Post Tenebras Lux

But That’s Just Your Interpretation!

This article is closely related to Mike Ovey’s The Art of Imperious Ignorance. Carson addresses a recent social media post affirming imperious ignorance in the case of LGBT affirmation, making some additional points to Ovey’s article:

  • Omniscience on a subject is not the criteria certain knowledge, and it is misleading to claim it. Not having complete knowledge doesn’t necessarily free us to act according to our own interpretation.

  • It is a mistake to pit faith against knowledge. Faith in the Bible is meant to be in a fundamentally trustworthy object. Truth is a core part of the Christian faith.

  • If one takes the argument of not being able to “know for sure” further, then we can’t even say that we “know for sure” that God is good, or a host of any other core Christian beliefs.

  • We may be more deeply affected by postmodernism than we know. The culture of subjectivity and individual interpretation is a product of it, where we just circle around the text, never able to approach its true meaning. Everyone’s interpretation is equally valid, and one interpretation that claims exclusivity is “just one interpretation.” This reminds me of how a small group discussion can go, where everyone shares their own opinion or interpretation. The conversation similarly goes in a circle and doesn’t get closer to the truth.

    Ideally, as we engage the text, we move more in a hermeneutical spiral than a circle. This sort of spiral is true of how we learn in general, not just how we interact with the Bible.

  • We ought to fight against cultures that are ruthlessly dismissive of others, but we should also recognize that all cultures are not necessarily equal; that is a postmodernist view.

  • When others react against our speaking of biblical truth, perhaps it is not us they are upset with, but God. Thus, we shouldn’t be afraid to speak God’s truth.

Quotes

  • But the woman was determined to make herself the victim, and me the abuser and victimizer. So finally I asked her, rather quietly, if her anger and hurt sprang from what I said, or from what God says in Scripture. Was she angry with me, or with God? I make it a practice to listen to alternative interpretations, and I am happy to be corrected: I too must want to be a good worker who does not need to be ashamed as I handle the Bible. But if I tremble before the Word of God, I will not duck what it has to say just because it is culturally uncomfortable.