The Greatest Story ever Told

What is the greatest story ever told? I believe we all have preferences regarding this. It can be personal or shared stories that is known by others. I agree with Lawrence M Krauss that greatest story ever told is on the adventure to uncover the hidden realities underlying the world experience, one of it is the story the universe. To this matter, Krauss disagree with George Stevens and David Lean whom still refer that the story of the Bible is the greatest story ever told. He propose science instead as encompasses both poetry and spirituality and the greatest story of the universe that one can comprehend. For Krauss, religious ideas has get no free pass in the greatest story simply because its irrelevant. The most important story is the story that can provide "better "how" not "why."

Differ from Krauss, I would like to propose again the idea that the story of the Bible is the greatest story ever told from several point of view. First, the story of the Bible is a theological history. All story in the past or that has been told is either ahistorical or historical. The first one is myth. The second one is objective history. Bible classify itself as beyond those normal categories. The Bible is not Myth and also not mere history. Myth has no clear time reference, it is timeless. History has no clear destination, only past. Bible as theological history has a very unique story on how the world began, how it progress and how it will be ended and also, what life after the end of history would be like in a glimpse. Therefore, no story can match the complete nature of the book that encompasses such grand narrative, especially for the eschatological part. Science does not provide those dimensions. They can predict but never provide for simply scientifically speaking, future is not yet to come and does not exists.    

Second, the story of Bible give us a foundation for the meaning in life. The story of science of course is the story of wonder. It tells us how the world began to exists with a complex and long procedures which can bring awe to every scientist. As Krauss said, the story of the cosmos somehow challenge us to dig deeper on the mystery of the universe more and more, and know our place in the cosmos. That is why this is the greatest story ever told compare to the ancient dogmatic story that was provided by religions. He even goes to says, "To claim some scientists are or were religious is like saying some scientists are republicans or some are flat-earthers or some are creationists." In short, Krauss does not like to equate scientist with religion, if yes, it's optional and not necessary. However, the story of science at the end of the day will lead us only to know one thing that we know nothing. Yet, we believe there is more than just knowing things and mechanical of the universe. There must be something more on earth that we must do, the greater meaning that can fulfill the existential crisis of humanity. Science cannot answer that. Science can only show, explain and elaborate that we are indeed in agony and anxiety always. 

Bible does not just give us the way to see things but provide the meaning. It explain per se why we have the anxiety in our heart, the hole inside us that always crave for more, which can be explained by the need of God, since man is created by God and for God. Ecclesiastes and Wisdom literature pointed out on how human will lost if they cannot see how God fits into the reality of their lives. The meaning of life in the midst of existential crisis (caused by sin according to Bible) is only through knowing Him and loving Him. Bible as the book of life is logically provide the meaning of life, for those who seek after it. The question that why we are here? is answered in affirmative in the Bible. In science, there are diverse views. One said, to study the universe and "hopefully" we can know why. The other say nothing because there is :"no meaning" in life, why question cannot be answered. The first one is a optimistic answer. The second one is an honest answer. Yet, in this case, honesty is better than mere optimism. 

Third, the story of the Bible focus on the person of Jesus Christ. Bible as the oldest books although diverse in authorship somehow point into one central figure, that is to say, Jesus Christ. There is nothing like this and will never be like this anymore. Jesus is the central figure of history that was being prophesied thousand years ago and keep being told until today. Therefore, Jesus Christ is considered as the most important and greatest man ever lived. The people in the past talk about Him and He has influenced not just his disciples but the whole world, from art, civilizations, philosophy, theology, law and many other aspects of humanity. If he is the greatest person, the story about Him must be the greatest story. Moreover, his sacrificial death of God who incarnate to Man give the highest standard of love, in which every other story of true, love and hope only echoes it beauty. As Tolkien said, "the great fairy story. In the gospel of Christ, all the elements of truth in the pagan myths find their fulfillment."