Philosophy 3601F/G Chapter : Love - A Severe Mercy Chpt 4.docx
27 Jan 2013
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The sheer quality of the christians we met at oxford shattered our stereotype and thenceforward a reference in book or conversation to someone"s being a christian called up an entirely new image. That"s what oxford is, a place to talk about everything. The splendour of course did not mean that the faith was true; but perhaps we felt vaguely that it did somehow hint at a validity. In the end what was to prove the deepest part of our oxford days we shared completely. Christianity in a style as clear as spring water without a hint of sanctimoniousness or vagueness or double-talk never suggesting that anything be accepted on other than reasonable grounds. The best argument for christianity is christians: their joy, their certainty, their completeness. But the strongest argument against christianity is also christians when they are sombre and joyless when they are self righteous and smug in complacent consecration. It is not possible to be incidentally a christian.
