Today, I want to share with you a YouTube video and a book. Both address the meaning of life, though in different ways. You may want to listen to the YouTube presentation first and then consider the book, or at least the theme of the book.
Undergirding my research and writing for my doctoral project is my position on the meaning of life, a biblical position. My project is an attempt to crystallize and systematize what I’m calling the biblical laws of suffering within this present cosmos and the laws or fruit of joy within the current and coming cosmos, in order to assist Christians in coming to terms with the clashing realities of suffering with longings for joy . (At least, this is my present angle.)
My head is in the books, reading and note-taking. Yesterday, for something lighter, I turned to Ravi Zacharias. Ha! I don’t mean his thinking or presentations are light, but I needed a change of pace. After listening to a few YouTube clips of Ravi, I ran across the following sermon presentation from Dr. Tim Keller. I think it’s worth your attention: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qndkC-vGLBw .
While the title of the presentation is “The Truth About Atheism,” it could also be “Where Can One Discover Meaning in Life?” or something like this. Can you truly live without purpose? What do other systems of thought (worldviews, mindsets, philosophies, or religions) offer you? Can you – yourself – really construct meaning within a meaningless cosmos and find satisfaction in your creation?
If you are like me, you have seriously considered whether another fireplace exists where one can warm one’s feet and rest, other than the Christian fireplace. We live in a secular era, and we must ask what warmth and stability secularism or any other “ism” offers. Listen to Dr. Keller and ponder what he has to say. Let me know what you think.
Now, I want to bring a book to your attention — one that you may never read. I don’t recommend it to everyone, but I do recommend that we grapple with its theme and thesis. The book is entitled The Christian Mind by Harry Blamires, published in 1963. Interestingly, Blamires was one of C.S. Lewis’ students, and Lewis, as you may remember, died in 1963, the same day as J.F. Kennedy. The subtitle of the book is “How Should a Christian Think?” (He wrote several subsequent books on this or related topics that may be of interest to you.)
Reading Blamires’ book 50 years after it was originally published causes one to pull back and take a larger view of the impact of the streams of Christianity. I sigh. It seems too late. “Will faith be found on the earth when He returns?” Certainly. What kind can we presently find? In the public square, it is a very boxed in faith. Even within Christian believers, thinking that is truly Christian (biblical) tends to be boxed rather than tentacled, forming a mental infrastructure from which all thinking is shaped and emanates.
Since I have more to say regarding this book and this topic, I think I’ll just stop here and continue riding this train in our next post. In the meantime, simmer on this question: What are the characteristics of a truly Christian mind (mindset or worldview)?
James 1: 5
Karen Thomas Olsen
Journey North Character 
Ooh I really liked this post. When I get some time – could be a while – I’ll listen to that YouTube clip. I also hope to read that book sometime. We’ll see.
Loved the YouTube video and Dr. Keller’s explanation and processing of the secular mind. Having read Blamires” book back in the mid-70’s, I found it to be a “tedious” read but at the same time thought provoking and foundational to a Christ-centric thinking process. I like where you seem to be going with this.