God's Epistemological Kindness

E·pis·te·mol·o·gy (adj: epistemological) is the theory of knowledge, especially in regards to its methods, validity, and scope. How is it that we know what we know, and how do we know that what we know is justified belief from mere opinion? Are we bound to simply believe what our culture, upbringing, and past tells us to believe, or do we have the freedom to truly see and learn and know the real? Do we have the ability to pull back the curtain and see things as they are, like in the Wizard of Oz, or are we blinded from the truth and enslaved to subjectivity?

As believers in the Bible, what is our response to these questions? Do we have the ability to know reality or not? When I was in Bible college, this subject of epistemology was something the Lord continuously brought up, though I didn't know how to define it at the time. It started with me reading Proverbs 2:6, which says, "for the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth comes knowledge and understanding" (NIV). It occurred to me then that the Lord is pleased with sharing the truth with us and giving us knowledge of the real, not giving us impressions of what we think is real when it actually isn't. The next thing I knew, I saw this theme emerge everywhere in the scriptures (I've compiled a list of clickable references below), and was blown away at the Lord's willingness to bring clarity, knowledge, understanding, intelligence, and insight to those who ask Him for it. That's the question we need to ask the skeptic before we even open the Bible to them: Does God love humanity enough to show us what He is actually like, or does he prefer to remain distant and to keep us guessing in the dark? Scripture not only shows us that God is willing to give us wisdom, but also that wisdom, knowledge, and understanding are attainable to us in the first place, and most importantly that God is knowable! This is great news!

That's what the Epistemological Kindness of God is all about: God is ready, willing, and able to share the truth with those who come to Him. He loves to impart wisdom to those who love the truth, and He isn't afraid of our deep questions. We have the ability to know things as they truly are. God loves us, delights in our education, and wants to be close to us. Knowledge and closeness go hand-in-hand.

Supplemental Reading:
Worshiping God with the Mind
What is Epistemology? (gotquestions.org)

Scripture References:
Exodus 31:3, 36:1
Job 28:23, 38:36
Psalm 19:7, 51:6, 119:32
Proverbs 2:6
Jeremiah 33:3
Daniel 2:28, 9:22
Luke 24:45
John 17:26
1 Corinthians 2:10-16
Ephesians 1:8, 1:17
2 Timothy 2:7
James 1:5
1 John 5:20

Book Review: Robotics: A Very Short Introduction

Here's another great read I just finished and highly recommend for anyone interested in introducing themselves to a new subject. There's an entire series of books called Very Short Introductions by Oxford University Press. This one was a very short introduction to robotics (written by Alan Winfield).

As a missionary, what were some of the takeaways I found in this book, seeing how it's nowhere near the field of religion? It was an excellent book for dissecting fact from fiction when it comes to the reality of robots (robots will not be taking over the world anytime soon). This has somewhat equipped me for having conversations with a roboticist someday. It helped me understand how to define what a robot is and how often we utilize robots without even knowing it, thus enabling me to appreciate a roboticist's works and step into their world of thought. Part of evangelism is stepping into the shoes of another and understanding their culture, whether they be a roboticist or a seamstress. The Messiah stepped into the peasant world of first century Judea and preached about the Kingdom using parables about fish, nets, marriage, farming, shepherding, and other things the people could understand. The Christian doesn't study in order to talk over people, acting as if they're intellectually above the person, but in order to talk on the person's level. God loved humanity so much that He entered into our context and spoke plainly to us. Because this theology permeates every area of our lives, we can read a book about robots so that, when the opportunity comes, we can illustrate the Good News with imagery a roboticist will relate with. We can step into their world and learn to speak their language. That is the heart of studying in light of evangelism.

Lastly, have you interacted with a robot this week? If you took an elevator recently, then the answer is yes.

I pray that the Church would flourish academically out of the scriptural knowledge of God’s epistemological kindness. Shalom on you as you read!

Book Review: Introducing Cultural Anthropology by Howell & Paris

Find it on Amazon.com

This being the first anthropology book I’ve ever read, I came into it without any expectations except to be stretched. Now, an anthropology book isn’t my first pick, but it being a part of the curriculum for online schooling compelled me to read it. In the end, I’m glad I did pick this up; the insight (and not just the grade) is vital for one who will be working cross-culturally. Some of the key lessons that I’ve learned from this book include the following:

First off, it appears that culture is not so static as much as it is an ever-evolving conversation. As a missionary, one of the things that I’ve noticed is the common perception that Native America would have remained the same had the pilgrims not landed, or Africa would have remained the same hadn’t missionaries “ruined” the African culture (more on that in a later blog).  This has apparently never been true. Whether a people-group is isolated or rubbing shoulders with another people-group, their culture is ever changing. We must not be ethnocentric in thinking that we Westerners make or break the world. The peoples of the world are involved in the fluid conversation of culture, and that culture can change apart from American or European influence.

Secondly, the West is not the sole influencer in globalization, nor is globalization a modern Western creation. Rather, America is being globalized as well, not simply globalizing. Case in point: We look at McDonald’s getting a footing in China and the word Westernization comes to mind. But what do we call Californian Suburbanites doing Saturday morning Yoga? Indianization? America is not solely influencing other cultures, but being influenced as well, and it turns out that globalization is far more complicated than just some cruel capitalist wearing a suit and sitting behind a desk, seeking the next culture to stamp out.

Due to this book, I’ve also noticed the… egotistical attitude of America in general. I was on a ranch in a particularly large southern state when I met a cowboy (literally, he had spurs, a hat, and a lasso) who told me how superior America is to other or “second-rate” countries. Had I read the book before I met him, I could have pointed out his ethnocentric attitude. Being ethnocentric means that you glorify your culture over that of other nations. It’s the view that if everyone just did things my way, the world would be a better place. One’s own culture becomes the standard. This is what was perhaps the most interesting lesson I’ve learned from this book: the potential to be ethnocentric. It was evident in the thinking of early anthropologists, and it’s evident in American culture now. While the rest of the world is swimming in speedos, American men are wearing swim-trunks. The ethnocentric American looks at the rest of the world swimming and says, “They’ll eventually come around,” while the anthropologically savvy person realizes that we’re just the weird kid in the corner of the pool swimming in little pants.

The end goal is not to come to hate American culture, but to put it in its appropriate place. I love being an American, but I do not hold America up to a glorified light. I love the fact that I grew up in Philadelphia visiting Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, watching baseball, and eating Philly cheese-steaks. I love America and its passion for freedom, but I understand that American culture is not the answer to the world. Jesus is the answer.

There is so much more I could say about this book, but I’ll wrap it up and recommend it for this reason: to stave off any ethnocentricity in yourself.

Worshiping God with the Mind

I love to read and to write, and I love schoolwork, but this wasn’t always the case. I scarcely picked
up a book in high school, which I passed with minimal enthusiasm and effort. Yet over the years, God had been working in my heart, not with furious bolts of lightning and forceful rain, but with a gentle, consistent drizzle. People commend me for enjoying reading and writing, but I am certainly not a self-made man. The Lord changed my heart into something new starting in 2006 and subtly transformed me into a studier.

Bertrand Russell once said “There are two motives for reading a book; one, that you enjoy it; the other, that you can boast about it.” Those are two reasons one can read a book, but I feel that Russell’s analysis is incomplete and (being atheistic) doesn’t take into account the Lord’s ability to touch the human heart and fill it with purpose outside of self. Do people read books because they enjoy them? Yes. Do people read books so that they can boast about it? Yes. Yet a person can also open up the driest books on the planet out of a desire to worship Him with the mind rather than to worship the mind. From Old Testament genealogies to grammar to the history of Canada, nothing is too boring (no offense, eh?) because the believer reads a great breadth of information while passionately saying, “Lord, I understand that I don’t know as much as I ought to know. Give me knowledge and understanding that I may worship You.” This is the Christ-centered motivation for study. It’s the heart that wishes to fulfill 1 Peter 3:15 by being able to give a reasonable defense and not settling with a shrug or a pat answer.

I pray that the Church would flourish academically out of the scriptural knowledge of God’s epistemological kindness. Shalom on you as you read!

Passages to Consider:
Prov. 2:6
Jer. 33:3
2 Tim. 2:15

Job Description: A Philosophy on Missions

I have been preparing for missions ever since I graduated High School in 2006, starting off unwitting diligence with ministry internships which eventually lead me to Biblical and cross-cultural training at BCOM. Throughout college, I was impassioned for the Gospel, the Great Commission, and the unreached peoples of the earth. Passion is usually what we see in missionaries, and passion is essential. There is, however, another thing that all missionaries need as much as passion: Planning.

Every worker of the Gospel, no matter if they're in Marseille, France or Brownsville, Ohio, needs a plan. The unspoken question of, "So, Jarred, what will you actually... do with your time?" must be answered. It must be understood by the Senders that my family and I aren't going to Marseille for vacation, but for the important work of laboring for the Gospel. It is my desire to be open with the various activities that will make up my 40-45 hour work week, that those who send may be encouraged by our faithfulness, that fellow missionaries may be exhorted by our intentionality, and that we may be strengthened by your accountability.

To-Do:

Here is a list of the various activities I will engage in as a pastor/teacher:

~Prayer This is not an exhaustive time of extreme isolation, but rather taking time with others every day to intercede for the French people.
~Communication Skills This involves reading French books and taking language classes to develop a robust French vernacular. This will also include Learning Arabic via Rosetta Stone.
~Preparing to Teach Studying the Scriptures in order to be thoroughly versed in the Bible as well as reading a broad variety of subjects in order to be a competent teacher.
~Individual Meetings Sitting down with Christians in order to encourage them in the faith and with non-Christians in order to share the Gospel with them.
~Developing Discipleship Curriculum Blogging devotionals as well as designing and printing Bible study handouts for small-groups.
~Hosting/Facilitating Small-groups Welcoming people into our home as well as the homes of other believers for teaching, worship, communion, fellowship, and prayer.
~Assisting Fellow Missionaries Taking time every week to lend a hand to my fellow missionaries in whatever ministry they're participating in.
~Updating Senders This includes but is not limited to writing letters, emails, post cards, Facebook updates, and video chatting via Google Hangout.

There is more that we can put on the list, undoubtedly, but this is a clear job description of what we will be doing during the week. As a teacher, I will dress as a teacher and conduct myself as one too, having in mind my mission while in France: To teach the Bible and to preach the Gospel. This will take many forms, but I am a teacher in the end and will answer as such when asked what it is that I do.

It is our prayer that us practicing excellence, integrity, professionalism, and faithfulness will encourage all to do everything possible to schedule their time with the Kingdom in mind.
Grace to you.