James Meyers, III considers the prodigious epistemology given by the great 18th century thinker, Immanuel Kant. So impactful were his contributions to the world that perhaps no other contemporary philosophy should or can be rightly considered without them. The American Revolution is seen by some to be the greatest revolution in the past few hundred years. However, James believes, agreeing with many erudite and able historians, that the Kantian Revolution has truly shaped our modern world more than any other. Even so, while Kant restricts us to “the world of appearances,” and therefore without God, it is our task to break down the wall which he built, and has stood since; nay, to show that there is no wall. Christ, the True Joshua, has shattered it to pieces.

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James Meyers, III discusses the secular philosophy called Positivism, probably the least familiar philosophy discussed in this series. However, Positivism enjoyed much prominence and was later developed into Logical Positivism before it was rejected, but eroded into other philosophies, such as Pluralism/Relativism. James considers the father of Positivism, Auguste Comte and proceeds to trace its influence to our own day. In a world which embraces the axiom, “Seeing is believing,” we want to consider the limitations of our sense perception, and understand that we cannot see that statement and thus belies itself.

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James Meyers, III considers the philosophy called Pragmatism, which is an inherently American philosophy. As was mentioned in the first session, the “ism” indicates a philosophical perspective. Being pragmatic and a follower of Pragmatism are two quite different things. The Pragmatist believes that whatever works is therefore good, thus establishing a relativistic ethic and a disparate logical system. James believes rather than trying to squeeze this philosophy out of the mainstream, we engage them within their own worldview with the Gospel which is as practical as it is true.

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James Meyers, III discusses the philosophy of Humanism, which has a long and somewhat twisted history. James believes this philosophy can be traced to the fall of Man by a serpent rather than a human being. As optimistic as secular humanism became, James shows its utter naïveté and how it is rationally circular, and therefore fallacious and untenable. He concludes with a Christian admonition that while the Humanist proclaims, “Homo mensura (Man, the measure),” the Christian is to look to the One of Whom was said, “Ecce Homo (Behold the Man).”

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James Meyers, III discusses Christian existentialism as found in the nineteenth century Dane, Søren Kiergegaard. While James finds Kierkegaard to be the greatest existential thinker, he communicates some areas in which he disagrees. However, these disagreements notwithstanding, James finds Kierkegaard to be one of the last sincere Christians, not only in what he said, but, more importantly, and perhaps more effectively, in how he lived.

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James Meyers, III considers the philosophy of Existentialism. While perhaps a familiar term, few are able to define it. However, James finds it to be perhaps the most influential secular philosophy and it also enjoyed a fairly swift popularity as compared to other philosophies. James discusses two very influential men who, in their lives, propagated existentialism, albeit in diametrically opposing ways: the nihilistic existentialist, Friedrich Nietzsche and his counterpart, the Christian existentialist, Søren Kierkegaard.

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James Meyers, III begins a series considering a variety of worldviews which have infiltrated and been subsumed in the present Western culture. In the first section of the series, James will discuss these worldviews under the general category of Secularism. The Church tends to see Secularism as worldliness, which James dismisses. However, some of the irreligious underpinnings have seeped into our society. It is James’s opinion that we have all been subjected and succumbed to many of Secularism’s assumptions, not only in the West, but also in the Church. If the Church desires relevance, She must shake off the dust of over a century’s ruination, and return to a Biblical understanding and see the world as God intends and to declare the richness of the Gospel.

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James Meyers, III concludes this series which has been an overview of the Trinity by considering the eternal love between the Persons of the Trinity and how the people of God are brought into the unity of love that is everlasting. In this session, James discusses how Christ and the Holy Spirit have been sent to send us, just as Abraham was blessed to be a blessing. As we are joined into the eternal fellowship within the Godhead, we are to multiply and fill the earth by preaching the Gospel and calling the saints of God to Himself. Just as Christ and the Spirit only declare what they have heard, so the church only declares what we have received, that God might be glorified according to His own precepts.

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