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Many people in the University start their thinking with something like this:
1. Truth is dependent on perspective. There’s no absolute truth, only the perspectives of everyone at the table.
Or:
2. Truth is dependent on scientific verification. The only reliable truth is that which can be tested.
As important as perspective and verification are, there are other sources of knowledge as well. In their helpful book, How Do We Know? An Introduction to Epistemology, Dew and Foreman cite these four ways (at minimum) of gaining knowledge:
A. Rational reflection (such as philosophy)
B. Empiricism (science and other direct observations)
C. Testimony
D. Revelation from God
To give an example, I am open to the historical claims of Jesus to be the Son of God and Savior of the world. That’s because C and D – testimony of the early church and revelation from God – are available to me as starting points.
But some skeptics have a rule against C and D. And that rule will likely “rule out” the possibility of their knowing and believing the claims of Christ.
Here’s where it matters: In dialogue with a skeptical friend, eventually I may need to revert to my starting points. I may need to say, “OK, after extended discussion, you and I can’t agree on who Jesus was. I can’t provide scientific verification of his existence and claims. But as a Christian, both testimony and revelation are available to me. That doesn’t make the claims of testimony or revelation automatically true, but at least they are possible sources of knowledge.”
My friend may respond by criticizing my starting points (especially C and D above). But so what? His worldview excludes C and D, my worldview includes them. He can do his business his way. I’ll do mine my way.
You be you. I’ll be me.
Now we have an impasse. I could defend C and D and show how they contribute to a true understanding of the world, but this is a difficult project.
So, how can I “speak back to the University,” represented here by a skeptical friend?
With my heart. By allowing God to show his love through me. When truth is gift-wrapped in grace and kindness given by the Spirit, it may eventually make sense, regardless of anyone’s starting points.
