In an age increasingly defined by skepticism and emotional relativism, reason is often regarded as either hostile to faith or irrelevant to it. But Christianity makes a bold claim: not only is reason not opposed to faith, but it is rooted in the very character of God. Rationality is not man-made—it is God-given. Logic, far from being a secular tool, is a divine gift that reflects the order and intelligence of the Creator.
This post explores the role of reason in Christian faith from an apologetic standpoint, asserting that logic and faith are not adversaries but allies.
Faith and Reason: False Dichotomy
Popular culture tends to present faith and reason as opposites: faith is blind, reason sees; faith leaps, reason calculates. But this is a false dichotomy. Historically, some of the greatest Christian thinkers—Augustine, Anselm, Aquinas, Pascal, and Lewis—demonstrated how faith and reason complement one another. Faith is not belief without evidence; it is trust built upon a foundation of reasoned conviction.
“Reason serves faith”
As Anselm of Canterbury famously stated, *”I do not seek to understand in order that I may believe, but I believe in order that I may understand.”*¹ Faith seeks understanding, and reason is one of the tools God has provided to pursue that understanding.
Logic: A Creation of God
Logic is not a human construct but an aspect of God’s nature. God is not irrational, nor does He contradict Himself. His Word is consistent, coherent, and trustworthy. The laws of logic—non-contradiction, identity, and excluded middle—are not arbitrary rules; they are reflections of God’s consistent and orderly character.
“Logic is a creation of God”
The Apostle Paul appeals to reason repeatedly in his letters. In Romans 1, he argues that the visible world logically points to the invisible Creator: “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made” (Romans 1:20, NIV). The Psalmist likewise proclaims, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands” (Psalm 19:1, NIV). The natural world operates according to reasoned laws because its Creator is the Author of logic.
Apologetics: Reason in the Service of Faith
Christian apologetics is the discipline of defending the faith using reason and evidence. Apologetics assumes that truth is knowable, that logic is reliable, and that God’s revelation (both natural and special) can be meaningfully discussed. Reason plays a pivotal role in engaging skeptics, encouraging believers, and glorifying God.
“Apologetics is the defense of faith using reason”
C.S. Lewis, a titan of rational Christian thought, argued that our very ability to reason must point to a Reasoner:
“If the whole universe has no meaning, we should never have found out that it has no meaning…”²
In other words, the presence of logic in our minds—our ability to understand cause and effect, truth and falsehood—is itself evidence that we were made by a rational Mind. Reason, rightly used, becomes a highway to God, not a detour away from Him.
The Bible: A Rational Revelation
Scripture invites scrutiny. Jesus Himself did not shy away from questions; He welcomed them. In Mark 12:30, Jesus commands us to love God with all our mind—not just our heart and soul. Christianity is not a faith of irrational mysticism but a reasoned trust in a rational God.
“To believe in reason is, ultimately, to believe in God.”
Peter exhorts believers: “Always be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in you, with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15). The Greek word for “reason” is logos—the same root as “logic.” This is not accidental. We are called to be logical in our defense of the gospel, because the gospel itself is rooted in divine wisdom.
Conclusion: Logic Leads to Worship
In the end, reason does not save us—only grace through faith in Christ can do that (Ephesians 2:8-9). But reason can lead us to the threshold of belief. When we see that the universe is intelligible, that moral truths are absolute, and that logic is not chaos but coherence, we are drawn to the God in whom all these things have their origin.
To believe in reason is, ultimately, to believe in God. For reason is not a mere abstraction—it is a reflection of the Reasoner.
Recommended Resources
- C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
- Alvin Plantinga, Warranted Christian Belief
- William Lane Craig, Reasonable Faith
- Nancy Pearcey, Total Truth: Liberating Christianity from Its Cultural Captivity
Turabian Footnotes
- Anselm of Canterbury, Proslogion, trans. Thomas Williams (Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing, 1995), 1.
- C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (New York: HarperOne, 2001), 39.
- William Lane Craig, Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth and Apologetics (Wheaton: Crossway, 2008), 19.
💬 What do you think? Do you see reason as a gift from God? Leave a comment below and join the conversation!
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