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.
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
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
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?
-Mel
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
David Mc
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
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
And if we were, I don't chase so easily.
John