People may want to raise the question concerning the wisdom of doing a sermon and employing Friedrich Nietzsche's ideas. Nietzsche is an aggressive atheist who has little use for the Christian faith. He grew up in the church and he rejects the teachings of the church. The church he knew was the Lutheran Church of his grandparents and his father. He is the son of a preacher who has had his problems with the orthodoxy of the church. He has a problem with having people submit to an all-powerful God. He has problems with the church if it advocates passiveness and humility. He thinks it is unnatural to think of giving ourselves to others. Altruism is the worst form of tyranny for him.
He believes the Christian Church has perpetuated a great sin on humankind. The church has offered a doctrine of weakness and the net result of all of this is a stifling of the creative spirit.
He does not believe in God. He thinks God is necessary for a person to life a full life.
The reason I have pursued this sermon is simply I believe Nietzche's perspective is helpful for those times that reflect extreme absurdity. Conventional thinking will not address the kind of times in which random acts of violence take innocent people. It will not address those times in which there are many more questions than answers. It will not work in times of extreme injustice.
Nietzsche offers us an existentialist perspective that reminds us of the importance of finding purpose and meaning. He invites us to look carefully at what we have been given and to work within the given and to trust the creativity we have within us.
If we have a "why" to live for we can endure any "how". If we have a purpose and if we see our lives moving in a direction we can bear the detours that come along the way.
We have the ability to overcome the absurdity if we are able to find the humor in it and if we are able to find meaning in it.
I think Nietzsche has given us a valuable tool. The sermon this Sunday will promote those points in Nietzsche's thinking I find helpful. It will not deal with the problematic areas.
Can you imagine a world in which Nietzshe's view is helpful. If you have thought on this write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you would be willing to allow others to see your response click on the box below.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Charles Schuster
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1 comment:
Read Soren Kierkegaard instead; a Christian existential thinker whoe predates Nietzsche, with pretty much the same philosophy, but mended towards Protestant beliefs.
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