Toward A Christian Worldview - Faith Presbyterian Church Reformed

Chapter 2: Christianity and the Basic Elements of Philosophy
claim, explicitly and pervasively, it is reasonable to believe the witness
of the Bible itself.
Second, the ad hominem (“to the man”) reply to the critic is that
all systems must begin with an indemonstrable starting point. Otherwise,
the system could never get started. ”Question begging,” in this
broad sense of the phrase, is not a characteristic unique to Christianity.
It is a necessity for all philosophical systems.
If one could prove that the Bible is the Word of God, then the
Bible would not be the starting point. There would be something even
before the starting point, which would then be the actual starting
point. Simply stated, according to Scripture, there is no higher authority
than God’s self-authenticating Word. Again, to cite the author of
Hebrews: “because He [God] could swear by no one greater, He swore
by Himself” (6:13). One must accept the 66 books of the Old and New
Testaments as axiomatic, or there is no knowledge possible at all.
Further, in Christian epistemology, there is no dichotomy
between faith (revelation) and reason (logic). The two go hand in
hand, because it is Christ the Logos who reveals the truth. Christianity
is rational. In fact, the Christian faith is fully dependent on the
cogency of reason (coherent thinking) for its proclamation and understanding.
God communicates to us in a coherent fashion in His Word
by means of rational, propositional statements. Revelation can only
come to a rational person.
In explaining the relationship between faith (revelation) and reason
(logic), Augustine wrote: {10}
10. Augustine, Letters 143.7.
Toward A Christian Worldview 33