Redemption

As I understand a Jewish perspective, there is the belief in a messianic age when peace will prevail throughout the land.  This world can be made holy.  Despite all its cruelty and craziness, the world can be redeemed through Tikkun Olam, repairing this broken world.  Furthermore, though everyone is born with both an inclination for good and an inclination for evil, no one is beyond redemption.  Teshuva, re-turning towards good, is always possible. 

The seminal event in the origin of Judaism was the exodus from Egypt, from slavery into freedom, from homelessness into a promised land. Despite all the subsequent history and evidence to the contrary, Judaism has remained essentially optimistic.  There is still hope for this world.

As a Jew I will try to articulate a Christian perspective, as I understand it.  The world is filled with corruption.  Everyone comes into this world in a fallen state of sin.  This world is beyond redemption.  Only through faith in Christ and the grace of God will a select few find salvation in a better world to come.

The seminal event in the origin of Christianity was the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ.  Christianity emerged in a historic time of great cruelty and suffering, symbolized by the cross.  Christianity, to me, appears essentially pessimistic and justifiably so.  The world’s a mess. From a Christian perspective, this corrupt world is just a brief stop before life eternal where many will be damned, and a few will be saved.

I know too little to reflect intelligently on the Muslim, Hindu, or Buddhist perspectives.  But what about the scientific perspective?

As I understand the scientific perspective, words like redemption, salvation, corruption, and sin would not factor into any conversation.  From a religious perspective, these words mean a great deal.  From the scientific perspective these concepts can not be objectively observed and measured, therefore any discussion focusing on these words is not considered meaningful.

From a scientific perspective, there is a belief that science and technology are the pathway to a better world, though it is unclear what that ‘better world’ might look like.  Less suffering, longer life, and survival of our species are some of the goals of science, though it remains unclear whether science and technology will ultimately save us or destroy us. From the scientific perspective, the world will continue on for a few billion years, more or less, with or without us.  We can hope for longer and more comfortable lives, but ultimately our existence or nonexistence is of no matter in an otherwise indifferent universe.

I am trained in science, but I try to resist the spiritual nihilism of the scientific perspective.  In my times of pessimism, I can’t help but think that the Christian perspective may be correct, this world appears to be hopelessly corrupt.  I remain a Jew, but a troubled one. I look around and believe that we have been largely unsuccessful in the task of Tikkun Olam. The world remains broken. Why are we failing?  What must we do better?