10: Truth

Question 1

“Truth? What is Truth?” (John 18:38; Pontius Pilate)

Where can we find truth? (according to the Christian tradition)?

Answer 1

There is some truth (and some falsehood) in everything. It is not a black-and-white question.

Ken Wilber: Everything/everybody is right … but only partially so!

Question 2

True, but only partially so

Answer 2

Everybody is right. More specifically, everybody has some important pieces of truth, and all of those pieces need to be honoured, cherished, and included in a more gracious, spacious, and compassionate embrace.
But every approach, is essentially true but partial, true but partial, true but partial.

Question 3

Models of Truth: “Truth Embedded in…”

Answer 3

Protestants: Scripture
We must read the Bible and discover the truth there! (Protestants: Sola Scriptura!).

Catholics: The Christian Community (the Church)
According to this position, we will not find the Truth as an independent entity, “floating out there.” We will only be able to find the Truth like a baby IN THE EMBRACE OF ITS MOTHER. “Mother” stands for the Christian Community. (The figure of Mary with the child Jesus can be a symbol of this.)

Question 4

What is the relation between the Bible and the Christian Community (or Church)?

Answer 4

In a deep sense, when we read the New Testament we encounter not only the figure and message of Jesus, but also the early christians and their communities.

Christian “truth” is founded first of all on Jesus, then, also on the testimony of the early Christian communities.

In a sense, to be a Christian is not only to believe in Jesus. It necessarily also means that one trusts in the testimony of the earliest followers of Jesus. This can be linked to the notion of “Apostolicity.” Apostolicity means that God’s revelation was given in a special way to the earliest followers of Jesus (“Apostles” taken in a broad sense).

Question 5

Which came first? The Bible or the Christian Community?

Answer 5

This is not a “chicken or egg” riddle. The answer is clear: THE CHURCH COMMUNITY came first.

First there was Jesus
Second there were those whom Jesus called to be disciples who, in turn, formed communities (church)
Third, (much much later) these communities produced writings
Which (still much much much later) came to be accepted as authoritative (the New Testament)

Therefore, ‘early Christianity’ has a key importance with regard to the so-called question of ‘Truth’ according to Christianity..

Question 6

Reaching Truth

In a conflict of voices within the Bible itself or within the Christian Tradition (e.g., “canonical books” vs. “non-canonical books”), how do we decide which voice is more authoritative?

Answer 6

Catholic Tradition:
Only the Magisterium of the Church can authentically interpret the Bible

Protestant Tradition:
The individual believer can be enlightened by the Holy Spirit as to the true meaning of God’s Word
Some others will claim that the community open to God’s Spirit will be led to an authentic interpretation

Jewish Tradition:
Only in the discussion and debate of the community will there be further enlightenment as to the meaning of the Word. However, God’s Word can never be exhaustively interpreted. It has to be interpreted over and over again

Question 7

Dialogical Model of Truth

Answer 7

God’s Truth is so big, vast, and multilayered that no single system can express it completely. Hence, to discover the truth, we need all the following things:

• Multiple voices and perspectives on the issue
• Conversation
• Argumentation
• Debate
• Research

As a result of these activities, we get a partial grasp of the truth

Since the human intellect has limitations, no one will ever get a complete understanding of the full truth. Even when we think we’ve grasped the truth, that could still be proven an error later on. We have to subject our “understandings” to further scrutiny and, if need be, correction.