Confidence and Openness in the Search for Truth

Jesus said, according to John's Gospel, that we are to worship God in Spirit and in Truth (Jn 4:23-26). According to John, Jesus also said: "You shall know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (Jn. 18:32). Pilate responded by asking an inconvenient question: "What is Truth?" (Jn 18:38).

What is truth and how do we discover it? Theologians, philosophers, and scientists have set out on quests to discover the truth. We long for politicians who will speak the truth -- that is they will speak honestly (of course, when it comes to political truth, many of us don't want to hear the truth). As Colonel Jessup (Jack Nicholson) said to Lt. Daniel Kaffee, in A Few Good Men, when he demanded the truth: "You can't handle the truth."

Living as we do in a so-called Postmodern Age, truth is supposedly relative. My truth may be different from yours -- so let's just leave it at that. But does that get us anywhere? Is the conversation even worth having if there is no real truth? I know that we cannot pretend to have or know absolute truth, but is all truth simply relative to the person or situation?

With this question in mind, I'm intrigued both by Progressive Christian theologian Philip Clayton's commitment to seeking truth wherever it may lie, to engage with science and philosophy and other religions in a search for truth. Clayton, whose book, Adventures in the Spirit (Fortress 2008) I'm reading for the Transforming Theology conversation (www.transformingtheology.org), enters this conversation, as he makes clear here in the following clip, with confidence in the truth of what he asserts.

Progressives aren't known for their testimonies to faith, and yet here we have, a theologian who as he notes here, writes brainy books, ready to engage us in conversation about the nature of Christian faith. Clayton lays out his starting point -- as a Trinitarian Christian who believes in God the Creator. And he starts this conversation with the confidence that he can enter these conversations and remain strongly a person of faith. I invite you to take a look and enter into the conversation.



Comments

John said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
John said…
I have to say that in large part this describes my approach to faith. My faith convinces me that the truth as discovered by science will always glorify God. With that I am eager to confront all questions touching on faith, in part to know more, and in part clarify he contours of my faith by shedding light on erroneous dogma. I would never end a debate by "pulling the dogma card". I may get to a point where I say "it's a mystery, which I am willing to live with for now." But in so doing, I would not blindly deny the apparent truth of the opposition's point.

In fact it was only when I realized that one could be a faithful Christian while at the same time being open to the truths and ideas disclosed by science that I came back to the faith. God is Truth and is never opposed to it.

John
roy said…
more good stuff, Bob.

It does raise the question for me... what about those who do pull the dogma card out of their pockets? To what degree do they do that because they are not confident in their faith?
Melvin_H_Fox said…
I am a bit confused. What exactly is the "dogma card"?

-Mel
Anonymous said…
It's like "my dog ate my homework"
Robert Cornwall said…
It's possible that it's like "the dog ate my homework," but more seriously it's that declaration that here is the unassailable truth, the card that effectively ends the discussion.
Anonymous said…
Now that I actually saw the clip I'll give a more serious answer.

It's like regurgitating the usual proclomations without any personal supporting information or data.

Like trying to convince someone using your blind faith.

I used to proclaim atheism that way
Anonymous said…
Oh, Hi Bob

David Mc
John said…
Mel,

Playing the dogma card happens when someone responds to an issue with: "Scripture is clear on this," or "I don't care what you say, I know what I believe, and what I believe says you are wrong," or "you are going to Hell for even thinking such an idea" or "if you believe that then you cannot be a Christiin," or "you are an infidel" etc.

Simply put, it is the practice of using your theology to shut down a discussion or dismiss your opponent.

John
Anonymous said…
Your statements remind me of Madison’s argument against making this, in any way, a mandated Christian nation. I agree that this tact has merit. However, anyone entering the discussion must also concede that God does not posses the frailty of not knowing absolute truth. He does know it. He made it. Or, He is not God.
Since I am new at the “no dogma” discussion, let me make an opening statement and you all can judge the level it is contaminated with dogma.
I stake everything that I am and everything that I know on one simple fact: Jesus Christ is the one true living God who sacrificed Himself on the cross so that all sinners could be reconciled to God and He was raised from the dead so that all could live eternally with the Father in heaven.
I do defend this statement against attack because if it is false, then I am lost. However, I understand the attacker because I was also once an enemy of God. I do have personal supporting information should anyone be interested. At the risk of chasing John away I must say that “Scripture is clear on this.”
In the love of Christ,
-Mel
John said…
Mel, worry not, you and I are not so far apart.

And if we were, I don't chase so easily.

John
Anonymous said…
This would assume that there is a difference or separateness between God and Science. I would invite you to consider that they are one. God is the Alpha and Omega (beginning and ending), and is therefore all things.

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