Voltaire

February 2014

Dear Friends,

     Sometimes God uses people who are not believers, or who are even hostile to the faith, in order to protect his people. Old Testament examples might include Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar, Cyrus, and others.

     One of the most influential skeptics in the Enlightenment was the French pundit Voltaire (1694-1726 1778). His satire, Candide (1759), almost singlehandedly dismantled the current philosophy known as “Optimism,” heralded by Gottfried Leibniz and Alexander Pope. In the story every time a new catastrophe befalls the poor young Candide, his mentor, Master Pangloss, simply tells him, “it’s all part of the plan in the best of all possible worlds.”

     Though skeptical about traditional religion, Voltaire also had a highly developed sense of justice. He mounted a thoughtful defense of Jean Calas, a Huguenot falsely accused of murdering his son for supposedly returning to the Catholic Church. Voltaire gathered evidence from all quarters and was able to have Calas exonerated posthumously. The case became famous throughout the country. Voltaire then wrote his Treatise on Tolerance (1763) which was a critical document leading to the acceptance of Protestants in France.

     Who might be the Voltaires of today? We know of local French politicians who are avowed atheists, but who defend the right of Christians to celebrate their faith in public. Our Seminary in Aix has often benefitted from such “angels.” It is good to know who is really in charge of the world!

     Special thanks to all of you who gave so generously before the new year. Our Boice Chair has now reached its first goal!

Very Truly Yours,

William Edgar, President

Religious At The Core

November 2013

Dear Friends,

     The eminent French sociologist and theologian Jacques Ellul (1912-1994) spent much of his life commenting on humanity’s natural proclivity for belief. Everyone, Ellul argued, is religious at the core. When the Christian faith diminishes, which it certainly has in Europe, it is not replaced by empty secularism, but by other religions. Writing in the 1970s, his choice of substitute gods (or “new demons” as he called them) are two sets of twin axes: technology/sex and statehood/revolution.

     Perhaps a bit dated... or is it? An astonishing amount of hedonistic pleasure is beckoning our young people, much of it over the internet. Much as it can be a blessing, technology can become the new Tower of Babel, promising control and even omniscience. And are we not witnessing an increasing grip by government on every aspect of life? And what response can be effective? In many parts of the world it is literally revolution. Even in the West, there is a spirit of revolution, as people try to resist the state but are unable to offer much that is positive in its place.

     France today has an extraordinary welfare state. Some of that is quite good, helping the poor, ensuring health coverage, and so forth. But all the recent studies show a direct correlation between the welfare state (intriguingly given the name “État-Providence”) and the discouragement of work. Not only is productivity lowered, but a mentality of over- dependence and even resignation are encouraged.

     How can the Gospel of Jesus Christ make a difference in our beloved France? The Seminary in Aix-en-Provence is training leaders who can apply the Scriptures to such issues as the proper work ethic, an appropriate view of government, the cultivation of holiness, and the like. But they will never present these virtues as a list of moral imperatives; rather they are the fruit of a Gospel-driven people.

     For your encouragement: enrollment in Aix is robust; more publications are edifying the church; we have nearly reached our goal of $750,000 for the Boice Chair! Thanks for your faithful support to this great cause!

Very Truly Yours,

William Edgar, President