So if you look up at one of the later Byzantine mosaics in the baptistery at Florence, for example, it is not a picture of Mary that you see, but a symbol representing Mary. For instance, Mary and Christ were never portrayed realistically. The heavenly things were all-important and were so holy that they were not pictured realistically. Up to this time, man’s thought-forms had been Byzantine. This diagram may be amplified as follows, to show what is included on the two different levels: They may be set out diagrammatically like this: Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) opened the way for the discussion of what is usually called nature and grace. But I would begin with the teaching of a man who changed the world in a very real way. The origin of modern man could be traced back to several periods. Only when this has been done are we ready to go on to the practical aspects of how to communicate unchanging truth in a changing world. If we are to understand present-day trends in thought we must see how the situation has come about historically and also look in some detail at the development of philosophic thought-forms. But I am convinced that our study must be concerned at one and the same time with both history and philosophy. Some may be surprised that in analyzing the trends in modern thought I should begin with Aquinas and work my way forward from there. As we go along it will become clear how far-reaching are the practical consequences of a proper understanding of these movements of thought. And the object of this is far from being merely to satisfy intellectual curiosity. It is these that I am especially considering in this book. Nevertheless there are characteristics of an age such as ours which are the same wherever we happen to be. These will differ slightly from place to place, and more so from nation to nation. If we are to communicate the Christian faith effectively, therefore, we must know and understand the thought-forms of our own generation. It cannot be solved without an understanding of the changing existential situation which it faces. Its responsibility is not only to hold to the basic, scriptural principles of the Christian faith, but to communicate these unchanging truths into the generation in which it is living.Įvery generation of Christians has this problem of learning how to speak meaningfully to its own age.

Only so will he have real communication with them and to them. He must learn another language-that of the thought-forms of the people to whom he speaks.

More than this is needed, however, if he is really to communicate with the people among whom he is living. If a man goes overseas for any length of time we would expect him to learn the language of the country to which he is going.

Francis schaeffer escape from reason