Lessons from Philosophy class

"God has made a cause-and-effect universe; therefore we can find out something about the causes from the effects. But (and the but is very important) it is an open universe because God and man are outside of the uniformity of natural causes. In other words, all that exists is not one big cosmic machine which includes everything. Of course, if a person steps in front of a moving auto, the cause-and-effect universe functions upon him; but God and people are not a part of a total cosmic machine. Things go in a cause-and-effect sequence, but at a point of time the direction may be changed by God or by people. Consequently, there is a place for God, but there is also a proper place for man.
This carries with it something profound - that the machine, whether the cosmic machine or the machines which people make, is neither a master nor a threat - because the machine does not include everything. There is something which is 'outside' of the cosmic machine, and there is a place for man to be man."

~Francis Schaeffer~

"Man by the Fall fell at the same time from his state of innocence and from his dominion over creation. Both of these losses, however, can even in this life be in some parts repaired; the former by religion and faith, the latter by the arts and science."

~Sir Francis Bacon~

"I cannot believe that God plays dice with the cosmos"

~Albert Einstein~

"Oh God in heaven, have mercy on us. Oh Lord Jesus Christ, pray for your people, deliver us at the right time, preserve in us the right, true Christian faith, gather your widely scattered sheep by your voice, which is called the Word of God in Scripture. Help us that we might recognize this your voice and would not follow another tempting call, that would only be human imagination, so that we might never leave you, Lord Jesus Christ!
... Oh God! You have never burdened a people so horribly with human laws as we are under the Roman chair, who desire daily to be free Christians, redeemed by your blood. Oh highest, heavenly Father! Pour into our hearts by your son Jesus Christ such light, that we might recognize which messenger we are constrained to obey, so that we might reject the burden of the others in good conscience and be able to serve you, eternal heavenly Father, with a glad and cheerful heart."

~Albrecht Durer~

"The Bible makes plain that there should be effects in society from the preaching of the Gospel, and voices were raised to emphasize this fact and lives were given to illustrate it."

~Francis Shaeffer~

"Christianity is the immortal seed of freedom of the world."

~Alexandre Vinet~

"To conclude, therefore, let no man out of weak conceit of sobriety, or in ill applied moderation, think or maintain, that a man can search too far or be too well studied in the book of God's Word, or the book of God's Works."

~Sir Francis Bacon~