An Open Letter to All Students

Is God important? I mean, is He important in your scheme of things? Lots of people might agree that the Universe couldn't very well manage without some kind of Power looking after the machinery. We're not so sure that any such Power could have any conceivable interest in "a gentleman like me"!

Whatever attitude we adopt towards Christian belief, here is a Faith which does assert that in this universe nothing is more important than individuals. The measure of their importance is seen in that God's Plan, as Christianity reads it is a Plan for Persons in other words, this Faith maintains. "Whether or not God is important in your scheme of things, you are a person, and therefore you are of utmost significance in His. Of course, if you prefer to leave Him out of your design for living, you'll be emptying your life of the only ultimate significance it can claim."

The Evangelical Union has invited me to give a short scries of talks. The theme I've chosen to work out is "God and You." Obviously I won't be attempting to offer an omnibus-edition of Systematic Theology! Our field will be much narrower—limited by time and my own capacity. What we will attempt is to see ourselves in the mirror of Christian doctrine and ask ourselves how far we agree that the image there reflected is a real-life portrait of me.

It could be objected that I'm no fit and proper person to give these talks. "You are a Minister of Religion. From the word 'go' you're biased. Without listening to a word you say we can guess what your verdict will be." Well, that much I must concede. If I were not 'biased' I wouldn't be tackling this particular series. But unless I'm fooling myself, I might suggest that any 'bias' I have is one hopes, a bias in the direction of Truth. Even if Truth is only what I make it it remains a fact that "my" truth is the shaping-power which is making roc the man I am As I see it. Christianity holds the Truth "which makes men free," makes them what they ought to be. Others have seen it that way, too. If [unclear: t] mistaken, I err in very good company! But, frankly. I can't persuide myself that men like St. Francis of Assisi, Dr. Edward Wilson, and Sadhu Sundor Singh were just dope-fiends or damned fools!

That is the kind of case I hope to submit. If you want to put questions to me, I'll do my best to answer them honestly, though I warn you I don't profess to know all the answers! The most I could profess is that I know the One Person Who does know all the answers. That's why I want to talk to you about Him.

—William P. Temple