Existentialism: A Christian Response

In this video I offer a Christian response to existentialism, especially focusing on the writings of Albert Camus.

Truth Unites is a mixture of apologetics and theology, with an irenic focus.

Gavin Ortlund (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) serves as senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Ojai.

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PODCAST:

00:00 - Existentialism Then and Now
01:50 - Existentialism and Atheism
05:08 - My Engagement with Camus
10:54 - My Response to Camus
19:32 - Final Appeal

[coryrobert]

I've been on medication for depression for most of my life and I think existentialism to me is what dealing with depression feels like. There is a constant general feeling that no matter what you do or what you believe in nothing really matters in the end. Even though I am a Christian, there are constant battles in my mind and thoughts telling me that ultimately there is no real purpose and my desire for a God is in essence what my life will always be about, even if there is no God, therefor I will always chase the wind so to speak. I think this is why I often have the desire for personal experiences with God, so I know there is something outside myself for proof vs something I could make up in my mind. A lot of philosophies are over my head, but existentialism is something I understand more because I can genuinely FEEL what it is.

[MinusPerformanceSvc]

Have any of you studied Ecclesiastes? Thank you for mentioning this great book 11:18. All that is outside God is meaningless! At the Cross!

[caleb.lindsay]

existentialism and post modern philosophical subjectivism fundamentally destroyed my "grounding" to reality in my early twenties. as it eroded my understanding and confidence in "absolute and objective truths", I fell away from my faith, and embraced a very subjective sense of morality. a little marijuana use triggered a psychological break that was a long time coming and I stumbled into an unreal and deep despair that I couldn't climb out of because I believed in nothing solid to place my foot into like a cleft in a mountain...I was in the quicksand of my mind and soul. it's what hell is to me, almost certainly. loved watching you talk about this. thank God, quite literally, for the firm foundation in Himself that grounds everything. "the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom."

[LedHead]

It absolutely makes sense. I'm so thankful I arrived at that point where God was the only option. He's always there waiting for us to come. He won't force you. He's a patient Father.

[castanedamusic]

Interestingly enough, I believe there is tremendous amount of concord between some existential philosophy and Christian theism. One of my areas of focus as a mental health counselor

[IsaacsCOOLwhenitsHOT]

This is life saving stuff. I appreciate you wrestling with ideas rather than touching them with a 50 foot pole out of fear of contamination. Your belief in the common grace of Christ working through ideas, secular or religious, is why your effective. Wrestling, taking meat, leaving bones, knowing enough to point out the underlying assumptions, all the while being faithful to Christ. Impactful. Thank you.

[sawyerlake]

Spot on.

Kierkegaard and Pascal are fantastic. You don’t have to agree with them at all times to profit from their unique, keen insight.

[nelidascott]

I praise God that I came across this video. You have described what I’m currently going through ❤

[MRBosnoyan]

God Bless you Gavin, and thank you for all that you do!

Really looking forward to your video on Buddhism. I live in Japan, so it is extremely relevant to my situation.

Please pray for the church in Japan! Pray for the people of Japan to open up their hearts to the Lord!

Thanks!
Matt

[gracenotes]

It's helpful (and frightening) to allow the starkness, randomness and absurdity of the full-on existentialist world view to touch one's soul once again. I can't live there anymore, at least not for longer than a few minutes, but I feel extreme compassion for those who feel they cannot with integrity live anywhere else! As you said, "faith is in the place of desperation, " or at least the gateway to faith often waits to be discovered there. We have to be able to meet people where they are, without losing the firm footing that has been graciously afforded us. Thanks for this video!

[conantheseptuagenarian]

we feel that when all scientific questions have been answered the problems of life remain untouched. 
- wittgenstein

[Qhaon]

Man, it seems like all the content you put out is exactly what I’m interested in! Thanks for the video!

[dennistoufexis]

Like all the atheists I've read Camus never runs all the way to the goal line, but inevitably punts long before. As in "The Plague", where he talks in the end about "love" having ultimate meaning for people that encourages us to act, or Dawkins talking about our genes having complete control over us, and yet we must fight them, but the how or why is not explained. Same thing with Sam Harris- the implications of atheism is so toxic to life that they are ignored, and some kind of system of ethics fabricated out of thin air.

Camus' "The Stranger" posits a person who is completely inhuman and without any feeling, and yet in the end having murdered someone for no reason, is exultant. Why? No explanation. Again, no points scored.

Thank again, Gavin, really enjoy your talks.

[reverendjenkins]

Kierkegaard helped me a lot as well. The desire to rebel that Camus expressed really resonated with me when I was younger. The darkness in which God dwells can be very thick at times. Thank you for the video. Merry Christmas.

[ProfYaffle]

I love your burst of childlike excitement at the thought of us all becoming patrons and your going to study philosophy - at 1:24

[davidcates]

Dr. Ortlund, I would love to hear you speak on this topic more. As someone with depression and anxiety, it helps a lot to soothe some of the pain and suffering that comes at 4am when I can't sleep from fear of death. Existentialism is basically what depression feels like for me; utter despair and meaninglessness is all that lies in the universe, and I'm only tricking myself into believing in God because otherwise I couldn't function.

[mattyblakeman]

This is great, brother. Was pleased yesterday to get a text from my local Christian bookshop owner (Dundee, Scotland) that your new book is on its way. Really looking forward to it now.

[jonmason]

Hey Gavin, I have been a fan of your family's writings for some time now, I have really appreciated your channel and this video resonated very acutely with me and my roommate. Your pastoral encouragement at the end is truly the crux of the way that God has saved my life since battling depression and existential crisis throughout my teen years. God met me in desperation, as he always has and always will. Thank you for this video, more people should watch it. I would love to sit down for coffee sometime, I have really appreciated your insight.

[colmwhateveryoulike]

Fantastic work (as usual) Gavin. I was an existential nihilist as an atheist but I wasn't well read on it so this video helped tie a neat little bow around that in a way. Interestingly, after encountering God I sought to know Him better through Eastern disciplines, albeit more hinduism/yogic, so I'm looking forward to hearing your perspective on Buddhism too. God bless and Happy New Year.

[annapobst]

I think your channel is wonderful, so interesting and informative 👍 thank you!!!