The Visible Reveals the Invisible Beyond and Above It

The first thing that naturally draws human attention is the visible world around us. It is filled with an endless variety of things — lifeless and living, irrational and rational. Many of these things are beautiful in a way that delights us; others show such clear usefulness and purpose that they stir deep admiration. The more closely we observe this world, the more our sense of wonder grows. Everywhere we look, we find objects that reward careful and thoughtful study.

This complexity, combined with the constant change we see in the universe, strongly suggests — indeed, almost forces us to conclude — that the universe is not self-existent, but derived. And so we naturally ask: Where did this astonishing panorama come from — this world that often fills us with such delight?

Among the natural objects that no human hand has made, we also notice the works of human beings. And when we look at these works, we see a clear pattern: the best of them are always the result of deliberate design. Before a great work exists outwardly, it exists first as an idea in the mind. Often that idea develops gradually before it is ever brought into reality. We see this in the many sketches that lead up to a great painting, or in the slowly refined plan behind a major literary work. Humanity’s finest achievements are always the result of careful thought combined with patient effort. And in every case, the creator is far greater than the creation. When we admire a painting, what we are really admiring is the painter.

Religion and Theology

Few words carry more weight in modern life than the word religion. We generally feel we know exactly what it means. We recognize religious people and religious questions, and we speak easily of the world’s many religions. Yet it is striking that the word itself appears only rarely in the English Bible — and when it does appear, it does not always mean what we now mean by it.

In a few passages, such as Acts 25:5 and James 1:26–27, the word refers mainly to outward forms of worship. In Galatians 1:13-14, “the Jews’ religion” corresponds to what we would call Judaism. Elsewhere, as in Acts 13:43, the word religious is better translated simply as devout. This contrast is telling. While Scripture uses the term sparingly and inconsistently, modern speech uses it often and with confidence. That modern usage, therefore, should guide our definition. There is little to gain by forcing the word back into meanings it held only occasionally in biblical translation.

Even so, clearly defining religion is harder than it looks. Although the term feels familiar, popular abstract words tend to be slippery. Different people use them in slightly different ways, which makes precision difficult. In practice, most definitions of religion tell us more about the author’s perspective than about any settled meaning of the word itself. Almost every new book or article on religion offers a new definition. This one will be no exception.

Still, I must explain what I mean by religion before going further. I believe the definition I propose captures what is always meant when the word is used seriously, and that it includes what is common to all its legitimate uses. It is neither broader nor narrower than ordinary usage allows.