March Focus - Truth

To Tell the Truth

The Ten Commandments form the necessary core values for those who respond to the invitation to live in partnership with the covenant-making God. The ninth commandment, "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor," provides the parish focus this month. The season of Lent begins March 5th and serves as an ideal liturgical setting in which to reflect on the True and the False.

A debate rages these days in academia regarding the nature of truth. The argument tends to place physical scientists (Techies) in one camp and those who study the humanities (Fuzzies) in another. (With apologies to the Stanford community whence comes the nomenclature.)

Techies tend to embrace the Correspondence Theory of truth. They argue an idea is true when it reflects the nature of the real, material, objective world. The scientific method, they argue, tests the validity of a hypothesis against a real world.

Fuzzies argue for the Coherence Theory of truth. They say an idea is true when it can be appropriately integrated with other ideas. Truth, they say, is not about the real world, it has to do with maintaining a consistent mental model of the world. One culture's "truth" may differ from another culture's "truth." Truth is not about a real world at all. It is a social construct.

Techies worry the Coherence Theory undermines the scientific method. The Fuzzies worry the Correspondence Theory dishonors cultural diversity in denying the truth claims of a minority culture that lacks the power to influence other minds.

The debate highlights a tension that has come with our current revolution in communication and transportation technology. Can a genuine global community emerge out of the wild diversity of global tribes?

The prophets of Israel argue the Techies and Fuzzies are both right.

Fuzzies are right when they say truth exists in the mind of the knower. But the knower in whom truth exists is God. The Techies are also right when they say the truth exists objectively outside the mind. The world is made real by the power of God's Word.

The Gospel of John describes Jesus as the Word of God made flesh. God who creates the material world, also enters the materiality of creation. Truth comes through relationship with God who knows the truth because he is the truth. This is what Jesus, the Divine Word Made Flesh, meant when he said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Truth is personal and it can only be known in the context of a faithful covenant relationship. Truth is a social construct. But it is not arbitrary. It is authoratative. It's foundation is the mind of God.

The Fuzzies' can take comfort in knowing Jesus does not surrender his authority to any dominating human culture. American culture (including American Christianity) is not the truth. Jesus is the truth and he honors human diversity as he speaks to the individual heart, in the fullness of its ethnic heritage. (He created the wild diversity in the first place; he must like it.) My truth is not your truth. As Jesus addresses me in all my uniqueness, he also addresses you in yours.

But Jesus also guides every tribe and nation into an embrace of our shared humanity under the Fatherhood of God. (The Fuzzies will object to this use of patriarchal language representing dominating male culture - but please bear with me.) The Techies can take comfort in knowing the Kingdom of God is an objective reality that exists outside the mind. (Note here another slip, Kingdom is another reference to dominating male culture.)

There is a realness that transcends individual subjectivity. It is the reign of God manifested in the creation of the physical world (which scientists can study) as well as in the formation of human and divine relationships (which theologians study).

This means, of course, that no church is the truth, not even the Episcopal Church. It doesn't even "have" the truth. Truth is a person who cannot be had. He can only honored, worshiped and obeyed. We gather as Church in the hope that Jesus who is the Truth will lead us, not only into right relationship with God, but also into right relationship with the wild diversity of God's creation.

The season of Lent reminds us Jesus is the Truth who sets us free. He comes calling out to each of us, each in our unique language, in the uniqueness of our cultural heritage, in the uniqueness of our situation, "Come and follow me."

Monthly Focus Archive

2006:

Easter Focus: New Covenant
Lenten Focus: A Covenantal Response to Poverty
February Focus: Moving Forward

2005:

December Focus: Longing
November Focus: The Gift of Years
October Focus: Stewardship
September Focus: Foundations
Summer Focus: The Book of Acts
Easter Focus: Tapestry
Lenten Focus: Rule of Life
January Focus: The Next Wave

2004:

December Focus: Surprising Grace
November Focus: Free Indeed
October Focus: Money Madness
September Focus: The Outrageous Promise
Summer Focus: Into the Fullness
June Focus: Thick Faith
Easter Focus: All Things New
Lent Focus: A Hungry World
February Focus: Commitment
January Focus: Unity

2003:

December Focus: Hope
November Focus: Worship
October Focus: Stewardship
September Focus: Seasons of Faith
Summer Focus: The Gospel of John
May Focus: Faith
April Focus: Resurrection
March Focus: Truth
February Focus: Covenant Groups
January Focus: Sabbath

2002:

December Focus: Shut Up and Sing
November Focus: Spiritual Gifts
October Focus: Stewardship
September Focus: Intentional Faith