Revelation’s New Home
That which can be based on rational grounds is, by its very nature, not revelation but rational truth. The truth of reason is that which we as rational beings can tell ourselves; the truth of revelation is that which, by its very nature, we could not tell ourselves, which by its very nature is truth that has been communicated, and indeed is transcedent, communicated truth. Anything a human being can verify or deduce for himself by any process of argument, investigation, or proof, cannot possibly be revelation, and, vice versa, that which is revelation cannot be verified by any such process.
- Emil Brunner, Revelation and Reason (The Westminster Press, 1946) 207.
Let the games begin! Now, I’m not sure I agree with all that Brunner has to say here, but he does give some food for thought. I don’t particularly relish the idea of moving theology into Schaeffer’s “upper story”, but at the same time, this is almost the defintion of real theology isn’t it? Of course, some out there will wonder about competing revelatory claims and such. My answer is that I haven’t finished the book yet.