do you think that as christians we often say, "well let's just see what the Bible says" in order to escape any critical thinking process or difficult and hidden answers, thereby using the Bible as a substitute for thought, or is it that you think we often limit ourselves to the thoughts and ideas presented in the Bible, disregarding anything outside of Scripture? (this is with the current thoughts of my blog and the idea that all truth is God's truth in mind, and recognizing that either way there are extremes) because i am recognizing in my life a need to refer to scripture for more answers to some of the questions in my head as opposed to seeking sources outside of the Bible and other questions it seems that the Bible is not my all-inclusive source for the answers needed
I thought the Bible existed to reveal and glorify God. If we are to be Christ centered, why shouldn't biblical principles be included in all of our thoughts?
Philosophy is man kidding himself in to thinking he might have a clue into what is actually going on around him -- and why it is going on.
Kate, I think your first statement is true. I think maybe we believe that questioning the Bible is wrong or critically analyzing it is disrespectful. But the complete opposite is true.
In regards to your second question: I guess my question for anyone who believes that everything we need to know is found in the Bible would be what do you do with the topics that are relevant to today that the Bible fails to address?
The Bible serves in constructing a truth framework which we can build upon but not be limited to. Never contradicting it but enriching it with life experience. Making it something that continues to be relevant to the current issues at hand. Relevant to the current philosophy of our culture. This of course frees us to look at anything in the world and take the truth that is found in it and disregard the rest.
Ricardo, I know what your saying. I think you’re confusing Truth (capital “T”) and truth. I think Truth is the big picture of man’s need of a savior and God’s answer to that need...the Gospel. Which won’t be encapsulated in anything other than the Gospel. But a piece of truth is a piece of how things really are. It’s a piece of reality, ultimately pointing back to God. It is, regardless of where you find it, completely and in and of itself wholly true. Not incomplete. It may not be a whole picture of reality but that doesn’t make it incomplete in and of itself.
Hank, agreed. That is part of it’s purpose...it’s primary purpose. But even in that would you not agree that part of the revelation process in truth discover involves thinking? Not being told what you believe but wrestling with it and thus making it true for you? Even our concept of faith requires some measure of thought in my opinion. In fact I would say that thought must come before faith.
Philosophy leads to worship dude! Of course it’s man kidding himself. And when we study philosophy long enough we’ll understand that we don’t have a grip on as much as we thought we did. Leading us to realize that there is something much deeper at work. Something beyond us.
Remember that math, science, philosophy...all of these disciplines will bring us back to God. All of them serve as manifestations of us wrestling with the way things are. Asking the question why? And in so doing we will need to find something bigger than ourselves to give us the answers we’ve been asking for. Yeah they’re busted up. So are we. But remember that just because we’re broken doesn’t change the fact that we were designed to worship God.
brett gave this to me a long time ago...i think it's fitting for these topics (and others)
"Those who believe they believe in God but without passion in the heart, without anguish of mind, without uncertainty, without doubt, and even at times without despair, believe only in the idea of God, and not in God himself". -- Madeleine L’Engle
It’s difficult to say that philosophy is flawed in and of itself since philosophy as a subjective word describing a model of thought any given person may have on any given subject. It could be said that philosophy is inherently flawed because we’re inherently flawed and thus our thinking as well.
If we believe in the idea that salvation can be found in disciplines such as philosophy then we are surely kidding ourselves. But it is a pathway to God just as any other pursuit of truth will be.
Many see the flaws in philosophy and write it off as an invalid discipline or concept. If we are to do such a thing we must ask whether the concepts of science, math, faith, love and even God are valid concepts. Flawed ideas of each one of these has always existed.
5 comments:
do you think that as christians we often say, "well let's just see what the Bible says" in order to escape any critical thinking process or difficult and hidden answers, thereby using the Bible as a substitute for thought, or is it that you think we often limit ourselves to the thoughts and ideas presented in the Bible, disregarding anything outside of Scripture? (this is with the current thoughts of my blog and the idea that all truth is God's truth in mind, and recognizing that either way there are extremes) because i am recognizing in my life a need to refer to scripture for more answers to some of the questions in my head as opposed to seeking sources outside of the Bible and other questions it seems that the Bible is not my all-inclusive source for the answers needed
I thought the Bible existed to reveal and glorify God. If we are to be Christ centered, why shouldn't biblical principles be included in all of our thoughts?
Philosophy is man kidding himself in to thinking he might have a clue into what is actually going on around him -- and why it is going on.
Kate, I think your first statement is true. I think maybe we believe that questioning the Bible is wrong or critically analyzing it is disrespectful. But the complete opposite is true.
In regards to your second question: I guess my question for anyone who believes that everything we need to know is found in the Bible would be what do you do with the topics that are relevant to today that the Bible fails to address?
The Bible serves in constructing a truth framework which we can build upon but not be limited to. Never contradicting it but enriching it with life experience. Making it something that continues to be relevant to the current issues at hand. Relevant to the current philosophy of our culture. This of course frees us to look at anything in the world and take the truth that is found in it and disregard the rest.
Ricardo, I know what your saying. I think you’re confusing Truth (capital “T”) and truth. I think Truth is the big picture of man’s need of a savior and God’s answer to that need...the Gospel. Which won’t be encapsulated in anything other than the Gospel. But a piece of truth is a piece of how things really are. It’s a piece of reality, ultimately pointing back to God. It is, regardless of where you find it, completely and in and of itself wholly true. Not incomplete. It may not be a whole picture of reality but that doesn’t make it incomplete in and of itself.
Hank, agreed. That is part of it’s purpose...it’s primary purpose. But even in that would you not agree that part of the revelation process in truth discover involves thinking? Not being told what you believe but wrestling with it and thus making it true for you? Even our concept of faith requires some measure of thought in my opinion. In fact I would say that thought must come before faith.
Philosophy leads to worship dude! Of course it’s man kidding himself. And when we study philosophy long enough we’ll understand that we don’t have a grip on as much as we thought we did. Leading us to realize that there is something much deeper at work. Something beyond us.
Remember that math, science, philosophy...all of these disciplines will bring us back to God. All of them serve as manifestations of us wrestling with the way things are. Asking the question why? And in so doing we will need to find something bigger than ourselves to give us the answers we’ve been asking for. Yeah they’re busted up. So are we. But remember that just because we’re broken doesn’t change the fact that we were designed to worship God.
brett gave this to me a long time ago...i think it's fitting for these topics (and others)
"Those who believe they believe in God but without passion in the heart,
without anguish of mind, without uncertainty, without doubt, and even at
times without despair, believe only in the idea of God, and not in God
himself". -- Madeleine L’Engle
It’s difficult to say that philosophy is flawed in and of itself since philosophy as a subjective word describing a model of thought any given person may have on any given subject. It could be said that philosophy is inherently flawed because we’re inherently flawed and thus our thinking as well.
If we believe in the idea that salvation can be found in disciplines such as philosophy then we are surely kidding ourselves. But it is a pathway to God just as any other pursuit of truth will be.
Many see the flaws in philosophy and write it off as an invalid discipline or concept. If we are to do such a thing we must ask whether the concepts of science, math, faith, love and even God are valid concepts. Flawed ideas of each one of these has always existed.
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