An Opportunity From God

I have started this blog as an open response to Brett Bavar’s Absque Fide. Outside of Facebook, I do not normally involve myself in public discussions or blogs. However in this case I have decided to do so for several reasons. Brett was highly influential and known in our Christian ministry. Now, since he has publicly renounced his belief in Christ and God, I respond publicly. I have spoken with Brett and we are not adversaries. I am committed to Brett as a friend. Brett served under my ministry for four years and was the president of our campus student organization for two years. Also, I have already privately shared with him much of my response. I have committed to him that at any point in which he believes I am factually inaccurate with my recollections, or if have spoken inappropriately, that I would take the specific comments offline.

Furthermore, this opportunity is one by which the Christian worldview can continue to “display its claim to truth” as David L. Wolfe states.

"Only to the extent that a scheme remains open to continued testing is it able to display its credentials. Only then can it show the strength of its internal structure and its ability to illuminate experience. Far from being a favor, to protect one’s interpretive scheme from criticism is to rob it of the only way it can display its claim to truth” (Wolfe, The Justification of Belief, 65)

So, I not only write to Brett because I love him, but also to those who know and were influenced by his service. These individuals may now have questions and may wonder about my response.

I have entitled my blog Primo Fide (first faith) in direct counterpoint to Brett’s Absque Fide (without faith). All knowledge begins with a commitment to some form of a faith stance.

"The warranting process is the same for the Christian and the naturalist. Both involve the same interplay of faith and reason. Faith in this sense is not the private property of the religious person. Indeed the attempt to test for truth, given that it will eventually involve the wider context of beliefs and assumptions, turns out to be an essentially religious enterprise. The crucial criticism of a belief system is not whether it involves faith, but if it can survive testing." (Wolfe, 71-72)

The naturalist asserts a priori that there is no supernatural. The supernaturalist asserts a priori that there is. The warranting process will determine which faith stance will actually survive in light of reality-the truth. Brett is not without faith. His faith has changed.

My goal is to glorify my God, the one true God of the Scriptures and strengthen God’s people. My goal is not to convert anybody because I do not claim to have that ability. However, I do have the ability to provide warrant for my beliefs and the Christian worldview.

With these goals in mind I will be posting fairly regularly (daily, like Brett did) until my response is complete.