4 Jan 1960 A.D. Albert Camus, French
existentialist philosopher, killed in car accident.
Dr. Rusten tells
the story.
Rusten, E.
Michael and Rusten, Sharon. The One Year
Christian History. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2003. Available at: http://www.amazon.com/The-Year-Christian-History-Books/dp/0842355073/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1393302630&sr=8-1&keywords=rusten+church+history
Camus was an existentialist. He was concerned about the meaning of life, a
foundation for morality, suffering and evil.
His major novels, The Stranger (1942),
The Plague (1947), and The Fall (1956) reflect these revolving
concerns.
If God does not exist, the world
is without meaning. How could a good and
omnipotent God allow suffering? If
suffering exists, how could God be said to be sovereign?
Camus met a Methodist minister,
Mr. (Rev.) Mumma, who was a guest in a church in Paris for several summers.
Their conversations were sworn to secrecy.
Mumma saw Camus’ doubt. Camus
told him, “I am searching for something I do not have, something I am sure I
cannot define.” Camus began reading the Bible.
Camus asked Rev. Mumma to baptize
him privately and secretly. Mumma
declined. Camus postponed the issue, but
kept reading. They part ways and Camus
said to Mumma, “My friend, mon cher,
thank you…I am going to keep striving for faith!”
Camus died in a car accident on 4 Jan 1960.
Questions:
- Did Camus ever come to biblical faith and repentance unto life?
- Is he in heaven or hell?
- How does one square the Reformed faith as expressed in the Bible and Confessions with Albert Camus’ concerns?
- What’s the value in understanding Camus as literature and philosophy?
Sources
Sire, James W. “Camus the
Christian.” CT. 44 no. 12. October 23, 2000. 121-3.
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