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Thursday, October 20, 2011

Maintaining Scientific and Christian Truths in a Postmodern World

http://www.scienceandchristianbelief.org/articles/carson.pdf

HT: Patrick Chan

1 comment:

  1. The quotes and then some notes:

    From the article:

    "Since both Christian confessionalism and science are facing a similar onslaught, it is not too surprising that
    we should be drawn together in a common defence. For both parties have something in common: we both think
    there is such a thing as culture-transcending truth, and that we human beings have some access to it.


    ...

    "...Modernist epistemology taught us that in every
    discipline, and in thought itself, there are certain universal foundations on which we can build with methodological
    rigour; postmodern epistemology insists that both the foundations and the methods are culturally contrived, and
    therefore the resulting ‘knowledge’ is necessarily the function of particular cultures. Not only are there many
    foundations, postmodernism insists, but we should delight in the multiplicity of competing and even mutually
    contradictory methods. Modernist epistemology thought it could move from the individual finite thinker – the finite
    ‘I’ in Descartes’s ‘I think, therefore I am’ – via reason to universal and objective truth. Postmodernism insists that
    the limitations on any finite knower are so severe that the pursuit of universal and objective truth is a mere chimera;
    and reason itself, though useful, is simply not up to the task.

    ...

    "... Moreover, one of the effects of globalization and rapid communication is what the sociologists call instant
    reflexivity. Fickle moods can be changed almost instantly as some reflexive response to a new stimulus is called
    forth in a torrent of trendiness. It is very difficult for either good science or good theology to prosper and act wisely
    under such conditions.
    "

    Ok, well then?

    I would point to Ecclesiastes and 2 Peter and then some comments/notes:

    Ecc 3:11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.

    Peter the Apostle uses two Greek words in the opening address of 2 Peter.

    One word is: ἐπίγνωσις
    epignōsis
    ip-ig'-no-sis
    From G1921; recognition, that is, (by implication) full discernment, acknowledgement: - (ac-) knowledge (-ing, -ment).



    The other word is: γνῶσις
    gnōsis
    gno'-sis
    From G1097; knowing (the act), that is, (by implication) knowledge: - knowledge, science.

    While it is possible to "know" God exists from science, as the Apostle Paul argues in Romans 1:18-20, "no man", (So they are without excuse) "is without excuse" when they are judged and experience the wrath of God.

    Jesus taught something about "reason". Both the Apostles Peter and Paul caught onto it as did John.

    Paul uses the Greek word: λογικός
    logikos at Romans 12:1 and Peter uses the same word at 1 Peter 2:2.

    The place the Holy Spirit begins with a person about their salvation is with human reason and the rational thought processes. Without this reasoning work, as we are being grounded in the Faith, we easily would be led into the postmodernist error thinking and promoting a variety of foundations upon which to build our rationale for doing what we do.

    As Christians all know, whether or not they really know it, there is no other name given among men whereby we must be saved and at the Name of Jesus, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the Glory of God our Father.

    Maintaining scientific and Christian truths in a postmodern world is easy to do even against such hostilities and forces of evil wickedness that will come against them who are standing in Truth Himself.

    Nothing really has changed.

    Act 17:21 Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new. "

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