Theology: Christian Epistemology

Question 1

What characterizes the Modernists view of reality

Answer 1

Materialism, Rationalism, certainty, objectiveism “I will believe it when I see it”

Question 2

What objections are raised by modernists?

Answer 2

1. What about all the contradictions?
2. God is just a crutch. Religion was invented by man.
3. Jesus was just a man.
4. The Bible we have today is not the same as when it was written 2000 years
   ago.
5. I don’t believe in what I can’t see.
6. Evolution has proven Christianity to be wrong.
7. The Bible is a myth full of fairy tales.
8. How did Noah get all of the animals on the Ark?
9. There is no such thing as miracles.
10. Do you really believe in the story of Adam and Eve?

Question 3

What are post-modernist objections to Christianity?

Answer 3

1. If God exists, why is there evil?
2. The Inquisition and the Crusades show that Christianity is oppressive
3. Christianity is a way to God but not the only way.
4. Christianity is arrogant and exclusive.
5. How do you know that your Bible is better than other religious writings?
6. Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people?
7. What about those who have never heard?
8. The church is full of hypocrites.
9. Why would God send anyone to Hell?
10. The God of the OT is cruel, partial, and unjust.

Question 4

10 questions that science still can’t answer?

Answer 4

1.Why Do We Dream?
2.How Can We Eliminate Cancer?
3.What Happens When You Die?
4.Are We Alone in the Universe?
5.Where Does Consciousness Come From?
6.How Many Species Are on Earth?
7.Is Reality Real?
8.How Did Life Begin?
9.Is Time Travel Possible?
10Is the Universe Truly Infinite?

Question 5

How to modernists and post-modernists view eachother ?

Answer 5

Modernists view post-modernists as idiots, and post-modernists view modernists as naive.

Question 6

Why is it important to be authentic about our own struggles with faith?

Answer 6

because this is what post-modernists are looking for. Authenticity.

Question 7

What do post-modernists care about?

Answer 7

authenticity, fairness, relationships

Question 8

What do modernists care about?

Answer 8

facts, rationality, evidence

Question 9

Modern view of truth

Answer 9

Correspondence view of truth: (1) Truth is an objective reality that exists whether someone believes it or not, (2) and that objective reality is grounded in nature.

True statements are those which correspond to that objective reality. False statements are those which do not correspond to that objective reality.

Law of non-contradiction applies

A ≠-A

A can not be both A and not-A at the same time and in the same relationship.

Key moto: Man can and will know all truth.

Question 10

What is the objective standard that the length of a meter is based on?

Answer 10

The meter is currently defined as the length of the path traveled by light in a vacuum in 1299 792 458 of a second.

Question 11

How does the modernist answer the question “I a tree falls in a forest, but there is nobody to hear it. Does it still make a sound?”

Answer 11

yes, soundwaves are generated whether anyone is there to hear it or not

Question 12

Postmodernist view of truth

Answer 12

Relative view of truth: (1) Truth is a perspective reality that exists in the perspective of the individual or group, (2) and that perspective reality is grounded in time.

There is no reality and there is no meta-narrative that everybody must live by

The Law of non-contradiction does not apply. (replaced by the law of reletavism)

A = -A at the same time and in the same relationship

Key moto: Truth can not be known

Question 13

Universalism and its impact on the church

Answer 13

Universalism: The belief that all people, good or bad, everyone will eventually make it to Heaven. everyone wins

Universalist churches value emotions and feelings more than scripture and no longer teach about the consequences of sin and the doctrines of hell.

Question 14

Pluralism

Answer 14

Pluralism: The belief that there are many ways to God that are equally valid.

Question 15

Syncretism:

Answer 15

Syncretism: The assimilation of differing beliefs and practices.

example Santeria, Thai religion (blend between Buddhism, Brahmanism, animism and Taoism)

Question 16

Syncretism:

Answer 16

Syncretism: The assimilation of differing beliefs and practices.

example Santeria, Thai religion (blend between Buddhism, Brahmanism, animism, and Taoism)

Question 17

It is often said that the sins of the culture, become the sins of the church. How is post-modernism influencing the church today?

Answer 17

Universalism, Pluralism, Inclusivism, Syncretism.

Question 18

Christian view of truth

Answer 18

Correspondence view of truth: (1) Truth is an objective reality that exists whether someone believes it or not, (2) and that objective reality is grounded in an eternal God. The law of non-contradiction is a foundational necessity to all truth. God cannot even violate this principle since it is a logical impossibility.

Question 19

The Christian view of truth

Answer 19

Correspondence view of truth:

(1) Truth is an objective reality that exists whether someone believes it or not,
(2) and that objective reality is grounded in an eternal God.

The law of non-contradiction is a foundational necessity to all truth. God cannot even violate this principle since it is a logical impossibility.

Moto: “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this law” (Deut. 29:29).

The moto means that their are secret things and mysteries that we cannot and may not know, but the things God has revealed to us is the things that we can know

Question 20

Can God violate his own character or his word?

Answer 20

NO

2 Timothy 2:13

[even] If we are faithless [do not believe and are untrue to Him], He remains true (faithful to His Word and His righteous character), for He cannot deny Himself.

Question 21

What does 2 Timothy 2:13 tell us about the nature of God and the law of non-contradiction?

Answer 21

That God is eternal and unchanging, and never contradicts himself (law of non-contradiction). Therefore ultimate reality (Truth), is grounded in God’s nature or attributes.

2 Timothy 2:13

If we are faithless [do not believe and are untrue to Him], He remains true (faithful to His Word and His righteous character), for He cannot deny Himself.

Question 22

As Christians, are we allowed to be skeptical?

Answer 22

Yes, the word discern means to filter between ‘good’ and ‘bad’, to be critical in our thinking. The bible tells us that wisdom is the product of discernment

Prov 8:5

You who are naive, discern wisdom, and you fools understand discernment.

Question 23

What is the scriptural foundation for perspectivism?

Answer 23

Prov 12:15

The way of a fool is right in his own opinion, but the one who listens to advice is wise

Question 24

apophatic theology

Answer 24

Theology that emphasizes mystery. Often called the “way of negation” (via negativa) or “negative theology,”
apophatic theology sees God, and much of theology, as beyond our understanding and, therefore, beyond
defining through positive assertations. Finite people
cannot say what the infinite God is but only what He is
not. God is “uncreated,” “immutable,” “infinite,”
“immortal.”

Question 25

cataphatic theology

Answer 25

Theology emphasizes revelation. Often called
“positive theology,” cataphatic theology seeks to
understand God in positive terms, understanding that God communicates to us through language and concepts that are analogous to who and what He truly is (“analogy of language”).

Question 26

What is the scriptural foundation for objectivism?

Answer 26

Prov 23:23

Aquire truth, and do not sell it …

Truth is something outside of ourselves, that is acquired