Lecture 12: Modernity and the Theological Task

Question 1

What is Modernity?

Answer 1

• The Modern era began at the turn of the 18th century
• everything after 1700 is the Modern period
• Everything prior to 1700 is the pre-Modern period
• modernity began with the Enlightenment

Question 1

A brief History of the Enlightenment (leading up to the enlightenment)

Answer 1

The pre-Modern world was characterized by:
- rigid hierarchies of authority that were unquestioned
- a view of ‘reason’ as a property of the universe itself, rather than a property of human consciousness
Changes have begun at the Reformation
- The authority of the Church is questioned for the first time
- We see the beginnings of individualism, especially regarding how Scripture should be interpreted
- Protestants trust their own reason over the authority of the church

Question 2

A Brief History of the Enlightenment

Answer 2

• In the wake of endless religious conflicts, people began to reject traditional authorities
• Philosophers began constructing new systems for acquiring knowledge, based on human reason
• The reason of the individual becomes the primary authority for Enlightenment thinkers

Question 3

Core Tenets of the Enlightenment

Answer 3

1. Emphasis on individualism and individual autonomy
2. Confidence in the power fo human reason
3. Belief that reason is pure and objective

Question 4

Core Tenets of the Enlightenment: Emphasis on individualism and individual autonomy

Answer 4

• the individual is seen as the best and most reliable guide to truth
• this is combined with a strong anti-authoritarian sentiment

Question 5

Core Tenets of the Enlightenment: Confidence in the power of human reason

Answer 5

• the power of human reason was thought to be able to solve all of humanity’s problems
• the creation of new ways of using reason to form unquestionable beliefs gives rise to the scientific method
• along with naturalism, this leads to determinism: the philosophical belief that all events are determined completely by previously existing causes
• confidence in human reason also leads to a widespread faith in progress

Question 6

Rene Descartes: The Father of Modern Philosphy

Answer 6

Descartes set out to create a new method for acquiring knowledge
- he began by doubting everything that could be doubted.
- Cogito ergo sum - i think, therefore i am
- descartes’ own existence became his first principle, upon which he could build up a body of certain knowledge
This method is called Foundationalism
- a theory about how knowledge claims are justified
- in order to stop an infinite regress of justifying beliefs, there must be a ‘foundation’ of beliefs which cannot themselves be called into question

Question 7

Core Tenets of the Enlightenment: Belief that reason is pure and objective

Answer 7

• reason is seen to be universal, unaffected by history and context
• this is the perspective of the first umpire (there’s balls and strikes, and i call them as they are)
• reason is objective, so humans can use reason to directly grasp universal truth

Question 8

Implications for Theology: Protestant Christianity is influenced by Enlightenment individualism

Answer 8

• Protestant liberalism rejected religious authorities and reinterpreted the Bible for themselves according to Enlightenment rationality, removing supernatural elements
• Conservative Protestants also rejected religious authorities, and moved the authoritative interpretation of scripture to the individual

Question 9

Implications for Theology: Protestant Christianity is influenced by Enlightenment confidence in human reason

Answer 9

Protestant liberalism doubted all prior knowledge, rejecting whatever could not be proven with the scientific method
Conservative Protestants worked to make Christian belief appear acceptable in the eyes of Enlightenment rationality
- we see this in the doctrine of the inerrancy of scripture, and the belief that rejection of this doctrine and the certainty it provides undermines all Christian claims
- We see this in the rise of propositional theology, in which the Bible is reduced to a set of propositions to be demonstrated and accepted
- We see this in modern Christian apologetics, which argues that by using our reason, we can demonstrate with certainty the objective truth of Christianity