Discussing Pascal with Doug Groothuis

What can we learn from Pascal? From scientist, to philosopher, to apologist, Pascal has important insights for us today. He objects to natural theology. Do we need natural theology? Is the God of the philosophers an accurate representation of God as revealed in general revelation?

[@MichaelMartin-nf3ec]

This is good stuff

[@anthonycostello6055]

Great point about the theoretical "agnostic," who doesn't live out agnosticism. How we live is representative of what we believe. So you are always living in a way oriented toward what you believe is true or false.

[@anthonycostello6055]

Great interview! It's interesting that C.S. Lewis opens up Chapter 1 of The Problem of Pain with an Epigraph from Pensees (Pensees IV, 242-243). In that portion, Pascal is quite critical of the usefulness of natural theology. That Lewis uses that portion of the Pensees to open up a book on the problem of pain, I think is telling. I would consider Pascal to be the first modern existentialist, understanding that answering the existential questions are as important, or even more important, than articulating more and more precise descriptions of physical reality. Of course, I still consider natural theology a valuable project, one we probably shouldn't give up on.

[@LuisMartinezSpecia]

Glad to see a serious treatment of Pascal, he is very profound and I always wondered why Christian philosophers and apologists don’t give him more attention.

[@anthonycostello6055]

Also, people should not neglect reading Pascal's Provincial Letters, they are quite revelatory and incisive about historical issues of the day, and ecclesiology more generally.

[@brianw.5230]

I love Pascal's Wager. Atheism is a wager, too! Pascal wrote 200 pages in "Pensees" why Christianity is the one true religion. Pascal addressed the "many gods" objection.