While we were there I attended another workshop by Tim Bartel. You may remember another post I had on one of his workshops from the 20/20 Summit in February. It was all about the clashing of the Modern and PostModern worldview within the church. If you care to, you can get a refresher here.
This workshop was very similar but the audience was totally different. Maybe next week I'll get into that but for this week I want to sort out something that has been driving my thoughts for a while now.
It became clear, once again, that Modern Christians do not understand PostModern Christians' perspective on truth. Modern Christians hold on to the notion of factual, propositional truth while PostModern Christians believe that truth is relational.
I believe that truth is a person.
The problem with the modern notion of truth is that it puts God in a box. The modern worldview focuses so much on logic/reason/empiricism that God becomes subject (hence not supreme) to these; God needs to measure up to our standards of logic/etc. I can't buy that.
Here is why I believe the PostModern perspective of personal truth may be stronger:
John 14:6 (ESV): Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Jesus IS the path to God. Jesus IS truth. Jesus IS life.
Is Jesus literally "the way"? Yes. I don't think anyone who reads this blog is a universalist. We all believe that it is only through Christ that we can be in relationship with God. No arguments there.
Is Jesus literally "life"? Yes. Jesus is the source of all life. All things were made "through him" (Jn 1:3, 4, 10).
Is Jesus literally "truth"? Yes. After all, John 8:32 (ESV) says "...you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." Who sets us free? The person of Jesus. It is not the adherence to static propositions that brings freedom into our lives. No, it is a personal relationship with the Christ; the Messiah that is the Way to God, the source of all reality (Truth), and the source of existence (Life).
In a way, these three (Way, Truth, Life) are their own mini-Trinity. They are both independent and co-dependant at the same time.
The only way to God is by experiencing the Life and Truth of relationship with Christ.
Truth is reality; the way things really are: true existence.
Existence itself has it's source in the Christ the Creator...
It's True!
Does any of this make sense?
Do you have anything to add to either the Modern or the PostModern perspectives?
Is this too much thinking for Summer?
Maybe I should just stick with Willow Whistles.
2 comments:
I think you have left them speechless. Maybe it's too much thinking for summer. I agree. Truth is a person, Jesus, and we find ultamite truth in our relationship with him.
I would like to see a video of you making a willow whistle. That would entertain me.
Sorry to sound like a broken willow whistle ( at least I think a broken willow whistle would sound as if it is repeating the same tune over and over-- I suppose depending on the willow whistle, even a functioning one would sound like that...hmm... anyway...) but I think that both sides of truth are more correct if melded... Even the passage you used (John 8:32) about knowing the truth is preceded by the statement if you hold to my teachings... or in Greek- my LOGOS- my words, my decrees, (Strongs) or as one of the ways Vine's puts it "The sum of all utterances". So isn't it logical to conclude that they need to understand and obey the truth as Jesus had revealed it and then they would know WHAT truth is and likely know better WHO truth is. I'm about to ramble now, so I'll cut it off soon. In Spanish there are two words that mean "to know"- one is to cognitively acquire knowledge about something- the other to gain understanding through experience or interaction. The second one is the word used in the Spanish Bible to indicate "know" and is closer to the greek word for to know- "ginosko". So it seems to me that we experience Jesus as we remain faithful to his teachings. As we obey what we "know" of Him and His teachings, we experience Him more intimately and that "truth" - a combination of all Jesus said, did, was and is and our experience of all of that through obedience, will set us free.
To which the people responded. We don't really need to be set free, thanks...
So yes- the text clearly states that it is an experience of a person that is truth- through obedience to Jesus and all of his teachings- his Truths.
my brain hurts... goin' for a nap! (not really- I need to go teach right now...!)
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