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Welcome to Varied Expressions of Worship

Welcome to Varied Expressions of Worship

This blog will be written from an orthodox Christian point of view. There may be some topic that is out of bounds, but at present I don't know what it will be. Politics is a part of life. Theology and philosophy are disciplines that we all participate in even if we don't think so. The Bible has a lot to say about economics. How about self defense? Is war ethical? Think of all the things that someone tells you we should not touch and let's give it a try. Everything that is a part of life should be an expression of worship.

Keep it courteous and be kind to those less blessed than you, but by all means don't worry about agreeing. We learn more when we get backed into a corner.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Opus 2011-171, Einstein vs Lewis

I came across an interesting disagreement between the writings of C.S. Lewis and Albert Einstein.  It has to do with the nature of truth.  Lewis seems to think that great truths are not simple.  Einstein believes that natural truth should be simple.

Lewis was dealing with people who say that spiritual truths are too complicated.  Take the trinity for instance.  Lewis commented,
“It is not good asking for a simple religion.  After all, real things are not simple.  They look simple, but they are not.”  (Lewis, C.S.  Mere Christianity.  Norwalk, Connecticut:  The Easton Press, 2002, p. 40)
Lewis feels that life is complex and we are barking up the wrong tree to try to demand it be made simple. 

Einstein, on the other hand, seemed to feel that the truths of nature should fit together simply and should really be able to be understood.  I can’t find the quote but I think that summarizes his idea.

What is interesting to me is that Lewis, who claims that great truth is not simple, is easy to understand whereas Einstein who claimed nature is simple was totally confusing.  If you have read Lewis you understand my point there.  Most of us have not read Einstein.  A man who spent a lot of time with him on a ship crossing the Atlantic and listened very carefully, Chaim Weizman is quoted as saying,
“During the crossing, Einstein explained his theory to me every day, and by the time we arrived I was fully convinced that he really understands it.” (Isaacson, Walter.  Einstein.  New York:  Simon and Schuster, 2007, p. 292.)
Which one is right?

homo unius libri

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Comments are welcome. Feel free to agree or disagree but keep it clean, courteous and short. I heard some shorthand on a podcast: TLDR, Too long, didn't read.