Cats, Dogs, and the
Scientific Method
Why is it that in our quest
to discover the "right way" to perceive God, our gaze so often shifts
to the differences we see in others? When we ask questions about God, why do
our answers often end up being about people? In essence, we try to satisfy
questions we have about God by pointing out the problems in other
people. "I may not know the answer for sure, but you're definitely
wrong," is the mentality we tend to take toward controversial religious
topics.
Let me clarify, if I want
to know all about a specific type of dog, I'm not going spend all my time
arguing with cats about the nature of dogs. That would be ludicrous. If I want
to know about dogs, I’m going to have to focus on dogs.
The same is true of God. If
I want to know about God, I’ll have to focus on God, not on the ways other
people think differently about Him. Theology, like geology or biology, is a
science—the science of God. And science revolves around things that can be tested.
Interestingly enough, Scripture says, “You must not test the Lord your God”
(Luke 4:12)
The Scientific Method
dictates that I should ask a question, observe the subject, form a
hypothesis, perform an experiment to test my hypothesis, and then draw conclusions. Can
this be done to God? We can certainly ask questions, but the Scientific Method
fizzles out from there. We cannot observe God Himself. Scripture indicates that
to see God with our eyes would actually kill us. Scripture also tells us,
however, that we are without excuse for not believing in God because the things
we can see put God’s attributes on display. “Through
everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal
power and divine nature” (Romans 1:20)
Scripture warns about the
consequences of literally observing God. Scripture itself provides us with all
the description of God we need, thus hypothesizing is futile. Scripture forbids
us from testing God. And Scripture has already made the necessary conclusions about
God through Jesus Christ revealing Him perfectly. It sounds to me as if God is
not even remotely interested in being subjected to the Scientific Method.
God is not even remotely interested in being subjected to the
Scientific Method.
So, if we can’t see God and
we can’t test God, how should theology (a science) be developed? The answer is
simple: Scripture. Scripture is what the intellectuals refer to as Special
Revelation or Specific Revelation. Scripture, along
with nature and the human conscience (General Revelation) is what God
has revealed to us about Himself, and it can be questioned, observed,
hypothesized about, put to the test, and concluded about.
It seems to me that God has
purposefully set up two types of knowledge as it pertains to Him: 1. Knowing
about Him, and 2. Knowing Him. As we established, God is not interested in
having us treat Him like a dissected animal in biology class. He does, however,
delight when we pick apart all the living wisdom residing in the body of His
Word. God absolutely wants us to learn about Him, and the Word is foundational
to that process. But God also wants us to get to know Him, and while Scripture
is also integral to this process, it is not designed to replace a relationship
with God, the person.
God seeks for us to know
Him personally. This involves many things: talking to Him, listening to Him,
spending quality time with Him, learning from Him, honoring Him with our
talents, and a host of other things we would do with and for any person we
claim to love. I honestly believe God is hurt when the extent of our
“relationship” with him is achieved through the Scientific Method. He isn’t a
textbook to be studied; He is a person to be known and loved. And like many
people, He isn’t as predictable as we would like to believe.
When Theology Becomes
Idolatry
I also think we can create
an idol out of theology. Our pride abounds when we think we understand God
better than others do. That’s not worshipping a God we know personally; that is
worshipping ourselves by parading our intellect. This idolatry causes two
terrible evils that contradict the Greatest Commandment: 1. It divides us from
God the person by exalting God the concept and 2. It divides us from God's
people, which is equally detestable to God. According to the words of Jesus, to
be divided is to be disobedient.
To be divided is to be disobedient.
What is God’s purpose for
us? Jesus spells it out as clearly as possible in John 17:21 “I pray that they
will all be one, just as you and I are one…” God wants us to be unified with
Him and with each other. When unity is not our number one priority, we are
scoffing at the work of the cross. When we elevate our individual understanding
of God above our desire to be one with Him and with each other, we are no
longer aligned with Christ’s purposes and His perfect methods for achieving
them.
If our goal is to spread
the Gospel, then our greatest tool is unity. “May they experience such perfect unity that the world will
know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.” (John
17:23) Thinking we know all about God will always divide us,
but knowing God will always unite us. When we are united the
Gospel is spread, the Fruit of the Spirit is grown, and the focus is taken off
of us and put back where it belongs—on God.
The “My Way or the Highway”
mentality will always keep the Gospel out of the highways and hedges.
