Man is Supernatural

C.S. Lewis, in his book “Miracles” makes a very convincing case against Naturalism, in favor of the Christian idea of miracles! I would eventually like to get around to writing a review of this outstanding book, but until then…I’d like to share a unique insight (one of many) that I’ve learned from it.

Lewis, working on the assumption that our wills are “free,” makes the claim that ALL men are supernatural!

To understand this; and to understand how it savages a naturalist worldview; it is important to understand the overall Christian view of reality…or… more philosophically correct…the Christian “meta-physic.” What follows will be my best attempt at paraphrasing the Christian view of reality (that…has actually been around for quite awhile now) giving special attention to the insights of Lewis.

First, it’s important to ask: “Do you believe that something exists…rather than nothing?”

Of course, we all do. Who doesn’t? Not even the Hindu who says, “All is illusion” will admit that, at the very least, the ultimate “one” exists, and encompasses all the distinctions “we” observe.

This “something” that exists, is distinct from nothingness.

Meta-physics, in this case, would be the overall “system” or…”reality” that contains all the particular “something’s” along with all the “nothingness.”

It is important to note here, that if something does exist (in a metaphysical sense) then it must necessarily have at least two properties.

It must exist in and of itself.

It also, must be eternal or incessant! It can never cease.

For something to be created, means, that it is relying on something that existed prior to it, and therefore, cannot be said to exist “in and of itself.” If it doesn’t exist in and of itself, then it cannot be that overarching metaphysical reality that “contains” all other things that exist.

If this “something” was ever non-existent at some point…then it had to be caused to come into existence by something else (meaning that it is not the ultimate “thing” but rather, just a particular caused by the other.) If it could possibly cease, then it isn’t an eternal “thing” and therefore would have ceased at some finite point in its infinite past. If it has the ability to “not-be” then it does not exist in and of itself, but is itself the member of a higher “thing.”

So, whatever this “thing” is that exists; it must have at least three qualities.

1: It must be eternal.

2: It must exist “in and of itself.”

3: It must contain (in some way) all the particulars (and all possible particulars) of our experience.

If you’re a Christian reading this, then you’ll start to see what I’m driving at.

Unfortunately, the early Christian “fathers” or “apologists” didn’t have such an understanding! They were influenced far too much by Plato, and Greek philosophy. They understood the Christian God, to merely be the most powerful particular “thing” inside of this “metaphysical thing” that contained all things.

It wasn’t until Augustine came along in the 300’s that the idea of the Christian God, containing all things, began to flourish. Augustine articulated a doctrine of creation Ex Nihilio, as well as a doctrine of man and his relation to God.

In this sense, “nature” would be something incredibly different for the Christian, than for the unbeliever, (specifically the naturalist.)

I forget exactly how Lewis defines it, but, for the Christian, “nature” would be that system in which man finds himself temporally bound. It is a reality, created within God, out of nothing. For Lewis, there is no particular reason why God couldn’t have created many such spheres of “realities,” as well as cause some of them to touch from time to time! (This is how Peter Edmund Lucy and Susan can get from England to Narnia!)

The Naturalist, however, has quite a different view. They believe that this particular temporal reality IS the overarching system which contains all things.

How is Man Supernatural then Shotgun?

For free will to exist in this particular system of reality, our thoughts must be uncaused (in any direct way) by the surrounding environment. For this to be the case, our thoughts must necessarily, manifest themselves from some point outside of this system.

This is why no naturalist, can ever talk about free will in his or her system of reality. They cannot remain a naturalist, and believe that thoughts arrive within this nature, from outside of it…without positing an “outside” from which these thoughts could originate!

They MUST necessarily posit a causal system for thoughts; (if they wish to remain a naturalist) a system which totally denies them any free will at all.

So what?

In essence then, mans conscious self, his “will,” must be supernatural.

It may be all well and good, but then the question arises…”if our thoughts arise from outside of this particular natural system, then from whence do they come?”

The Christian can approach the question, just as Paul did, when he was confronted by the philosophers in Athens:

“For in Him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said. For we are also His offspring.” (Acts 17:28

The nature of reality had been discussed for years before Paul ever came to Athens. Indeed many of the Greek poets, and philosophers, had written on the subject, and supposed that some sort of nebulous, eternal, and rotating “thing” existed, that they called “god.”

I suppose Paul was only appealing to that one particular similarity in Greek thought, because that is where the similarities end! (I’ll not get into that further here!)

We are all supernatural creatures, having part of our essence in direct contact with our Creator.

How wonderful of a thing is that????