Modern Humanism

Biblical Christianity

Philosophical Foundations

A materialistic evolutionary approach to history is assumed. In which case, history is eternal, perhaps cyclical, without either beginning or end.

A Biblical world view with a linear approach to history is assumed. Creation is the beginning of history, while man’s resurrection to eternal destiny will constitute the end of history.

Historical Assessment

The foundation for judging history is humanistic ethics, which is based on rationalism. Hence, historical groups are judged for their "contribution to human good."

The proper foundation for assessing history is based on discerning the purpose of God in the world. God is perceived as active in human circumstances.

Progression

Evolutionary belief in human progress makes humanists optimistic about the future because since life is believed to have come from non-life, and since God is thought not to exist, then human achievement in past history indicates human progress will continue in future history.

Christians (being realistic about the moral nature of man) realize there will be no moral improvement apart from general acceptance of Christian moral values. Moreover, all previous history indicates that civilizations rise and fall according to the moral conditions of its people.

Although humanists are optimistic about future history, they believe progress is not guaranteed, as that would require a guarantor.

Although Christians are realistic about man’s moral nature, they believe future history can be improved because men can become better.

Cause and Effect

Denying that either God or progress shapes history, many humanists can then only assert that man’s environment shapes history. If so, then man is stripped of purpose, and cannot be motivated to change the world.

Man’s fallen moral nature rovides a consistent basis for understanding human history. In fact, only a Biblical world view grants meaning to a society’s history.

More precisely, man’s ideologies are claimed to shape the directions of history. And since ideologies evolve, some are more significant that others. Primitive and supernatural ideologies are considered insignificant. The humanists’ ideology provides modern man with the ability to direct the course of history.

Christians, believing that all men have free-will, are motivated to influence both individuals and the world to live by Christian principles because of concern for the eternal welfare of all men and in order to provide a Christian environment in which everyone may live in freedom from tyranny.

The Bible

The atheistic theology and naturalistic philosophy of humanism forbid humanists from believing the historical accuracy of the Bible. Therefore they believe Biblical history is mythological, legendary, and allegorical.

The Bible reveals the only historical world view which fits reality - namely God! The question therefore is whether the Bible is historically accurate. Archeology confirms a 99.5% accuracy in transmission of scripture.

Christ

Jesus is perceived as having been a good man, among other good men, but not the miracle working Son of God as claimed by the Bible.

Jesus Christ is considered to be the central person in all history, and his death and resurrection as the central event of all history.

Result:

History is Eternal.
History Is Viewed Inconsistently.

History is Temporal.
History Is Viewed Consistently.