Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Deep thought

So I've been thinking some about the idea that we cannot come to knowledge objectively. It seems that there is some wrestling going on between postmodernism and modernism in the Christian world. Some see it as a bigger struggle than others. It seems to be popping up in a lot of my reading lately. For instance I'm reading a book today that was given to me a couple of months ago. It is "Christ Our Mediator" by C. J. Mahaney. Before getting into his true subject Mahaney has decided to weigh in on this subject some. As the first chapter moves along he says some things that frustrate me. See I tend to be more of the thought that we cannot know things objectively. That we do subjectively filter them through the lens that we see the world through. He starts of by telling us that feelings and emotions cannot be trusted. "It would be fine to follow our feelings if we could always be sure they're faithful to reality. But they aren't; their perspective on reality typically has huge blind spots." I have no problem with that statement. Our feelings do tend to blur our view of reality. So he goes on to say that we should read the Bible and find the objective truth. "The humble are those whose first response to objective truth from God's Word is not to ask, 'How do I feel?' but to say, 'I'm not going to let my faith be determined and directed by the subjective and the experiential. Instead I confess openly before God that I will believe the objective truth of His Word, regardless of how I feel.'" Here's my problem. I believe that absolute objective truth exists. I don't think I can know it objectively or fully. I believe that I filter everything through my lens (culture, experience, sin...). I'm a little wary of some of the things he's saying but I can see some of his points. We shouldn't base what we believe on what we feel. I know he's trying to tell me that postmodernism and it's subjectiveness isn't where the Christian should be, but I'm used to that type of thing. He ends every chapter with "suggested words of prayer for you". Well, the ending of the first chapter pretty much has me ticked and thinking about just putting the book away. "Thank You, Father, for directing my attention upward and outward to objective truth, and away from self-centeredness and enlavement to subjectivity. I turn away from self-focused arrogance and toward You - to receive forgiveness for that arrogance. I direct my faith toward You and Your Word, for You alone are worthy."

What is more arrogant? To think that I taint truth subjectively through my worldview or to think that I can separate myself from all of that and think that I can know truth objectively?

1 comment:

Ken said...

throw the bok away... if that is his foundation the rest is untrustworth and not worth your time.. if you want so good sugestions we can trade them back and forth...