Thus all unbelief is foolishness, for it takes such wisdom as its own finite perception can attain, and, measuring infinity by that petty scale, concludes that what it cannot understand must be impossible. Unbelief is the result of incapacity engaged in argument. Men are sure that an event never happened, because they have made up their minds that it could not happen.
Hilary of Poitiers, 300-368 AD, On the Trinity, Book III, 24 (translated by Rev. E. W. Watson and Rev. L. Pullan, The Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Volume IX, Philip Schaff and Henry Wace, T & T Clark and Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1997, p. 69)
How should we deal those things we do not understand? Should we reject things for that reason?
When I think about things like cancer, I think that we should do all we can to better understand it so that we can bring healing. And I think that this applies even in the spiritual realm. We can certainly trust God in our ignorance but we should do all we can to learn all we can so that we can bring healing.
ReplyDeleteI agree there is point for trying to understand as much as we can. But I also think there are many mysteries in the world, and if we reject everything we do not understand we end up seriously limiting ourselves.
DeleteNot sure which mysteries you are speaking of Mike. Might be helpful to name a few. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteFor example the Trinity, that God could become a man. Even the existence and nature of God is in many respects a mystery. But enough in the physical sciences there are things like quantum mechanics that we cannot fully understand.
Delete