drew moser: The Gospel in a Pomo Society 3.1

journal : : field notes

The Gospel in a Pomo Society 3.1

24 July 2006

Leslie Newbigin's third chapter of The Gospel in a Pluralist Society is a mindblowing interplay of two concepts: knowing and believing.

He sources the foundation of the thirst for knowledge void of belief in Descartes, who coined the now famous phrase: "I think, therefore I am," as a proof against doubt. (philosophers: I realize this is simplistic...look past it for the bigger picture).

Newbigin proceeds then to show how science, by its very nature, refutes the idea of mere knowledge formulated in a 'vacuum' (or in Descartes' experience, a stove), void of belief. First, science requires keen observation of significant facts. This can only be done by intuition (p. 31). Next, the scientist frames a hypothesis, a futher creation of intuition and imagination, resulting in a discovery best described as a "sudden illumination" (p. 31). Finally, the hypothesis is verified through experimentation. In Newbigin's words: "A true hypothesis will prove itself true in all kinds of unexpected ways, and scientists will be continually testing it in new situations." (32)

With hindsight, a scientist can look back see the interconnectedness between believing and knowing. The entire scientific journey is the two concepts working together. Thus, there "are not two separate avenues to understanding, one marked 'knowledge' and the other marked 'faith'. There is no knowing without believing, and believing is the way to knowing."

Let's take it out of the abstract an into the street. If we reduce our faith to mere facts, there is no room nor need for observation, intuition, imagination, experimentation. Many will say, "Good. Better safe than sorry." My reply: "That's not faith. That's a copycat faith. You've simply looked over someone else's shoulder and cheated. You haven't learned. You haven't experienced. You haven't lived."

It's when we take what we know and what we believe, mix in a little intuition, imagination, and experimentation, we end up with a faith expressed authentically in our own zip code. Instead of every suburban pastor donning hawaiian shirts (a la Rick Warren), we have culturally keen prophets, artists, writers, leaders, all harnessing their gifts to interact with their surrounding community in a relevant, authentic, impacting way. It's real. It's also messy, because experiments are always messy. But it's true...not because someone else says it's true, but because it's been through the fire of experimentation.

It takes a bold person to use the scientific method to bolster the argument FOR belief as partner with knowledge. Newbigin is that person.

More later...

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