Disciplemaking needs a Christian Theology and Epistemology
Wednesday, 30 May 2007 08:24
When we disciple we should not apologize for the beliefs that we hold to and have. The necessity of a theology is given fact of any student and teacher relationship. If we don’t want to teach theology to our disciples then we are actually dispensing with Christianity and Christian Discipleship. While it is great to champion the basics. We need to see the basics in relationship to the web of our total beliefs. This means that you must teach that Scripture is your final authority and you must show this from the scriptures and not some other source of knowledge. I have learned the knowledge is not just a justified true belief or
Knowledge ≠ belief x truth x justification.
It is something more.
I would fit the fear of God and Scripture into this equation. The Bible alone is the source from which Christians are called to draw their epistemology (and everyone else for that matter). Scripture is adequate for every good work, including defending the faith (2 Tim. 3:16-17 ). In Christ are all the treasures of wisdom stored (Col. 2:3 ). The Christian is called to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Cor. 10:3-5 ). The only biblically acceptable apologetic is therefore one which is drawn from the Bible and acknowledges the epistemic lordship of Christ. Any position other than this is merely knowledge falsely so called (1 Tim. 6:20 ).
When a disciplemaker starts to disciple and encourage their disciples to confront and witness, do not teach them that common sense is the starting point for defending the faith, but knowing the Scriptures. If you and/or your disciple start with something else in witnessing, then what you start with, and not Scripture becomes the ultimate authority. It becomes surer than the sure word of God. But Scripture teaches us that Scripture itself is to be our final authority (2 Pet. 1:19 , 21; 2 Tim. 3:16 , 17; 1 John 5:9 ; 1 Thess. 2:13). If Scripture is the final authority, and if one proves the authority of Scripture on the basis of something else other than Scripture, then one proves that Scripture is not the final authority. In other words, to prove the authority of Scripture on something other than Scripture is to disprove Scripture..
Christian Disciplemakers are morally and logically compelled to defend the faith with an epistemological outlook (understanding how they know what they know) that accords with the faith. Not only is it wrong to defend the faith with an autonomous (man-centered, humanistic) epistemology – Christianity must be understood on its own terms – but, in the nature of the case, blending Christian theology with non-Christian epistemology always serves to undermine the Christian’s ability to defend the faith. As Christians we need to be much more epistemologically self-conscious.
