Christianity's Views on Consciousness

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I find that consciousness is one of the most intriguing aspects of existence. They way we perceive the world is vital to our understanding of it. The nature of our minds determines our reality. It is essential to our philosophy. It is one of the most exciting areas of science.

I know many of the Eastern religions that are centered largely around meditation make the nature of consciousness one of their primary focuses. But I find it hard to find anything regarding consciousness and nature of mind in Christianity.

What kind of views are there on consciousness in Christianity?

What do you personally think consciousness is?

What does the Bible say about the nature of mind?

 

[GrayAngel]

You are right that the Bible doesn't speak much on consciousness. It doesn't seem to be a very important concept in Christianity. But what we know is that at the center of a human being is a spirit, and this spirit continues to live even without the body.

Most people use soul and spirit interchangeably, but I believe they are separate. Sometimes the Bible will list them along side each other too, meaning there is something distinct about them.

I think of the soul as the intangible part of the body that is connected to the physical brain, like color is connected to paint. It's something that can't be touched or measured, but it exists just the same. The soul includes one's personality, thoughts, memories, etc., and they can be altered when a change occurs in the brain.

The spirit, however, is completely independent of the body. No changes in the body can affect the spirit. This is the immortal part of us, and it is what makes us different from robots. Robots could be made to collect information via light, sound, touch, and maybe even smell and taste. Robots may even possibly be given a personality: an element of the soul. But without a spirit inside them, they will always be empty shells.

Now we usually think of as consciousness as our level of awareness via our senses. A person who is asleep would be said to have a lower level of consciousness. This part of consciousness is an element of the soul.

However, there's another element of consciousness. We're not simply gathering information from our environment, but we're experiencing it personally. There's something inside your head that makes you you. In this sense of the word, consciousness, is spirit.

 

[talitha]

I agree with everything GrayAngel said here. There are things in the Bible that indirectly talk about consciousness, and they are things that deserve our attention.

In Hebrew thought, death is separation - separation from the living. This is why when a son, for example, does something major against his father's will, his parents might make signs of grieving, such as tearing clothes, as if he were dead. The wills of father and son are so separated that it is as if the son has died, and in the father's understanding he has.


The reason I bring this up is because as we look at passages in the Bible that deal with death, sleep, and rebellion, we can see that there is a concept of consciousness being revealed. In Psalms, there are several references; for example, this: "No one remembers you when he is dead. Who praises you from the grave?" (6:5) In the new testament, we are urged to "not sleep as others do" - that is, to not choose to be unconscious of what is going on spiritually. Several times in scripture sleep is used as a way of talking about reduced consciousness, or temporary unconsciousness. And then there is a condition that the Bible speaks of as "hardened heart" - which means a heart that has become insensitive to the Holy Spirit's guidance, conviction, encouragement, or even presence. In extreme cases a person with a hardened heart is also insensitive and unresponsive to other people, and the senses become dulled; their consciences seared as with a branding iron (I Tim 4:2). Surely this is a state of reduced consciousness as well.

As for altered states of consciousness, the use of substances such as liquor are discouraged, but God does take people into states like this; Peter had a vision while in a "trance" (Acts 10). Most people draw the conclusion that it is obviously okay for God to induce such states but that we should not explore these states independently of Him.

Have we begun to answer your question, LRLRL?
blessings
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