True Prophets…
True prophets of God both afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted.
- Willem A. VanGemeren
Some Unverifiable Assumptions of Science
This is motivated by a conversation I had last month with a biology graduate student who felt intellectually superior to those in all disciplines outside of the natural sciences because they “rely on philosophy and not science.” Natural science assumes: (1) the existence of a external world that is independent of our theories about it, (2) the orderly structure and nature of that external world, (3) the existence of truth, (4) the knowability of that truth, and about the external world in particular, (5) the existence, not to mention the validity and reliability, of the laws of logic, (6) the reliability of our cognitive and sensory faculties to serve as truth gatherers and as a source of justified beliefs in our environment, (7) the adequacy of language to describe the world, (8) the existence of values used in science — for example, “test theories fairly and report test results honestly,” (9) the uniformity of nature and, thus, the validity of induction, (10) the existence of numbers and mathematical truths, and (11) that it is better to know and believe what is true rather than what is false. I am not saying these assumptions are false; I’m just pointing out that these are assumptions of natural science that cannot be verified by its own standards of knowledge. In other words, natural science has a philosophy about reality (metaphysics), knowledge (epistemology), and the good (ethics) whether it acknowledges it or not. And the conclusions of science cannot be any more certain than the presuppositions it rests upon, some of which cannot be rationally justified outside of a theistic worldview. The final barometer of rationality is in philosophy, not science.
Abba Father
Let me peel off some armor and get just a bit vulnerable, being a father is changing me.
As a new dad, I’m getting new eyes. I realize that my old view of God as a Father was beta and bland. What I have always believed to be true is now becoming much more dynamic, encompassing, and real.
This heightened awareness is like the difference between someone claiming to know that water is wet vs. experientially knowing water by jumping into the cold and powerful waters of Lake Michigan. Unlike merely affirming a proposition or two, being immersed in the lake will instantly intrude all of your senses and make you chilled and short of breath…
God is our Father. Not an abusive, impossible to please, poor communicating fool. He is not the folly that we see all too often, He is the best of what it can mean to be dad.
He’s a wise and patient counselor. He’s a powerful and protective leader. He’s righteous and appropriately intimidating. He doesn’t worry about being unpopular – He’s got a spine. He provides and delivers on everything. A consuming fire … basically a cosmic BA, if you will.
And even though He’s the Lion, He’s also the Lamb.
The text says we should call Him “Abba,” which is sort of like affectionately saying “my dear daddy.” A thick Biblical understanding of the term calls to mind the pure and gentle, intimate and relational, fond and tender, familiar and confident, and gracious love between parent and child.
SO, I find myself: Read more
How big is the gulf spill?
467 – Coming Soon to a Map Near You: the Gulf Spill « Strange Maps.
This post offers some perspective and a website that will superimpose the spill over a place of your choice.
You know, just in case you weren’t already completely horrified by the magnitude of the disaster.
This is just another reason to pray that nature is as resilient as the climate change deniers say it is.
- sean