Agnosticism was a term that I rarely heard growing up in the agricultural Midwest. People either believed in God or they didn’t.
And then if someone did imagine in God, we knew they were either Catholic or some type of Baptist. (That’s those that boldly have Baptist of their name and people who attempt to pretend they aren’t by calling themselves non-denominational).
I used to be first exposed to this when a friend shared that he was an agnostic. I form of assumed it was synonymous with an atheist, so I responded by saying, “Oh, so that you don’t imagine in God?” He gently informed me that this meant he didn’t imagine or disbelieve.
If that seems a bit confusing, then keep reading. What is an agnostic? How are they different from atheists? And how might we try and love them and share the gospel with them?
What Is an Agnostic?
If you understand a bit little bit of Greek it may help to know what an agnostic is. Gnosis is the Greek word for knowledge. And the “a” in front of the word negates it.
It means “not” or “without.” Therefore, an agnostic is someone who’s “without knowledge.” It is a philosophical position that admits to a lack of awareness of those existential questions.
At first glance this appears to be a mark of humility — and it truly will be. Yet being an agnostic is a bit different than simply saying, “I don’t know, let me discover.”
Agnosticism is a philosophical position that means that humans have a scarcity of sufficient evidence or knowledge to make any definitive claims in regards to the existence or non-existence of God.
Agnostics will be categorized into three groups. There are strong agnostics who imagine “no person can know if a deity exists.”
There are also weak agnostics who imagine “at present we don’t have enough evidence, but possibly we are going to.” And lastly, an apathetic agnostic would simply say, “I actually don’t care in regards to the query of whether or not a god exists.”
It can also be helpful to distinguish between agnostic theism and agnostic atheism. One who’s an agnostic theist might claim some level of private belief but still imagine that any notion of God is basically unknowable.
Such an individual might even practice a selected religion but still live as if God doesn’t exist. On the opposite hand, an agnostic atheist doesn’t imagine in God or gods but leaves open the chance that a god could theoretically exist.
They are open to the chance but remain unconvinced by current evidence. Even still, there’s a difference between an agnostic and an atheist.
How Is an Agnostic Different Than an Atheist?
In one sense an atheist is only a more confident agnostic. But that may be a bit overly simplistic. An atheist is compelled by the evidence that there isn’t any god.
An agnostic believes that there’s insufficient evidence and even that it isn’t vital enough to warrant consideration.
If arguing with a theist (one who believes in a god) an agnostic might say, “How can you understand that obviously?” And if arguing with an atheist, the response could be the exact same.
The term itself was coined by T.H. Huxley in 1869 from a speech on the Metaphysical Society. Huxley rejected all claims of spiritual or mystical knowledge because they weren’t scientifically observable. An agnostic takes the position of the skeptic and heralds an evidence-based inquiry.
It is crucial for evangelicals to acknowledge that agnostics and atheists shouldn’t be painted with the identical brush.
Agnostics are sometimes on a quest for truth and meaning and are open to the potential of God’s existence, while atheists have already made a definitive conclusion. There can also be a distinct way of engagement.
How to Engage an Agnostic with the Gospel
One of my favorite ways to have interaction others is to make use of Tim Keller’s, “yes, but no, but yes” method. To explain, that is how Keller explains John’s engagement with the unbelieving Greeks using the term logos:
“Yes, Christians agree that history will not be random and the world will not be meaningless, that there’s a logos, a purpose and order, behind all of it. Yes too, when you align yourself with that order, you’ll live well. However, no — it will not be something you’ll find through philosophical reasoning, since it will not be an ‘it’ in any respect; it’s a him. Jesus Christ is the creator God, are available the flesh. Finally, yes — ultimate meaning in life is feasible. What you passionately seek is there, and your desires will be fulfilled when you enter right into a reconciled relationship with the one who created you and who governs the universe”(Keller, 98).
For an agnostic, we would say, “yes” after we are confronted with the humility of their position. We can agree on the truth that God is transcendent and thus in some sense beyond our ability to know.
Having humility in these matters is very important and vital. It is true that on our own and with our own capacities, we cannot come to know God.
But we also imagine in revelation. We imagine that God has spoken clearly. This signifies that God will be knowable.
Not exhaustive in our knowing — but we imagine that one can know enough about God to meaningfully relate to Him. That means we don’t entirely agree with the proposition that God is unknowable.
But yes, we admire a seek for truth. We also imagine that Christianity is essentially the most verifiable religion. Find bones in Israel that belong to the person Jesus Christ, and the entire thing is a farce.
Our faith rests upon an actual and observable historical event. It’s good to have humility, but when God has revealed Himself to us — then it’s not humility to shut our eyes.
It may also be helpful to have interaction an agnostic with a number of meaningful questions. They are claiming that “no person can know the reply to this.”
I’d have an interest to ward off a bit and ask what evidence they should make that claim. Is that an observable fact? Would there be any evidence that you just would accept?
Actively listening and respecting their search can go an extended approach to helping someone wrestle with the claims of Jesus.
It’s also helpful to offer our own answers to their questions with great humility. But there is perhaps yet another apologist we are able to use.
They’ll Know By…
Jesus tells us in John 13:35 that individuals will know that we’re disciples of Jesus by our love for each other.
In 1 John 4:12, he makes an analogous argument saying, “No one has ever seen God; but when we love each other, God abides in us, and his love is perfected in us.” This tells me that an agnostic shouldn’t find a way to say that they can not see God.
If that’s true, then that is an indictment upon us as believers. If we should not modeling modified lives — and lives that are marked by a self-sacrificing love for other believers — then this is the reason an agnostic could make the claim they do.
People should find a way to see God. There needs to be no excuse because our lives should shine the sunshine of Jesus that it is clear there’s a God living and moving inside us.
This is what Francis Schaeffer called “the ultimate apologetic.” He said it this manner:
“Without true Christians loving each other,” Schaeffer wrote, “the world can’t be expected to listen, even after we give proper answers. Let us watch out, indeed, to spend a lifetime studying to present honest answers. But after we have now done our greatest to speak to a lost world, still we must not ever forget that the ultimate apologetic which Jesus gives is the observable love of true Christians for true Christians.”
They’ll know we’re Christians by our love. And in the event that they know we’re Christians — then we have now a living and observable example that God can be known.
For further reading:
What Is an Agnostic, and How Do You Share the Gospel with One?
Do Agnostics Believe in Anything?
Can Someone Believe in God but Not Be Saved?
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/Vuk Saric
Mike Leake is husband to Nikki and father to Isaiah and Hannah. He can also be the lead pastor at Calvary of Neosho, MO. Mike is the writer of Torn to Heal and Jesus Is All You Need. His writing house is http://mikeleake.net and you possibly can connect with him on Twitter @mikeleake. Mike has a latest writing project at Proverbs4Today.
