It seems to me that both the highly learned writers of The Purpose Driven Life and The Reason Driven Life have fallen into the same trap. They both begin with apriori opinions and they proceed to defend their case from their given premises...one with God and one without. As such, neither one meets the standard of objective scholarship that their multiple ph.d. degrees would imply, footnotes notwithstanding. So therefore I recommend that any reader of one should also read the other because that is necessary to get both sides of the story. Rev. Dr. Warren uses modern translations of scripture to prove that God controls the details of your life from before conception which does not leave you with any free will. "You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed." (Psalm 139:16)So you don't have to search for the purpose of your life because you cannot avoid it. "Your life is a pentathlon of five purposes: worship, ministry, evangelism, fellowship, discipleship." I wonder if the suicide of his son in 2013 has changed his opinion any. It is a wonder to me that his book became such a meme among Christians who apparently did not see what they were reading since it effectively destroys John 3:16 by invoking John 6:65. Check it out.
On the other hand Prof. Price, a recovered Baptist, begins with the assumption of an atheist/humanist and builds the case for purposeless chaos with the outcome in the personal control of each individual. So he sees life through a biased lense of perception also, and naturally he disagrees in all points with Pastor Warren. He declares, "While Reverend Warren sees close integration into a church group as essential to discipleship, I should conclude just the opposite: one must clear one's head and venture forth alone if there is to be any chance at all of authentic commitment to the truth." The purpose of life in his view is to enjoy the ride without wasting time on what may or may not come after. The goal is not the destination but the trip itself each to his own because, "becoming is better than being." So give it your best shot, let it go when it is over and die with a smile on your face. But even though he eschews the literal Bible Dr. Price still enjoys going to church, perhaps as insurance just in case they are right. So it is difficult to figure this guy out. Perhaps his two ph.d. degrees left him scarred for life, stuck someplace between atheism and agnosticism. He really is not a theologian but calls himself "a philosopher of religion." Like Jesus said, you need the faith of a child to see the kingdom of God and too much knowledge can destroy the view. As for some beneficial afterlife, even Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI declared in his Eschatology (1988) the Bible leaves it open for discussion, and even God cannot know the unknowable. F. Scott Fitzgerald concluded a mark of intelligence was the ability to hold necessary opposite ideas like these in mind and still function - both/and instead of either/or. Just as with binocular vision, it takes both/and instead of either/or to get the full message.
But here is the thing...both writers are excellent teachers of their opposing ways so as a matter of personal education I highly recommend reading Prof. Price to balance Dr. Warren...only don't take either of them separately as they both are doing the will of God, albeit unknowingly. Not the god of holy books but the prime mover in the universe...generator, operator, destroyer...GOD. It does whatever it wants with whomever it wants and sheeple all must take what it gives and give what it takes...ergo Theofatalism...which may be the most reasonable belief of all. After all, God makes atheists too. God did not make any one sided coins, so both faith and reason must be necessary or it would be different. Google for details to feel good inside no matter what happens outside..
Theofatalism: Theology for Agnostics and Atheists
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