Getting Started

1. In this session we will first consider how our culture answers the question: What is the meaning of life?
2. Next, we will look at what’s necessary for life to have meaning.
3. Lastly, we will consider Jesus’ answer to the meaning of life.

For human life to have objective meaning it is necessary to have both an author of life and eternal life. Jesus claimed to be the author of life and to be the source of eternal life. Jesus taught that the meaning of life is relationship with God.

Leviticus 19
Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Ecclesiastes 1-2
Mark 12:28-31

Note: All links listed after the definition are optional readings.

Terms

Apologetics: From Greek apologia. Lit. “Defense, reason.” The study of defending one’s truth claims. In the Christian context, it specifically refers to the giving of the answer about the hope believers have in Jesus Christ.

Atheistic Existentialism: A strain of existentialism that posits no God or gods. Prominent atheistic existentialists include Friedrich Nietzsche, Albert Camus, and Jean-Paul Sartre.

Existentialism: A modern philosophy that emerged in the late 19th centuries and shared by philosophers of a wide range of doctrinal convictions. Placed great emphasis on individual freedom and authenticity in the face of apparent absurdity of life. “Existence precedes essence.”
(Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy) – Advanced reading

God: A personal being than which none greater can be conceived.

Meaning: The purpose, information and significance with which an object is endowed.

Nihilism: A philosophy that denies the existence of objective meaning, value, and purpose in life.

Objective Meaning: Meaning that is intended by the author.

Philosophy: From Greek philia + sophia. lit. “love of wisdom.” The study of the fundamental matters in life esp. as an academic discipline.
(Wikipedia)

Requisite Control: The control necessary to endow an object with objective meaning.

Subjective Meaning: Meaning that is subject to any observer.

People

Albert Camus: Atheistic existentialist French-Algerian novelist (1913-1960). Author of The Stranger and The Myth of Sisyphus.

Augustine: An early Christian theologian, philosopher, and apologist from the 4th and 5th centuries (354-430 AD). Also known as Augustine of Hippo. A key thinker in Catholic and Anglican traditions. Arguably the most influential figure in Western theology. Author of Confessions and City of God among many other works.
(Wikipedia)
(Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy) – Advanced reading

C.S. Lewis: British novelist, poet, and Christian apologist (1898-1963). A member of The Inklings at Oxford where he taught before accepting the chair position of Medieval and Renaissance Literature at Cambridge. Author of The Chronicles of Narnia and Mere Christianity.

Friedrich Nietzsche: German atheistic existentialist philosopher (1844-1900) known for his pronouncement of the death of God in The Gay Science. Greatly influenced existentialism and postmodernism. Believed humans were driven by the “will to power.”
(Wikipedia)
(Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy) – Advanced reading

Jean-Paul Sarte: French atheistic existentialist author and philosopher (1905-1980). Author of Nausea.

Jesus: A Jewish itinerant preacher in 1st-century Palestine and founder of Christianity (4 BC – 30/33 AD). Christians believe him to be the Second Person of the Trinity who was executed by Roman crucifixion but was resurrected three days later.

Leo Tolstoy: Preeminent Russian novelist (1828-1910). Author of War and Peace and A Confession. Influenced nonviolence ideologies of such figures as Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr.

Easy Read

Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

The Journey by Peter Kreeft

Challenging Read

Making Sense of It All by Thomas V. Morris

Long Journey Home by Os Guinness

Deep Read

Reasonable Faith by William Lane Craig