Just a "Philosophy"?

There is much that I have admired about Bill O’Reilly and his “No-Spin Zone” as he lays out the major national and world events of the day on his TV show.  But on the evening of the 28^th of November (2012), he involved himself in a gross misrepresentation of the very faith body he was apparently seeking to defend.  In an interview with the president of the American Atheist Association, David Silverman, O’Reilly stated repeatedly that “Christianity is not a religion, but a philosophy.”  As my wife and I were preparing supper in front of our TV, I commented to her, “This is amazing!  The atheist [with whom I of course disagreed fundamentally] is speaking more truth than is the Catholic!”

This is no time for defending the tenets of our faith using the strategy of fundamental rhetorical overhaul.  O’Reilly is confusing effect with cause.  Christianity is a religion by the standard and commonly agreed-upon definition.  While Christianity stands in contrast to other the major faith systems with our message that God has come to our rescue in Jesus Christ (top-down salvation), as opposed to the standard model of works-righteousness (bottoms-up) of the other world religions, Christianity nevertheless shares the common theme that religion has to do with the relationship of humanity with God, together with all that that means.

Christianity is not a philosophy.  This does not mean Christianity is irrational!  Far from it!  Furthermore, Christianity does speak about effects that reasonably follow from the activity of God in Jesus Christ.  In Romans 12:1, where the words are typically translated “reasonable worship,” the original word in the Greek is “logikan,” from which we get our English word “logical.”  Put another way, Paul is saying that, given all God has done for us in Jesus Christ, it reasonably (or logically) follows that we present ourselves as a living sacrifice to Him by means of our service to others.

But the aforementioned refers to effects and not the source cause.  The grand message of the Bible is about the magnificent love of God which caused Him to send His only Son Jesus Christ into the world for our salvation.  John 3:16 is what Christmas and indeed Christianity as a whole is about.  How absurd that Christians be asked to blunt such a message for the purpose of gaining or maintaining acceptance with the larger culture.  Given God’s great gift to the world at Christmas it follows after that fact that we should now share His love around.