#96 Why Should We Love God With Our Mind? with J.P. Moreland
Dec 6, 2022
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J.P. Moreland discusses the importance of loving God with our mind and having a reasonable faith grounded in truth. They explore the impact of worldviews in various areas of life, the concept of knowledge by acquaintance, and the classical view of truth. They also examine the relationship between knowledge, belief, and truth.
Having faith or beliefs alone does not grant individuals the right to act in public, knowledge is essential for individuals to gain the right to act in society.
Christianity provides various forms of knowledge including knowledge by acquaintance, propositional knowledge, and practical wisdom.
Deep dives
The Importance of Knowledge in Society
Knowledge is essential for individuals to gain the right to act in society; it provides the basis for engaging in certain activities. For example, lawyers have the right to draft contracts because they possess the necessary knowledge in law. Plumbers, on the other hand, have the knowledge to fix plumbing issues. Society acknowledges their expertise based on the knowledge they have acquired. Having faith or beliefs alone does not grant individuals the right to act in public.
The Influence of Worldviews
Worldviews greatly impact people's lives, affecting their perspectives on family, work, finances, and more. Three dominant worldviews exist today - postmodernism, Christianity, and scientific naturalism. Postmodernism asserts that reality is a social construction and knowledge is unattainable. Christianity, widely adopted in American culture, provides a distinct worldview grounded in certain truths. Scientific naturalism prevails in academia and the media, promoting a materialistic understanding of the world. These worldviews shape individuals and their beliefs.
The Role of Truth and Belief
Truth is when things correspond to reality, when what one thinks aligns with what actually exists. Beliefs, on the other hand, are thoughts one holds as true with varying degrees of certainty. Knowledge requires both truth and belief, where a true belief is supported by adequate reasons. It does not demand absolute certainty or exclude the possibility of doubt. Christians claim to possess propositional knowledge about God and his teachings based on solid reasons, not just blind faith.
Different Forms of Knowledge
Christianity provides various forms of knowledge. Firstly, knowledge by acquaintance allows individuals to be directly aware of God and the unseen world. Believers may have personal experiences of God's presence and encounters with angels or demons. Secondly, propositional knowledge involves true beliefs rooted in adequate reasons. It includes knowledge about historical events, such as Jesus' resurrection. Lastly, know-how or skill pertains to practical wisdom found in the Bible, guiding individuals in various aspects of life, relationships, and personal growth.
Welcome to another episode of Christian Worldview Thinking, brought to you by Summit Ministries. Summit exists to encourage you to embrace God’s truth and champion a biblical worldview so that we can help transform a broken world. Today we are with J.P. Moreland as he explains the importance of loving God with our mind and what it looks like to have a reasonable faith grounded in truth. Let's listen in…