christliche werte in wirtschaft und gesellschaft - Professorenforum

77
I am persuaded by two truths. First, the physical world - which displays a level of complexity and beauty that we
can only begin to fathom (much less duplicate) - bears the unmistakable signature of a superior intellect. Second,
Christianity provides a rational explanation for life on this planet as it really is, not as we would wish it to be. In
light of these truths, I accept the testimony of the apostle Peter, who states emphatically that "when we made
known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, we were not following cleverly devised fables.
On the contrary, we were eye witnesses of His majesty" (2 Peter 1:16 New Berkeley Version) (S. 79).
6. Walkup, J.F., Electrical Engineering, Texas Tech University:
A majority of faculty and students reject the existence of absolute truth. This spirit of moral relativism is
undermining society on every front. As a Christian, I stand firmly against that relativism and for the eternal
truths found in God's word. Students yearn for meaning and significance in their lives and, like all people, need
to hear that this can be found in the truths Jesus Christ articulated. Many do not know that Jesus is "the way, and
the truth, and the life" (John 14:6 NASB), the only means of reconciliation between God and humanity (Romans
5:11; 1 Timothy 2:5) (S. 85).
7. Keener, J.P., Mathematics, University of Utah:
I find it impossible to believe that there is no creator. In all of my experience, in all of science, I have never
heard of an effect that had no cause. I have never seen a design that had no designer, a law that had no lawgiver,
an order that had not been ordered, information that had no informer. Chance produces nothing. Saying that
something happened by chance merely begs the question of the causes that produced the effect. "It just
happened" is simply not an acceptable answer. It is an open admission of ignorance (S. 91).
8. Elzinga, K.G., Economics, University of Virginia:
My mother died when I was young and my father proceeded to make a mess of his life. While I was in graduate
school, adhering to the Sunday worship practice my mother had instilled in me, I found two churches in which
people talked about a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The expression a personal relationship with Christ
caught my attention.... (S. 106).
At a church missions conference one Saturday evening, I asked Jesus Christ to come into my life so that I too
might have a personal relationship with him. I reckon I was born again this evening. I became a follower of Jesus
of Nazareth. Years later, as I look back on circumstances that would have me attending a missions conference on
a Saturday nicht, I have to reckon as well that the Holy Spirit had me in his net of grace (S. 107).
9. Anderson, R.D., Education, University of Colorado:
God is searching for us. He inserted his Messiah into human history as a part of his reaching out to us and thus
dramatically changed the nature of the search. The historical Jesus was not simply another human searcher, even
though our secular culture confidently asserts he was. He is a key part of God's search for us. As a result, we can
pray with simplicity and confidence, as people have prayed down through the centuries, "Lord Jesus Christ, Son
of God, have mercy on me, a sinner". This prayer succinctly captures what God has done, what we can expect
from him and the posture we assume before him.... (S. 113).
We have enormous value in God's eyes. We are not simply blobs of protoplasm, as so many in our scienceoriented
culture proclaim. Although the human potential movement has some important insights to offer, it has
shallow foundations, is based on an inadequate conception of spirituality, and has substituted human personality
for a relationship with the living God. Fundamentally, we have potential because we are "created in the image of
God" and can be transformed as a result of a living relationship with God (S. 117-118).