Whole segments of society are biased against the Bible. As historian Paul
Johnson put it: "It is a striking fact that, at the end of the twentieth
century, the vast majority of people in the world still believe in a god...But
it cannot be denied, also, that the Promethean spirit, the spirit of those
who believe they can do without God-or that they can find substitutes
for God-is also strong today, perhaps stronger than ever before" (The
Quest for God, 1996, p. 18).
Prometheus was the mythical Greek figure who, it was claimed, defied the
gods by stealing fire from Zeus, the chief god, and giving it to mankind.
Johnson defines the "Promethian spirit" as one of men and women believing
they "can do without God." It is a spirit of pride, trust in human wisdom
and understanding, and resistance and defiance of things supernatural,
including the Bible.
For centuries the Western world accepted the Bible as the inspired Word
of God. It stood unquestioned as the foundation of all knowledge, including
the sciences. However, scientific advancements and expanding education
led to widespread questioning of religious authority and skepticism of
Scripture itself.
Historian James Hitchcock described this slow but massive shift: "From
the beginning of the European universities in the twelfth century, theology
had been the 'queen of the sciences,' and religion had been seen as at
the center of reality. Now [in the 17th century] thinkers like Descartes
[1596-1650] 'protected' religion by putting it off to one side...Religion
was not openly attacked nor, for the most part, was it disbelieved. It
just ceased to be important...
"[But] if the seventeenth century still treated Christianity with respect,
the eighteenth century opened a frontal attack on it. The philosophers...were
self-proclaimed apostles of an 'Enlightenment.' This term implies the existence
of prior darkness, largely the result of Christianity, which was equated
with superstition and ignorance. In their mental world there was no room
for mystery or the supernatural...There was no divine providence or miracles-God
did not 'interfere' in his creation. Nor did he reveal himself to his people,
in the Scriptures or through the church" (What Is Secular Humanism?, 1982,
pp. 36-37).
