epistemology and soccer practice

Having read a good amount of material about the subject of knowing, I am well aware of the limits of knowledge that have been brought to the fore by those with postmodern inclinations. Without a doubt, some modern thinkers simply assumed too much about the human ability to interpret, to understand, to know. It is thus refreshing to hear the best insights and practical wisdom of postmodernism brought to bear on the subject of knowing.

If you’re at all like me, though, you find yourself in a variety of moods when contemplating these rather high thoughts about thinking. Thus, my reaction to postmodern skepticism can vary, depending on who I’m reading and my current life-situation. While it is imperative, in my view, to lean into and absorb the best features of postmodernism, including a much needed realization of our inability to know anything perfectly and the concomitant need to remain careful and duly humble in our declarations, it is also necessary to remain, if I may borrow a rather modern-sounding word, grounded in our assessments.

Whatever epistemological claims we make, whatever theories we propose, they will be essentially meaningless unless they contribute to the everyday task of living. This means that we must not only make humility a constant endeavor, but we must also be willing to allow the powerful realities of God’s world to make their imprint in our hearts and lives.

Therefore, as I read some radical postmodernist deny our ability to know, I am slackened away from despair by the sheer force of my kid’s need to attend soccer practice at 7:00, my wife’s directive to take out the garbage, my boss’s demand that I show up for work, and the ability of many human beings to convey elements of truth in meaningful and decipherable ways. I am very much cognizant of the human tendency to mislead and misunderstand. I know about the limitations of human language and human beings in general. And I am alert to the fact that our claims of truth, whatever we mean by “truth,” can sometimes be naively constructed opinions that have no universal impact. Still, the real world calls me, and when it calls I get a sense, perhaps a God-given sense, that we do have at least some ability to know, to understand, to share our knowledge, and–with God’s grace–to both comprehend and communicate something that looks like truth.

Clearly, some type of critical realism is essential if we are to make our way in a world that has far too often been governed by overly confident claims of Cartesian certainty. Modernity has for far too long dominated our thinking, blinded us to our own inadequacies, and actually hindered our pursuit of truth. Still, in the desire to learn from these things, it is not necessary that we spend a decade or two going too far in the other direction, only to one day realize that we have exaggerated our limitations and denied the very imprint of God, which equips and enables us to know in the first place.

We are capable, it would seem, of knowing at least some things, at least some of the time, with at least some measure of confidence. My wife and kids, along with a myriad of other factors, remind me of this fact all the time. Perhaps, we are living in some Twilight Zone episode in which we are all part of some other person’s dream. Maybe, we are part of an experiment being carried out by advanced alien life forms. Then again, the better part of wisdom would have us believe, at least for the time being, that these scenarios are not likely. Furthermore, this same wisdom seems to be embedded in the world around us and, as such, compels us to balance the recognition of our situatedness, our local biases, our obvious ignorance, with the fact that the logos (the Word, Jesus) has indeed visited our planet. Through Him, knowing and communication must be possible.

epistemology and heaven

Have you ever wondered how skepticism will handle the beatific vision? I mean, it is one thing to say we can’t know certain things today, but what about later, when we stand before God? To be honest, I’m not sure how this will work out. That is, how will we know that the One before whom we stand is actually the true God? Will we ask for proof? Do we dare? Would proof be convincing? How does a skeptic respond to the reality of a present God, a speaking God? Again, I’m not entirely certain. However, I do think that when God appears, when we stand before him, that it will be undeniably evident that he is indeed the One. There will be no doubts, no guesswork, no efforts to persuade God to show off His wares. Furthermore, I don’t believe that this acceptance of knowledge in heaven is merely a matter of force, of God saying “”I’m bigger and stronger than you, so listen.” Rather, I honestly think that we will all know, even as we are known. “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). At that point, truth will permeate our hearts, and doubt will melt away. Does this mean that we’ll know everything? No, I don’t think that creatures, even glorified ones, can know everything. There will still be major (even insurmountable) gaps in our thinking. But we won’t doubt God’s existence, nor his love, fairness, holiness, or wisdom. And we’ll have an immeasurably increased capacity for taking in and absorbing who and what God is. Thus, our thinking will never be exhaustive, but it will be clear.

Now, if any of this is true, and if the Christian picture of this things is even generally correct, we have to ask how our view of then, of the future, ought to affect our perception of the here-and-now. In what ways does our sense that everything will one day be undeniably clear impact the way we think through issues related to knowledge and epistemology? Though there are no clear-cut answers, I believe it is reasonable for Christians to incorporate these eschatological (i.e., future) realities into their current understanding. If we walk by faith–a sensible and defensible faith but a faith nonetheless–our belief in and experience of the future now (the “now and not yet” of Christian theology) must play a role in the way we approach these manners. In heaven our access to God, His ways, and our relationship to both of these will be incontrovertibly clear. Surely, this must have an impact on us now, as we walk through this often uncertain and baffling world. We believe, Lord. Help our unbelief, and increase our faith.

it's so subjective (or -- it's not always clear)

Some people want everything laid out in simple fashion. If you want to live for God, all you have to do is this or that, and everything we be fine. It’s simple, really.

At a certain level, of course, this mentality is a helpful thing, for most of us yearn for stability, and this is often equates with objective standards of one sort or another. For instance we know that stealing and lying are wrong and that benevolence and truth telling are right. Without these parameters we would find ourselves in a sad state of affairs, floating about in a universe with no fixed points. It is good, therefore, that at least some portion of our lives can be lived with confidence that there is something objective on which we can pin our hopes. By means of special and natural revelation, we can know certain things.

Other things, however, are not so clearly delineated, and being a believer cannot (or at least should not) be reduced to a lists of do’s and don’ts. Think about this for a moment. We are called, for instance, to pray, to love, to be holy, to follow Jesus, and to demonstrate faith. Each of these is objective in the sense that there is a clear distinction to be made between, say, faith and unbelief or between holiness and unholiness. But, we must also acknowledge that these same responsibilities are subjective. So, for instance, we are not told how long to pray, for whom, or when. Likewise, holiness is non-negotiable trait, but there is no precise explanation of how this holiness ought to manifest itself in our lives. Are we allowed to attend this or that movie? Is a certain type of clothing proper or not? Are tattoos optional or forbidden? The fact that equally sincere Christians often disagree about these matters should tell us that at least some things are less than clear.

The bottom line is that we are not provided a rigid system of requirements for living the Christian life. And so, it appears that we are left in this world without a detailed agenda for how to make each and every decision and the manner in which God’s Word impacts our lives. The assumptions of legalistic types notwithstanding, life is not that easy. There is no “how to” book for each and every facet of daily living. Life, in other words, is somewhat undefined and subjective.

If this is true, if some things are not automatically discernable, one wonders why God chose to do things this way. While He might have given us instructions for every imaginable decision, from prayer time tables to how to tie our shoe laces (okay, that’s a bit of a stretch), instead He created a world without an exact blueprint? Why?

First, as already mentioned, there is a broad framework for living by faith. It is important to remind ourselves that framework is provided for us in Scripture. Furthermore, the people of God (i.e., the church) has–many blunders admitted, helped provide illumination for and application of Scripture. Believers in every era have grappled with various issues, trusting in the reliability of Scripture. While we might not be able to identify the precise manner in which godliness manifests in our lives (at least not to the satisfaction of all Christians), we can agree that there is such a thing as godliness, and we ought to pursue it. This broad framework keeps us from wandering aimlessly through the world with no sense of direction, and it protects us from relativism, the belief that everything is “up for grabs.”

Second, it is also important to grapple with the reality that God calls us not primarily to a rule book mentality but to Himself. If we were given details for making every choice, deciding moral dilemma, or eliminating all controversy, we might “get it right,” but we would also likely forget about the rule Maker, thinking we could get along just fine with a set of regulations. But God does not simply want people who “follow the rules.” He wants a relationship, which, I think, may be part of the reason why He created the world as He has.

This leads us, perhaps, to a greater awareness of why it is imperative for us to wrestle with so many decisions and moral issues that impact the way we give expression to our faith today. God wants us, I believe, to recognize that we consistently need Him. Jesus said it best when He uttered these words: “Apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). His point is that if we want to really live life successfully, we must do so in relation to Him. We walk by faith, leaning on Him, often wondering if we’ve done it right or best, and ever mindful that it is often the process, the walk of faith, that transforms us and shapes us into what God truly desires.

In a life that is often subjective and less than completely certain, what do you do? You ask for wisdom, as James says (James 1:5), trusting that God will remain faithful to you and will–through whatever means He deems fit–provide the wisdom He promised. This way of living, I would submit, builds maturity. After all, good parenting is not about establishing a moment by moment agenda for your children but of instilling in them the basic values by which they can live successfully without your holding their hand. This is what God does for us, providing freedom and his assistance along the way. As a result, we are able to develop a lifestyle that is unfettered by the trappings of legalism, guided by the basic truths of God’s Word, and relationally connected to the One who says He will never leave us or forsake us (Matthew 28:20).

It’s true that a good amount of living is subjective, but it is also true that faith is enlivened by our connection to the ever present Lord. We are not left to live any old way. Rather, within the sphere of the truths we are given, we are called to prayerfully consider how best to apply what we know, and always relying on the One whom we must trust along the way. It’s somewhat subjective, but it’s never arbitrary. It’s somewhat subjective, but it is also personal. We walk by faith. We walk with Him. More importantly (and we can easily discern this in Scripture), He walks with us (Deuteronomy 31:6, 8; Joshua 1:5; Hebrews 13:5).

outreach

There is a lot of talk in religious circles about the type of relationships we are to have with those “outside the faith.” In particular this discussion centers on the Christian’s connections, or lack thereof, with the world. On the one hand, some believers are leery of anything that might, in their view, lead to compromise. If we get too close to those outside the faith, we are liable to find ourselves in some type of nefarious behavior. On the other hand, others seem committed to mimicking cultural attitudes precisely because they hope to reach others with the gospel. So, if we look and dress like others, we might win them to our cause.

In thinking through these issue, a number of factors warrant our consideration. First, it is obviously important, in whatever degree of closeness we attain with others, to avoid anything that is actually inappropriate. Fidelity to Christian priorities is essential. Second, it is also important to seek as much clarity as possible when it comes to these priorities; if we are going to avoid the error of the Pharisees, a clear distinction must be made between genuine truth claims and their bearing on our lives and cultural (including Christian sub-cultural) mores. This distinction is critical, for confusing truth with human ideals, however well intentioned, will likely lead to either spiritual laxness (“nothing matters, so we can let our guard down”) or legalism (“our scruples are equivalent to God’s commandments”). Third, it is unquestionably important to have an others-centered focus, attempting to reach others with the message and compassion of Jesus. Fifth, this outreach is best accomplished by simply being with others, living among them faithfully. There is no need, in other words, to avoid contact with the world, which only serves to distance us from those we claim to care about. In doing this, however, we needn’t go to extremes, somehow thinking that we must frantically emulate others. Artificial efforts to copy others make us look like outsiders ourselves, as those who live on the fringe of society and pretend to be a part of it, which is disingenuous. When this occurs, we come across like we have a (not so) hidden agenda.

The way ahead in these matters is to conduct our lives in a authentic fashion, with minds bathed in the truth, hearts aware of own weaknesses and tendencies, and with a genuine commitment to the welfare of others. We’re not out to win them to our team or to win an argument or to prove that we are right. Rather, we see them as God’s creatures, as those whom God loves, as human beings who can benefit from a touch of divine grace. To the degree that we can facilitate their reception of this grace, we are truly reaching out to benefit others. In a mysterious, uncertain, and sometimes dangerous world, our responsibility is avoid any type of arrogant stance, instead seeking to share the love of God with those He sends our way.

very blessed

Just this morning, I received an email from my friend, Rick Walston. Among other things, Rick, who is the president of a seminary, occasionally writes these short essays on a variety of topics, which he calls Coffee Talks. Well, today’s CT was about being blessed.

In countless ways, I am immensely blessed. This morning I received an email from a friend, who is a train engineer; he sent a few pictures from years ago of my oldest (who is now 15 but was then about 3-4), sitting on my lap inside a train. Then, I received an email from my sister who said she'd be at today's Philadelphia Phillies game and wants us to look for her on TV; how blessed and free we are! As I look around my room, pictures of my wife and kids surround me. A couple of running medals/trophies are here. My Masters and Doctorate degrees sit above my desk. A picture from a handful of traveling seniors sits there; they are all on the beach, the Pacific Ocean in the background, in a "thumbs up" pose. Hanging on my wall is the Dr. Atty Award, which I recently received. Around me are books and a variety of toys (figures from Casablanca, an autographed football, etc.). In fact I was just interrupted by someone who came to the door, and when I went outside I realized what a beautiful sunny day it is; I think I'll take my coffee out on the front porch . . . another blessing. In the back ground I can hear my wife, my 15 year old is still asleep--it's his day off from work. And my 10 year old just took the dog out and I can hear him shooting basketball in our driveway. It is true. I am incredibly blessed! Thanks, Rick, for the reminder! :-)

a hopeful vapor

“Whoever dies with the most toys wins.”

“Life’s a bitch, and then you die.”

“Don’t take life too seriously, you won’t get out alive.”

These and similar sentiments express the somber but accurate assessment that there are some things in life that we cannot escape. Try as we might, we cannot avoid all pain. Pretend as we may, we cannot escape the grave. Wish as we please, we simply cannot get away from some rather harsh factors, things that threaten to suck the life out of life.

Of course this idea is nothing new. The author of Ecclesiastes, many centuries ago, said: “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity” (Eccles. 1:2). The term used here means a vapor, something that is difficult or impossible to grasp. Or, as Ecclesiastes says, even the most noble of tasks is “chasing after the wind.”

There is something about life that, when faced up to honestly, utterly stuns us. Life is temporary, fleeting, and out of our control. Each day in an unstable thing, which explains why so many of us do whatever we can to bury, run from, or escape such depressing thoughts.

For instance we spend much time in our society trying to prolong life but, however successful our attempts, we all eventually die. Many put forth great energy in seeking to accumulate things, gadgets and toys with which to amuse themselves, or else to brag about. But whatever the efforts, the toys will eventually deteriorate and even what survives will be inherited by someone else.

Some, with more noble motives, want to create a legacy for themselves, passing on whatever they can by way of material wealth and inheritance, but this, too, will soon be lost to time. Certain individuals want to be memorialized by building a reputation that survives the grave. This way, it is thought, even after they are gone, others will appreciate the achievements and remember the names of their predecessors. But how many people leave this kind of mark? We’re familiar with an Abraham Lincoln, an Albert Einstein, or a Babe Ruth, but few of us are consistently captivated by what even these admittedly remarkable individuals, now long gone, have done. What’s more, these famous figures, who have accomplished so much, are not here to enjoy their own accomplishments or personally benefit from their acts of nobility, intellect, and athleticism. And, let’s face it, even those of us who truly appreciate other individuals can only do so for a short time, for we too will one day die.

Perhaps another will say, “My hope is to pass on traits and ideals that my children and grandchildren will enjoy for years to come.” Yet, even here, there is no guarantee that anyone’s children and grandchildren will take heed to what their predecessors worked so hard to promote and embody. And, again, even if we successfully pass on high ideals to our descents, they too will be swallowed by the grave.

These admittedly gloomy thoughts are hard to manage, which is precisely why so many people spend a lifetime running from them. Yet, inevitably, we find that they are all too accurate. So, we must ask, is life truly meaningless? Is there nothing to be gained from all that we say and do during our sojourn on earth? Is it all a waste?

Contrary to what one might originally think, the author of Ecclesiastes does not want us to abandon all hope. Indeed, in a number of places, he states what we all intuitively know, that life does have meaning As Ecclesiastes notes, God has “made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their hearts” (3:11). Here, I think, we find a key to understanding how life can both seemingly meaningless and yet have ultimate meaning. This is somehow tied to understanding our transcendent purpose under our Maker.

If we consider life “under the sun” as an end to itself, if life is viewed as unrelated to God, then life takes on a depressing hue. If no one remembers, if all that we work hard for is eventually taken from us, if even our best intentions are squandered and lost, our lives are futile. As another writer records: “If the dead are not raised, Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die” (1 Corinthians 15:32). In other words, if what we observe around us is all that there is, we might as well drown out our meaningless existence.

But, and this is the point of Ecclesiastes, there is something more, and that something is located in the One who created us for Himself. And the point here is not merely that doing right now will yield benefits in eternity, as true as that it, but that life “under the sun” takes on meaning precisely because it is life that flows from and to God.

Therefore, we read that “there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime; moreover, that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor–it is the gift of God” (3:12). Joy and goodness are meaningful, therefore, because they come from God.

Is life sad and filled with uncertainty and frustration? Yes, it is, and we would do well to recognize this and lead our lives in ways that reflect these facts. But there is also more here, for these dispiriting thoughts are intended to not only place reality before our eyes but to turn us outside of ourselves. Life is ultimately meaningless only when separated from a transcendent resource. Life does have meaning, however, when lived from the vantage point of our Creator.

Our efforts to achieve goals in this life are completely proper because they stem from a meaning-making God and so will endure forever. While our goods will eventually deteriorate, our noble efforts to accumulate and share them are not forgotten by the Lord of heaven and earth. Though death comes for all of us, we also have an intuitive awareness that this life is a passage way to an even fuller existence, a life that is impacted by the choices we make in the here-and-now and which will extend, illuminate, and fulfill the best features of our lives under the sun.

Our responsibility, therefore, is to recognize the futility of life outside of God and to embrace him as the One through whom “every good and perfect gift” comes (James 1:17). Despite the hard to handle features of life–its brevity and uncertainty and pain–there is joy and purpose when we see and live this life through the template God has provided.

As the book of Ecclesiastes draws to a close, we receive these instructions: “The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14). Or, as the Contemporary English Version puts it: “Everything you were taught can be put into a few words: Respect and obey God! This is what life is all about.”

Life is a vapor, impossible to completely manage and often frustrating. These realities humble us and drive us, at times, to despair. But hope remains for us as we turn our hearts to God, believing that the things of this life, even the harsh and difficult things, have ultimate meaning. Look outside of yourself to a mighty God, a transcendent being whom we must honor, and embrace a life of godly integrity, for these are the things that will last throughout this life and into the next.

what is faith?

You hear it all the time. “Have faith.” “You gotta believe.” “Keep the faith.” But what is faith, and what is it that we are supposed to keep?

In its most basic sense, faith involves believers–those individuals who express faith–and something (or Someone) in which (in Whom) to believe. Men and women, young and old, rich and poor–we are all called to faith. And this faith is a personal thing, entailing belief in the only ultimate object of faith, the living God. This God, according to Christian teaching, created human beings to know him. We, for our part, have abandoned our created purpose, which is why this same God–seeking to rescue us from ourselves and reestablish a relationship with us–has intervened in human affairs on numerous occasions, most profoundly in His unique emissary and Son, Jesus. At its core, then, our faith looks to Him. But not all people believe, and even those who do, often demonstrate varying degrees of faith. Perhaps an illustration will help to clarify these matters.

Each year, my family travels from our home in Pennsylvania to Cape May, New Jersey, our usual vacation destination. On the way to Cape May, we travel through Philadelphia and across the Walt Whitman Bridge. It is obviously possible to know about this particular bridge without having seen it. In other words you can read about the bridge or acquire knowledge of it from someone familiar with the Walt Whitman. Assuming reliable resources, you would be fairly confident about the existence of bridge and perhaps certain facts about it. Then, if someone were to ask you about the bridge, you would be able to provide a measure of useful information. This type of knowledge constitutes a type of faith. In other words you would have faith that there is such a bridge as the Walt Whitman.

Of course it is also possible travel to Philadelphia to catch a glimpse of the bridge for yourself. You might park your car near the bridge and observe its sturdiness and how well it supports the many automobiles that traverse it each day. Not only would you know about the bridge, having heard of it from others, but you’d be convinced that it is durable and provides a safe connection between Pennsylvania and New Jersey. After all, you would have seen how well it worked for others. Again, you awareness of the bridge and its capabilities is a kind of faith.

But all that you’ve done so far is only preliminary to the much more personal use of the Walt Whitman Bridge. If you really want to make use of the bridge, you have to traverse it yourself. This involves more than facts (There is a bridge called Walt Whitman.) and even more than acceptance of those facts (The Walt Whitman bridge is safe and travel worthy.). It requires trust, actual personal commitment, in this case, to the Walt Whitman Bridge.

True faith is a lot like this. While it surely benefits from research (learning about faith) and is motivated by what it sees around it (paying attention to faith in others and in the world), it also goes to the next level, resting in faith’s object, relying on God’s promises, and trusting (even amid doubt) in God’s reliability.

Faith, then, is trust in the truth of God (whatever He’s revealed) and in the God of truth. To believe is to cast your hopes, day by day and sometimes moment by moment, on the One who has pledged His love to those in need. Given that we are the ones who must believe, and recognizing how fickle and foolish we can be, it is not at all surprising that faith tends to fluctuate. But the issue is not how much faith we have (Jesus mentioned that faith the size of a mustard seed could move a mountain!) or how impressive it looks to others (the pursuit of which can lead to hypocrisy). What truly matters is that our faith is in One who does not fluctuate and who promises to travel with us through this world.

Is your faith wavering? Ask for more. Are you filled with uncertainty and doubt? Look through the doubt to the One who can counter incredulity. Do you want more faith? Ask, for “He is a Rewarder of those who–even when plagued with uncertainty and confusion–seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6).

Learn about the bridge, observe others who travel across it, and drive across it yourself. As you do, you will sometimes waver, no doubt. But you may also find your soul strengthened as you trust in the One who can keep you from falling and guide you successfully through this life. Keep the faith.