrences, not the amazing deeds of only one man ever. The Greek biographer Plutarch ascribes an omen or a sign to almost every act of man in his Parallel Lives.

Divine intervention was literally thought to be everywhere, based on the highly animistic nature of Roman religion. Even the themes of redemption and rebirth, so relevant to Christianity, were fairly commonplace in the popular cult of Isis and other since-faded deities. It comes down to this: In ancient times, miracles were not nearly as miraculous as we think them to be today.

All of this is not to imply that a belief in God or Jesus Christ is flawed. Quite the contrary. However, I insist that such a belief cannot rest on anything other than faith.

To call or hunt for absolute proof of God or Christ demonstrates a plethora of zeal, which can be a good thing, and a deficit of faith, which is not as commendable. Science ends and religion begins not where the questions become more complex and meaningful, but where absolute proof ceases to have any meaning. I believe myself to be as religious as the next person — I believe that there

is something more to life than can be explained by science. However, I recognize that it is foolish to demand historical proof of that which is beyond historical inquiry, or scientific documentation of that which is beyond science’s understanding.

It is the nature of religion to be unknowable by humanity. Far from being an agnostic’s point of view, this belief stretches back as far as Saint Augustine of Hippo — arguably one of the most devout Christians the world has known — who argued that to hunt for God in absolutes or literal truths was to blaspheme against him by simplifying his grandeur. So let us leave absolute truths to the scientists and limit religion to the spiritual. Only in doing so can faith have any true meaning.

Ames Grawert is a Lovett College senior and Student Association Internal Vice President.

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