{"id":35463,"date":"2024-02-01T21:35:59","date_gmt":"2024-02-02T05:35:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/?p=35463"},"modified":"2024-02-03T08:10:50","modified_gmt":"2024-02-03T16:10:50","slug":"truth-is-tricky","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/truth-is-tricky\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cTruth\u201d is Tricky"},"content":{"rendered":"

If vertical learning requires reading widely and hearing ideas that conflict with my own then Matthew Petrusek\u2019s book, Evangelization and Ideology<\/em>, helped me grow like a weed this week. Maybe that\u2019s an over-exaggeration. There were times I thought, \u201cGreat point, I could see that\u201d, then other times I thought: \u201cHmm, that seems condescending and a bit presumptuous.\u201d After thinking about it, most of my issues with this book, and many religious leaders and thinkers in general, is epistemology<\/em>. This is one of those big, academic, philosophical words that essentially means, \u201cHow do we know what we know?\u201d and \u201cHow sure should we be of what we know?\u201d\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

This book is long, so I didn\u2019t have the capacity or time to pick through it with a fine tooth comb, which inevitably means I could have missed some points of clarification. What I did notice as a reader engaging with a book about bringing \u201ctruth\u201d to the world, was that for me at least, a simple acknowledgment like, \u201cI am Catholic which means I hold a certain view of the world based on my Roman Catholic tradition\u201d, goes a long way. Instead, although he shows his cards, I felt like he was assuming his views, theology, and moral framework were ultimately the right ones. He states, \u201cSome truths are fixed. They are permanent, immutable, eternal. They cannot not be… The Catholic social thought tradition is made up of those truths (and for those who scoff at the idea of \u2018truth,\u2019 ask them if they believe that the claim \u2018there is no universal objective truth\u2019 is true.)\u201d[i]<\/a><\/p>\n

When it comes to epistemology or what we can know and how can we know it, I agree with Matthew on some points. There is a prevailing Western assumption that knowledge can only be gained through the senses, or that \u201conly scientific knowledge is meaningful knowledge.\u201d[ii]<\/a>\u00a0I think\u00a0philosophy and reasoning, as well as anecdotal stories that meet certain criteria, are just as valuable as the scientific method in understanding our universe and pursuing the big questions. However, when it comes to theology, religious doctrines, historical reconstruction, and many scientific theories the best we can do is work in probabilities<\/em> based on a combination of observable evidence, philosophy\/reason, claims our holy books and traditions make, historical sources, and collective human experience.<\/p>\n

\u201cTruth is Tricky\u201d for several reasons: <\/strong><\/p>\n

–Feelings and passion do not always determine \u201ctruth\u201d.<\/strong> (Hitler spoke with great conviction to annihilate the weak)[iii]<\/a><\/p>\n

-Reason, IQ, and persuasive arguments do not always determine \u201ctruth\u201d.<\/strong> (Leaning on Jonathan Haidt here, who argues that IQ determines how well<\/em> you can argue what you already <\/em>believe NOT what reflects reality)[iv]<\/a><\/p>\n

-The moral\/religious majority does not always determine \u201ctruth\u201d.<\/strong> (Galileo, Charles Darwin, Julius Wellhausen, Wilberforce)[v]<\/a><\/p>\n

-Our experiences do not always determine \u201ctruth<\/strong>\u201d. (Religious or spiritual experiences do not confirm all of our religious doctrines, but may happen despite them)[vi]<\/a><\/p>\n

-Religious orthodoxy does not always determine \u201ctruth\u201d.<\/strong> (The Reformation, The Great Schism, The Enlightenment)[vii]<\/a><\/p>\n

-Conventional wisdom does not always determine \u201ctruth\u201d.<\/strong> (This varies from generation to generation and from one culture to another)[viii]<\/a><\/p>\n

-Interpretations of our Scriptures do not always determine \u201ctruth\u201d.<\/strong> (Thousands of Christian denominations and counting)[ix]<\/a><\/p>\n

Kathyrn Schultz, in Being Wrong<\/em>, gives humans a large margin of error based on our track record. I am not saying beliefs are not important or that seeking the truth is futile.[x]<\/a> I\u2019ve spent a lot of time, money, and travel miles seeking truth. I am suggesting that when it comes to theology, science, morals, doctrines, eschatology, politics, and reconstructing history the best we can do is work in probabilities<\/em>, make room for complexity and exceptions, and leave room for error in even our most sacred belief systems. Anything other than that is unwise.<\/p>\n

When it comes to engaging others who hold different views, I agree with Petrusek who says, \u201cYou can run. You can submit. You can bloody your knuckles. Or you can craft a better argument and make your case boldly.\u201d[xi]<\/a> I think we must stand for our convictions and make our cases boldly, while paradoxically admitting our biases, unique backgrounds, theological assumptions, and moral frameworks. Otherwise, we will come across to others as condescending and dismissive which is what I perceived at times in this book. This does not help in our cause to engage the culture with our Christian convictions. Many do not like the post-modern idea that truth is relative or subjective but we are at a point when we have the tools and resources to critically asses human history’s shifting belief systems and assumptions from 30,000 feet to identify trends.<\/p>\n

Steven Hassan, a professor of psychology at Stanford University and ex-member of the Moonies, which he describes as a destructive cult, now rescues people from destructive organizations and aids in deprograming cult followers from indoctrination. His book Combating Cult Mind Control<\/em> identifies characteristics of destructive cults that come dangerously close to what happens in major religions, science communities, political parties, and denominations at times. When he discusses the doctrine of dangerous cults, he lists characteristics that are usually present: black and white thinking, all or nothing categorizations, claiming beliefs as facts, simplistic, and \u201cus versus them\u201d mentalities.[xii]<\/a> They are conditioned to believe that anything someone says that is outside of their belief system is considered dangerous, deceptive, and persecution which immediately shuts down further engagement keeping them locked into their belief system. This sounds all too familiar.<\/p>\n

It is a fascinating read and I am not<\/em> saying Protestantism (my faith tradition), Catholicism, Eastern Orthodox, etc. are cults but it would be easy for any of us to fall into this type of dualistic mentality using our religious tradition as reinforcement. Once again, our faith traditions have complex histories. \u00a0I loved Petrusek\u2019s statement about those who might be black and white when it comes to immigration policy, \u201cAbsolutely sure you know what immigration policy should be? Get to know someone who left his friends, family, home, and lucrative career in Mexico to escape, in the middle of the night, from regional cartel thugs who were seeking to punish him and his family because he refused to be bribed.\u201d[xiii]<\/a><\/p>\n

How do we distinguish truth?<\/p>\n

I’ll share wisdom from Matthew\u2019s Gospel on this one: \u00a015\u00a0<\/sup><\/strong>\u201cBeware of false prophets,\u00a0who come to you in sheep\u2019s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.\u00a016\u00a0<\/sup><\/strong>You will know them by their fruits.\u00a0Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?\u00a017\u00a0<\/sup><\/strong>Even so,\u00a0every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.<\/p>\n

When it comes to policies, traditions, doctrines, rituals, methods, philosophies, belief systems, etc. what fruit is it or they producing? This begs the next incredibly important question: How do we define \u201cfruit\u201d as followers of Jesus?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

[i]<\/a> Petrusek, Matthew R. Evangelization and Ideology: How to Understand and Respond to the Political Culture<\/em>. Park Ridge, IL: published by the Word on Fire Institute, an imprint of Word on Fire, 2023. 449.<\/p>\n

[ii]<\/a> Petrusek, Evangelization<\/em>, 24.<\/p>\n

[iii]<\/a> Metaxas, Eric, and Timothy Keller. Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy<\/em>. Revised and Updated. Nashville, Tennessee: Nelson Books, an imprint of Thomas Nelson, 2020. 354<\/p>\n

[iv]<\/a> Haidt, Jonathan, ed. The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion<\/em>. 1. Vintage books ed. New York: Vintage Books, 2013.<\/p>\n

[v]<\/a> Holland, Tom. Dominion: The Making of the Western Mind<\/em>. London: ABACUS, 2020.<\/p>\n

[vi]<\/a> James, William. The Varieties of Religious Experience<\/em>. North Charleston, South Carolina: CreateSpace.<\/p>\n

[vii]<\/a> Holland, Dominion, 373.<\/p>\n

[viii]<\/a> Gadamer, Hans-Georg, Joel Weinsheimer, and Donald G. Marshall. Truth and Method<\/em>. The Bloomsbury Revelations Series. London: Bloomsbury, 2013.<\/p>\n

[ix]<\/a> Mead, Frank S., Samuel S. Hill, and Craig D. Atwood. Handbook of Denominations in the United States<\/em>. 11th ed. \/ revised by Craig D. Atwood. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2001.<\/p>\n

[x] <\/a>Schulz, Kathryn. Being Wrong: Adventures in the Margin of Error<\/i>. First Ecco Paperback edition. New York: Ecco, 2011.<\/p>\n

[xi]<\/a> Petrusek, Evangelization<\/em>,39.<\/p>\n

[xii]<\/a> Hassan, Steven. Combating Cult Mind Control: The #1 Best-Selling Guide to Protection, Rescue, and Recovery from Destructive Cults<\/em>. (Newton, MA: Freedom of Mind Press, 2015), 186.<\/p>\n

[xiii]<\/a> Petrusek, Evangelization<\/em>,450.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If vertical learning requires reading widely and hearing ideas that conflict with my own then Matthew Petrusek\u2019s book, Evangelization and Ideology, helped me grow like a weed this week. Maybe that\u2019s an over-exaggeration. There were times I thought, \u201cGreat point, I could see that\u201d, then other times I thought: \u201cHmm, that seems condescending and a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":171,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2310],"tags":[2998,3033,3034],"class_list":["post-35463","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-doctor-of-leadership-3","tag-evangelization","tag-petrusek-dlgp02","tag-evangelization-and-ideology","cohort-dlgp02"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35463","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/171"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35463"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35463\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":35515,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35463\/revisions\/35515"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35463"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35463"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35463"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}