The Necessity of Biblical Epistemology

The Necessity of Biblical Epistemology

(Not intended to be a definitive treatise, but instead the observations and reflections of a simple pilgrim of Zion)

The diversity of London continually provides a tide of philosophical challenge, which ebbs and flows, sometimes even crashes, against my worldview. As I stare into the faces of Bengalis, Buddhists, burka-clad women, businessmen and vintage New Wave rebels, I find my ideologies subtly challenged by the ones they represent , whether it be through cultural identification, speech, and even subconscious mannerisms. The way they interact with the world belies their beliefs and provides a foil of reflection against my own. Recently, I was struck by the philosophical integrity of Muslim extremists. Here were a group of people convinced that God (or Allah, for those of you who might be theological more conservative or reticent) dictated something not only extremely unpopular in the world’s eyes, but also time consuming and dangerous, not to mention lethal. And yet there are those in the world, who, despite such difficulties and hardships, carry out Allah’s commands.

As I contemplated the integrity undergirding the actions of Islamic extremists, my contemplation turned to evaluation of their actions and my assessment of their overall wrongness. At this point, I found my latent post-modern mindset rear its opinion. It leveled this against me: Who was I to say these zealots were wrong? Where did I get off imposing my sheltered and naïve Western world view on them?

At first I was slightly kowtowed by this accusation, but then I began to ponder epistemology and what basis I could claim to challenge the seemingly obvious misguided actions of our Muslim neighbors. It may seem obvious to you and me and many others that they are wrong, but why? Why are we convicted thusly, and furthermore often convinced that those who transgress our convictions will be judged according to the standards we vehemently profess?

This has led me to ponder biblical epistemology. I believed my convictions on jihad to be right, but why were they right? I would suggest a few conclusions that not only resolve the question at hand, but also seem to vindicate the Bible’s presentation of a universal judgment of mankind.

Before I proceed I should make clear one very important assumption, namely that there is good and evil, and that such distinctions proceed from God’s throne. So, operating on this assumption that good and evil do exist, I believe that we are all bound to these standards through several means of that inform us of them, and that it is this fact that enable us to evaluate right and wrong and facilitate the just Judgment of man portrayed in the lasts chapters of Revelation.

Firstly, we were given the basic ability of distinguishing right and wrong in the Garden of Eden. In addition, nature seems to undergird our obligations to God’s truth and standards, as does God’s verbal revelation (Psalms 19, Romans 1, et al). Further, it seems that when necessary, we can obtain further, transcendental, God given indications of truth through the Holy Spirit (Matthew 16, 1 Corinthians 2).

So, as much as I would personally like to lie back in the comfortable embrace of pluralism or universalism, it seems none of us are off the hook. As confusing as things can get, it would appear that there are always answers out there, to the heart that truly searches (Jeremiah 29:13).

This conclusion leaves me somewhat discomfited, because it introduces the wrenching ambiguity of who is and who is not truly searching. Perhaps though, such facts are supposed to be inscrutable. Perhaps we are only to dissect our own hearts, and simply pray for our fellow pilgrims.

In any case, I would suggest that God given knowledge and discernment, whether a now innate faculty or a special witness, is not only presented in the Word, but is the only sound epistemological footing on which to ground any sort of discriminating ethical evaluation.