Embracing the Absurdity of Faith

The Absurdity of Faith

Søren Kierkegaard, a Danish philosopher and theologian, presents a compelling reflection on the nature of faith, highlighting its inherent absurdity and the deeply personal journey it entails. He draws a parallel between observing a couple’s intimate affection and the act of believing, suggesting that both appear absurd to the outsider.[1]

Imagine witnessing a couple passionately embracing. If you have no connection to them, their display of affection might seem strange, even meaningless. You don’t know their history, their shared joys and struggles, the intricate history of their relationship. Their love, in that moment, is absurd to you.

Kierkegaard argues that faith, viewed from the outside, carries a similar absurdity. It defies logic and lacks scientific, factual explanation. Belief in a higher power, in miracles, in the unseen, can seem irrational to the skeptic. Yet, for the believer, it is a profound reality, a source of meaning and purpose.

Hebrews 11:1 – ¹Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (NRSV)

William Lane quotes Käsemann in the Word Biblical Commentary stating, “faith arises when a person lets himself be convinced by God, and so attains a certainty which is objectively grounded and which transcends all human possibilities in its reliability”.^[2]

1 Corinthians 1:25 – ²⁵ For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength. (NRSV)

Richard Hays in the Interpretation commentary points out the apparent absurdity of a savior who dies, stating, “In the present, the Christian community’s fixation on a crucified Lord appears the height of absurdity”, adding that “Those who are being saved, however, recognize the cross for what it is, the power of God, and this changes the way they understand everything else as well.”^[3] In essence, faith allows us to see the Cross not as a symbol of defeat or weakness, but as the ultimate demonstration of divine strength and love. It’s a love that defies human logic, a love that challenges us to live differently, a love that offers hope and redemption in a broken world.

The Progressive Journey of Faith

Kierkegaard describes the journey of faith as a progressive journey. It begins with a small step, a slight alteration in our mindset that allows us to entertain a new belief. This initial step doesn’t require a deep commitment, but it lays the foundation for deeper exploration.

As we encounter more information, engage in spiritual practices, and have personal experiences that resonate with our growing belief, we gradually move deeper into faith. It’s not necessarily a conscious, deliberate process, but rather an organic unfolding, a natural progression fueled by encounters with truth and lived experience.

This process mirrors the development of human relationships. When we first meet someone, we make a conscious decision to spend time with them, to get to know them. But as we share experiences and build trust, our connection deepens organically. The love and trust we feel for a close friend or family member might seem absurd to an outsider, but to us, it’s the natural outcome of a long, shared journey.

2 Peter 3:18 – ¹⁸ But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

The IVP New Testament Commentary clearly states, “Peter’s message to us as Christians today is consistently loving and urgent. We are exhorted to increase in spiritual understanding by growing deeper in knowledge of the person of Jesus and conformity to his mind and life.”^[4]

The Personal Nature of Faith

Kierkegaard emphasizes the deeply personal nature of faith. It’s not about blindly adhering to a set of doctrines or rituals imposed by an institution. Genuine faith, he argues, springs from within, nurtured by personal encounters with the divine and a continuous deepening of one’s relationship with God.

Unfortunately, Kierkegaard laments, modern Christianity has often strayed from this personal journey, becoming more about institutional religiosity and adherence to external rules and statements of faith. This shift can lead to a faith that lives in the mind rather than the heart, a set of requirements imposed upon, rather than an organic expression of one’s inner being.

The current trend of trying to nationalize Christianity and impose it on everyone further exacerbates this problem. It not only alienates non-believers but also reinforces the institutionalization of faith, turning it into a rigid system of laws and regulations that followers must attempt to believe.

Isaiah 29:13 – ¹³ The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught. (NIV)

A Handbook on Isaiah comments that it “describes the people performing the outward rites of their religion”, further adding that “Their religion is nothing but human rules and traditions, which they have simply memorized.^[5]

Otto Kaiser concludes, “Faith and religious practice can be maintained within a community only in fixed forms. That this always brings the danger of confusing form and content is not a recent insight, but was well known to the ancient world.”, and later states, “But this shows that their alleged fear of God is nothing more than the following of a standard set by men.^[6]

Samuel Widyapranawa summarizes, “Due to spiritual blindness the people had deceived themselves and had hidden behind a facade of external worship, formalism, and traditionalism.”, which he places in contrast to “The sacrifice acceptable to God is a clean heart, a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart (Ps. 51:10, 17; Matt. 15:8–9).”^[7]

Faith and Reason: A Complementary Partnership

Embracing the “absurdity” of faith does not necessitate abandoning reason or critical thinking. Faith and reason can coexist and even complement each other. We can engage in scientific inquiry, appreciate the value of scientific principles, and still hold space for the mysteries that lie beyond the realm of scientific explanation.

Science excels at explaining the “how” of things—the mechanisms, the processes, the causal relationships that govern the natural world. Faith, on the other hand, can help us grapple with the “why”—the meaning, the purpose, the ultimate questions of existence that science alone cannot answer.

Proverbs 18:15 – ¹⁵ An intelligent mind acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge. (NRSV)

1 Thessalonians 5:19–22 – ¹⁹ Do not quench the Spirit. ²⁰ Do not despise the words of prophets, ²¹ but test everything; hold fast to what is good; ²² abstain from every form of evil. (NRSV)

While the above verse refers to prophecy, I believe we can extend the wisdom to many areas of society. We should test everything, question the validity of the evidence, the intent of the speaker, and the effects of the conclusion. We should test or critically analyze all things, and anchor to that which is true, that which is good.

This call to “test everything” doesn’t promote indiscriminate skepticism, but rather encourages a discerning and thoughtful engagement with the world around us. It’s an invitation to cultivate intellectual humility, recognizing that we don’t have all the answers, and that truth requires diligent pursuit. By actively testing and evaluating ideas, claims, and even our own assumptions, we can move closer to a deeper understanding of reality and live in accordance with what is truly good and beneficial.

Rediscovering Authentic Faith

Kierkegaard’s insights challenge us to move beyond the superficiality of institutional religion and rediscover the deeply personal and transformative power of authentic faith. It’s a call to embrace the absurdity of belief, to embark on a progressive journey into the depths of our own spiritual experience.

Genuine faith, Kierkegaard reminds us, is not about blind obedience or adherence to dogma. It’s about a personal encounter with the divine, a continuous journey of discovery and deepening relationship with God. It’s about allowing our hearts and minds to be transformed by the love and grace that flows from the source of all being.

In a world that often prioritizes reason and logic, Kierkegaard’s message is a powerful reminder of the importance of embracing the absurd, of allowing ourselves to be drawn into the mystery and wonder of faith. It’s an invitation to embark on a personal journey of spiritual discovery, to encounter the divine in the depths of our own being, and to allow that encounter to transform us from the inside out.

Romans 12:2 – ² Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect. (NRSV)

James Dunn explains that “what Paul calls for here is not some sort of escape from or abandoning of “this age/world”; such an interpretation would fly in the face of v 1 . . .  But it could invite a nonconformity to ecclesiastical structures if and when it became clear that they themselves had come to conform too much to the structures and character of this age.^[8]

The church, in its desire for worldly influence, too often succumbs to the longing of power and conformity. It constructs hierarchies, “ecclesiastical structures” that silence the voices of the many while amplifying the voice of the few, creating a dangerous imbalance where accountability suffers, and the vibrant work of the Holy Spirit is suppressed.

History bears witness to the tragic consequences of this unholy alliance between the church and worldly power. The Crusades, a blood-soaked stain on the tapestry of Christianity, serve as a chilling reminder of the darkness that can consume the church when it abandons its true calling and grasps for the sword instead of the cross. Even today, some within the evangelical community embrace political power, a trade that sacrifices the marginalized on the altar of political expediency. Refugees are turned away, the cries of the poor are ignored, and those who dare to dissent are cast out, all in the name of a hollow, power-hungry faith.

Ben Witherington III makes an important observation, stating, “Notice that Paul expects not just obedience from believers, but moral discernment. For many, perhaps most, situations in life, there is not a specific biblical rule to tell one precisely what to do. Therefore, one must have a renewed mind, gain a moral vision, and develop a competency in moral discernment to determine what is indeed good and pleasing and perfect in God’s sight.”^[9]

Yet, amidst this disheartening reality, there is an alternative path. The Bible, though not a comprehensive rulebook for every life situation, reveals the very character of God, reflected most clearly in the life and teachings of Jesus. It is a path of discernment where we engage our minds, not to conform blindly, but to grapple with the complexities of our time. It is a path of love, where we embrace the outcast and challenge the systems that perpetuate injustice. A path that seeks wisdom that leads us not just to believe, but to truly be—to walk in love, to embrace the marginalized, and to transform our minds into the very likeness of Christ. This is the path less traveled, the path of true discipleship, the path that leads not to worldly power, but to the enduring power of a love that redeems and restores.

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[1] Solomon, Robert C. 2000. No Excuses: Existentialism and the Meaning of Life. https://www.amazon.com/No-Excuses-Existentialism-Meaning-Life/dp/B00DTO4316.

^[2] William L. Lane, Hebrews 9–13, vol. 47B, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 1991), 328.

^[3] Richard B. Hays, First Corinthians, Interpretation, a Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching (Louisville, KY: John Knox Press, 1997), 28.

^[4] Robert Harvey and Philip H. Towner, 2 Peter & Jude, ed. Grant R. Osborne, vol. 18, The IVP New Testament Commentary Series (Downers Grove, IL; Nottingham, England: InterVarsity Press, 2009), 137.

^[5] Graham S. Ogden and Jan Sterk, A Handbook on Isaiah, ed. Paul Clarke et al., vol. 1 & 2, United Bible Societies’ Handbooks (Reading, UK: United Bible Societies, 2011), 769.

^[6] Otto Kaiser, Isaiah 13–39: A Commentary, ed. Peter Ackroyd et al., trans. R. A. Wilson, The Old Testament Library (Philadelphia, PA: The Westminster Press, 1974), 273.

^[7] S. H. Widyapranawa, The Lord Is Savior: Faith in National Crisis: A Commentary on the Book of Isaiah 1–39, International Theological Commentary (Grand Rapids; Edinburgh: Eerdmans; Handsel Press, 1990), 180.

^[8] James D. G. Dunn, Romans 9–16, vol. 38B, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 1988), 713.

^[9] Ben Witherington III and Darlene Hyatt, Paul’s Letter to the Romans: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2004), 287.