Christianity Doctrines
Christianity compounds a myriad of doctrines which have different presuppositions. These differences arise from the philosophical implications that come about from the perception of Christian dogma. The concept of the trinity is among the most notorious philosophical debates that have long baffled Christian thinkers. It raises the question of whether God is transcendental or can be referred from an earthly perspective through Jesus. This paper will elaborate on the distinction using philosophies from Kant and St Anselm, who represent both sides of the debate.
Kant is a German secular philosopher whose rationale on deism and theism is deeply rooted in his pietistic background. His philosophy critiques pure reason as the essence of morality and refers to the transcendental concept of connecting with God. According to his interpretations of the Christian doctrine, there are disputes which arise from the philosophy of Jesus Christ. This essentially implies that a deeper understanding of theology is lacking and can only be found by understanding the transcendence of God. On the other hand, St Anselm addresses Jesus in a much more revered way. His philosophy on the atonement of sins, speaks about how Jesus sacrificed himself for sins he did not commit. He addresses how we are being punished by God until we chose to be saved by Jesus. This perspective suggests that Jesus as God incarnate holds a more special place or is supposedly more important than the transcendent.
An overview of Kant’s philosophy shows persistence in valuing the relationship between God and nature. He believes that one should practice pre-critical thoughts towards religion and dogma by using personal, philosophical, and scientific implications. According to Kant, God exists because the lack of God would mean that nothing is possible. Such a being is necessary because of the presupposition of existence. His philosophy dictates that as Christians we should neither seek theological certainty nor intellectual understanding of the script, rather we should find a harmony between the two to bring a balance that reveals the true nature of God. St Anselm’s philosophy primarily focuses on penance and how it brings one closer to God. He believes that Jesus is the most powerful tool of forgiveness and we should seek him if we want to reach God. His understanding persuades Christians to further conceptualize Christ’s message as a way to become morally upright.
Kant believes we should view ourselves as separate spiritual beings who can directly connect with God. Separating ourselves from the rest of the world gives us more control over our actions and critical thinking. Luke 6:2 says “Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and insult you, and scorn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man.” From this passage, we gather that there is significant value in finding the Christian path on your own. Kant also understands that there is no one way to conform to the infinite mysteries’ properties of existence. According to 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” This passage is to a great extent referring to underlying freedom that should be inherent in all Christians. The need to dogmatize Christianity was not part of the intended message of Jesus. Kant believes as Christians we should always strive to improve our belief system by seeking to understand God’s truth. Luke 24:26 says that “Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” From the excerpt, it is clear that as Christians it is up to us to find Glory in Christ through continuous improvement of our beliefs.