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March 16, 8:24 PMDenver Evangelical ExaminerRichard Beattie

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Philosophy is the study and pursuit of wisdom. It is not merely the thought process, kept to oneself but the thinking process shared with others, discussed with others. It is using the reason from various sources and God's design for us as we were created to be the only creatures with an advanced system to analyze, and reason. It is what separates humans from other creatures.

In an age and a nation where there is separation from church and state, religion from science, prayer from thought and reason, philosophy should be the "Great equalizer." That is why Christian Colleges, the church and Christian leadership should practice the scientific practice of philosophy while writing position papers, researching issues; and analyzing debates, as well as speaking on issues from a Biblical standpoint. When I was studying journalism at a secular college, many of my ministry peers, and members of the church I attended asked "why are getting into such an evil field of study?"  I still ask "Is it?"

From an Evangelical Christian standpoint we are called to these fields and we must claim this territory as God's by reclaiming the tools for the pursuit of wisdom! That includes the scientific method, the practice of Psychology, Media, Arts, Communications, and which includes Philosophy. These are elements and skills germane to calling, and using our God given gifts and talents. 

We can go back to Genesis and understand where "The Great Compromise" was born. The serpent whispers, "Go ahead eat it--and you will know everything..." Then as Eve bites on the bait what is revealed is the knowledge of death. It is the understanding of good and evil, the confusion that comes from compromise. It is the birth of distorted thinking and the Death Culture. "Surely you will not die," the serpent tells her and in that action death is instituted on earth. It is the ultimate in separation- separation between God and Human's.

The Separation of Church and State mirrors this. The church is initiated through the work of Jesus Christ and the Body is based on Everlasting Life.  When the church agrees to practice "religion" only it ceases to relate! As she does she throws out the main ingredients and elements that the culture relates to Arts, Psychology, Science, Politics, and Philosophy. We as the Church forfeit the territory of bringing Biblical thought to the table. 

We as the Church must get past our tax exempt status. We are called to engage the culture, to navigate through its winding roads by preaching critical thinking. The tricky part is reaching out to the culture while arguing Biblical thought, and risking offending the human race. We are called to pursue the wisdom, use our design which includes the brain, the system of communications through writing and speaking, critical thinking, and to breakthrough the plight of distorted thinking by out-thinking and communicating a Biblical Mindset and Worldview in the church and throughout the World that God created.

 In an age where there is talk and laws that separate church and state; religion from science, and prayer from thought and reason, philosophy is a great equalizer. That is why Christian colleges, the church, and Christian leaders should practice the scientific method of philosophy in writing position papers; or speaking on issues  that affect the church and how the church impacts the culture and community. Take the hypothesis  that God created and designed the human race to think and reason utilizing the elements which He created.

There are obstacles that we as human beings must overcome that we can trace back to the Book of Genesis that hinder our thought process which include, but are not limitted to a little ditty we call "distorted thinking." The irony in this thesis is a little lie told one day in the garden. Snake tells Girl to "eat fruit"; girl says "no it'll kill me"; snake says, "Surely not! It will give you knowledge." Girl takes a bite, gives it to her husband and the culture of death begins with: "distorted thinking!"

Separation from God began that day in the garden and with distorted thinking the separation began from Church to State, religion from science; and prayer from thought and reason-and the church has played along. In the process the church has thrown out media, arts, psychology, science, politics, and philosophy. The Evangelical church forfeits the territory in exchange for: TAX EXEMPT STATUS! There I said it.

For instance when President Obama authorized embroyonic stem cell research last week he said "Federally funded embroyonic stem cell research is imperative for science to overcome ideology." This is an afront to the Evangelical Christian Community and yet it is our own fault whe we abandon reason and ethics in order to receive tax exempt status! When we allow the culture to define when and what is life as oppossed to research that says "science offers promise for the sick only through embroyonic stem cell research," (when it has been proven that umbilical chord stem cells, and other existing lines are as rich and more plentiful than compromising life.) I know I am writing on two issues here. I am taking this latest example and making my point that the church is weak when beholden to the government.

In order for the church to have a seat at the table she must forfeit tax exempt status. From the subjects and issues of science, education, and government as well as the fields of media-arts the church is reduced to "religion." In America this is a ritualistic gathering of people who sit in a pew. For Evangelicals this is anti- "Great Commission." The Great Commission says that we are to "Go out into the world and preach the Good News to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized wil be saved, but whoever does not will be condemened." (Mark 16:15)

The church is a circle of community within the public square. It is a unified organism made up of different gifts, talents, and purposes, unified and gathered around one another to spark community. We can break the lie the snake told the woman years ago- but we need to reject the temptation to distort our Godly worldview.  

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