Greetings,
In a discussion with a friend Sunday morning about his trip to Germany and German theologians Karl Barth, of course, came up, which once again led to thinking about his life and work. Later in the Confirmation session there was a discussion about the essence of our faith and the reality and genuineness of our faith. Which leads me to want to again share the following about another German who is not associated with “faith” – Albert Einstein.
Einstein's "religion," as he often explained it, was an attitude of cosmic awe and wonder and a devout humility before the harmony of nature, rather than a belief in a personal God who is able to control the lives of individuals. However, someone who knew him well observed:
"Einstein was prone to talk about God so often that I was led to suspect he was a closet theologian." (Friedrich Dürrenmatt in Albert Einstein: Ein Vortrag, p. 12.)
Einstein himself made the following statements.
"In every true searcher of Nature there is a kind of religious reverence, for he finds it impossible to imagine that he is the first to have thought out the exceedingly delicate threads that connect his perceptions."
"It is very difficult to elucidate this [cosmic religious] feeling to anyone who is entirely without it…The religious geniuses of all ages have been distinguished by this kind of religious feeling, which knows no dogma and no God conceived in man's image; so that there can be no church whose central teachings are based on it…In my view, it is the most important function of art and science to awaken this feeling and keep it alive in those who are receptive to it."
In 1934 he said: "Organized religion may regain some of the respect it lost in the last war if it dedicates itself to mobilizing the goodwill and energy of its followers against the rising tide of illiberalism."
We are reminded again of thinking people who are very put off by the “Christianity” displayed by so many “Christians” which is not really Christianity at all. What Einstein saw in Europe (the center of “Christianity” during the Great War) and what he saw of Christianity overwhelming lack of response to the “illiberalism” of the 1930s (except for a few lone voices like Barth), certainly makes clear how responsible we are for our witness or lack thereof. Einstein in effect verifies Paul’s position in Romans 1 that any thinking person has to acknowledge the reality of God, but the failure of witness of the Christians and the Christian Church instead of drawing him to Christ, encourages him to move farther from Christ. He would spend a life-time trying to disprove God, only in the end to be forced back on his acknowledgement of the God of creation.
Certainly Einstein’s statement could refer to virtually each age after each war in the 20th century and to our situation today.
Yours & His,
DED
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