Impetus

The Redemption of Reason

by Dallas Willard

“The Redemption of Reason” was a lecture given by Dallas Willard on February 28, 1998, at Biola University in La Mirada, California,  at the academic symposium on "The Christian University in the Next Millennium." Originally only available on cassette tape,  the lecture was transcribed to promote further study and to provide the framework for the first  Redeeming Reason conference on November 3 – 5, 2005.

Just recently,  Dallas Willard reviewed the transcript and the study outline which is maintained here, and has provided a written text which is now available on his website. We encourage you to refer to Prof. Willard’s revision of his text, as well as to make use of  the one which is here with the study outline provided. At the bottom of this introductory note are excerpts from Prof. Willard’s lecture. The full transcript is available as a PDF (Adobe), Word Document (Microsoft Word) or as a standard web document (HTML).

"The mere quest for certainty, so much maligned by the pragmatists, is not really what is at fault in the grand attempts. … But the quest for - and the pretensions of - systematic certainty, or certainty and rigor throughout the range of topics traditionally dealt with by philosophers [and theologians - ed.] is greatly at fault.

"The model of science as a theoretical unity … simply does not apply across the full range of philosophical [or theological - ed.] topics, or anything remotely approximating to it … It is this fact that makes a scientific philosophy [or scientific theology - ed.] … impossible, and guarantees the eventual decline and fall of any position which pretends to be a scientific philosophy [or theology - ed.] - no matter how brilliant it may be in certain respects. Wisdom, which must in the nature of the case face up to life as a whole, has never been knowledge, nor will it ever be; and neither is diminished by that fact." [1]

"I have attempted in these pages to clarify some points about the structure into which theistic evidences must be arranged if they are to be properly appreciated. Failure to understand the limitations and the interrelations of what I have called the "three stages" of theistic evidences seems to me a great hindrance both to philosophical treatment of the question of God's existence and to the individual's efforts to come to terms with what is, after all, a major issue in dealing with life. Given the very best possible exposition, theistic evidences never replace a choice as to what kind of universe we would have ours to be, and a personal adventure of trust, living beyond what we can absolutely know. Nevertheless, I believe that the structure of evidence outlined-in spite of its far too simple discussions of the nature of the physical, causation, order, etc.-indicates that the basic doctrine of God present in the historically developed theisms of the major world religions is most likely true and is certainly capable of being rationally accepted. With that much secured, and yet mindful of the vast amount we do not know about that God, we here give the last word to Philo (Hume), that: "...the most natural sentiment, which a well-disposed mind will feel on this occasion, is a longing desire and expectation, that heaven would be pleased to dissipate, at least alleviate, this profound ignorance, by affording some more particular revelation to mankind, and making discoveries of the nature, attributes, and operations of the divine object of our faith." [2]

For Dallas Willard the "redemption of reason" appears to be an ongoing task, never completed, never capable of a complete, systematic formulation, and the constant, never ending responsibility of a disciple, an apprentice, of Jesus. Having been afforded "… some more particular revelation to mankind…", the question before us is whether we are willing to make "…a choice as to what kind of universe we would have ours to be, and a personal adventure of trust, living beyond what we can absolutely know."

Of what does that task consist? Professor Willard suggests some tasks in this lecture, but one is quickly prompted to think that he does not think this a complete list. At best, his lecture provides a sort of treasure map, partial at that, of the tasks involved, of many places to dig, of many routes that must be taken. One must expect to seek new places and new routes in the pursuit of this adventure, and one must plan to compare maps and the results of excavations frequently with colleagues.

In short, we have called this website "redeeming reason" for a reason.

[1] Dallas Willard, Logic and the Objectivity of Knowledge. ( Oxford: Ohio University Press, 1984 )
p. 270.

[2] Dallas Willard, "Language, Being, God, and the Three Stages of Theistic Evidence": find at www.dwillard.org. Originally published in Does God Exist, ed. J.P. Moreland and Kai Nielsen : currently in print from Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books, 1993 reprint.

Excerpts from the Lecture

"I am to speak this morning on the topic 'the redemption of reason'. I am going to do this because I believe that is the most salient thing I can do from my point of view as a philosopher.

The task assigned to me by Dean Wilkins was to address the philosophical pitfalls and prospects of the attempt to interface reason and revelation in a Christian university. I think one of the greatest needs today is to help people to understand the changed situation between reason or understanding and revelation in our time - in particular, to understand that what is in trouble on our campuses today is reason itself.
Reason is in trouble. And, the topic I have chosen, the redemption of reason, is to say that the work of the university in the next century and millennium is to redeem reason and bring it fully into the camp of God. And, if we don't do that... When I first heard the topic for this conference, the university in the next century, my first thought was that I hope it does better in the next century than it did in this one. I believe it can by the power of God.

My claim will be - only the body of Christian knowledge - I will say this slowly - only the body of Christian knowledge and intellectual method can redeem reason.

I want to say that to you again - only the body of Christian knowledge and intellectual method can redeem reason."