Chapter 3: Enigma as a Fact
Imagining God is the most noble of all human attempts, but if the mystery has penetrated man's existence then the religious method is overturned. The stretching of the imagination and the striving of the intelligence is superseded by a simple acceptance or rejection of the mystery. This new method favors the ordinary, poor man, rather than the learned, rich, and wise man.
The coming of Christ is like a man who walks into a frenzied construction site, where all kinds of engineers, architects, and laborers are trying to build a bridge toward the stars, to their destiny. The man shouts, "Stop! This is a noble effort, but you will never be able to reach destiny. Let me build the bridge, for I am your destiny." Everyone would say he is crazy except for perhaps a very few who would approach and follow him.
The problem of Christianity begins not with whether it is correct or reasonable. The first
question is historical, factual, "Did it happen or not? Did God intervene in history?" This question then becomes, "Who is Jesus?"
"That Christianity has been announced to you means that you must assume a position in Christ's regard... Man is forced to answer yes or no... That one man said: 'I am God,' and that this is passed on as a present fact, forcefully demands a personal stance" (33-34).
Two millenia later the world is still confronted with this fact. It is an historical issue that is recorded in the Gospels and continues to be the "greatest decision of our existence" (34).
The coming of Christ is like a man who walks into a frenzied construction site, where all kinds of engineers, architects, and laborers are trying to build a bridge toward the stars, to their destiny. The man shouts, "Stop! This is a noble effort, but you will never be able to reach destiny. Let me build the bridge, for I am your destiny." Everyone would say he is crazy except for perhaps a very few who would approach and follow him.
The problem of Christianity begins not with whether it is correct or reasonable. The first
question is historical, factual, "Did it happen or not? Did God intervene in history?" This question then becomes, "Who is Jesus?"
"That Christianity has been announced to you means that you must assume a position in Christ's regard... Man is forced to answer yes or no... That one man said: 'I am God,' and that this is passed on as a present fact, forcefully demands a personal stance" (33-34).
Two millenia later the world is still confronted with this fact. It is an historical issue that is recorded in the Gospels and continues to be the "greatest decision of our existence" (34).
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