Biblical Absolutes and Relativism

© 2010 by Fulcrum Ministries (www.FulcrumMinistries.org) 1

The The Great Great DivideDivide

Biblical Absolutes and RelativismBiblical Absolutes and RelativismByBy

James C. Wright, J.D.James C. Wright, [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


The Great DivideThe Great Divide

In the West, In the West, post-modernitypost-modernity has has captured our laws, captured our laws, our courts, our art, our courts, our art, our universities and our universities and our culture.our culture.

Post-modernityPost-modernity now now defines the structure, defines the structure, hopes and aspirations of our lives, hopes and aspirations of our lives, families, culture and society.families, culture and society.


Why Worldviews Why Worldviews Matter . . .Matter . . .


What Is Post-Modernity? What Is Post-Modernity?

Post-Post-Modernity: Modernity: There either are There either are no absolutes, no absolutes, or if they do or if they do exist, there exist, there is no way of is no way of knowing what knowing what they are. they are.


Post-ModernityPost-ModernityThe Age of Skepticism The Age of Skepticism and Relativismand Relativism• Impossible to know what is Impossible to know what is

objectively true, moral or objectively true, moral or realreal

• Truth, morality and reality Truth, morality and reality are subjective and relativeare subjective and relative

• Autonomy and individual Autonomy and individual choice are defining choice are defining principles for societyprinciples for society

• ““That may be true for you, That may be true for you, but it’s not necessarily true but it’s not necessarily true for me.”for me.” Judges 17:6


Christianity & Post-Christianity & Post-ModernityModernity

Post-Post-modernity modernity has has taken hold of taken hold of most of our most of our ChurchesChurches and is and is the worldview of the worldview of a a majority of majority of born-again born-again ChristiansChristians in in America. America.


Most Christians Most Christians Are Post-Are Post-Modernists! Modernists!

Only Only 32 percent32 percent of born-again adults of born-again adults in America believe that absolute moral truth exists. in America believe that absolute moral truth exists. • Two out of three born-again adults in America either

reject the concept of absolute truth . . . or (perhaps even more scarily) . . . they haven't got a clue!

Only Only 9 percent9 percent of born-again teenagers believe of born-again teenagers believe that absolute moral truth exists.that absolute moral truth exists.• Over nine out of ten born-again teenagers in America

have bought into post-modernity rather than authentic Christianity.

-- Barna Research Group, Ltd. (www.barna.org)-- Barna Research Group, Ltd. (www.barna.org)


Most Christians Most Christians Are Post-Are Post-Modernists! Modernists!

In Western Europe, my travelsIn Western Europe, my travelsindicate that the statistics likely are far indicate that the statistics likely are far worse – as a result, the Church is very weak worse – as a result, the Church is very weak and anemic.and anemic.

In former communist countries, the need for In former communist countries, the need for transcendent, absolute truth was more transcendent, absolute truth was more widely recognized following their experience widely recognized following their experience with authoritarian humanism, but this with authoritarian humanism, but this lesson from history is fading with time.lesson from history is fading with time.


Worldviews Matter . . .Worldviews Matter . . . Your worldview has consequences because it Your worldview has consequences because it

determines your life’s potential – individuals determines your life’s potential – individuals and societies will never exceed the limits of and societies will never exceed the limits of their worldview without a new worldviewtheir worldview without a new worldview

How we view ourselves and relate How we view ourselves and relate to those around us, how others to those around us, how others relate to us, and how we actrelate to us, and how we actdepends on our worldviewdepends on our worldview

Our society’s dominant world-Our society’s dominant world-view determines the very view determines the very structure of our nation and structure of our nation and our lives, whether we agree with it or notour lives, whether we agree with it or not


The Roots of Post-ModernityThe Roots of Post-ModernityThe “Enlightenment”The “Enlightenment”• Man, through reason Man, through reason

alone, can know what alone, can know what is true, moral and realis true, moral and real

• Science seeks to Science seeks to limit reality and limit reality and knowledge knowledge to material world of to material world of cause and effectcause and effect

• Gives birth to Gives birth to utopianism & utopianism & resulting tyranny resulting tyranny – Marxism, fascism & socialism– Marxism, fascism & socialism


Why Is It Called Post-Why Is It Called Post-Modernity?Modernity?

The Modern Era The Modern Era • “Enlightenment” resulted

in tyranny and genocide• Human reason alone

utterly failed to develop any objective basis what is true, good or beautiful

In reaction, the idea that In reaction, the idea that truth exists has been truth exists has been arrogantly rejected.arrogantly rejected.


Post-Modernity . . .Post-Modernity . . .

A worldview that says:A worldview that says:• There is no external

authority – everything is relative, subjective and individualistic.

• There is no universal meaning or unity to our lives, society or the world – other than shifting alliances of individual self interest.


Anarchy and TyrannyAnarchy and Tyranny

History shows that when a society History shows that when a society rejects transcendent, rejects transcendent, universal norms for universal norms for its art, culture, laws, its art, culture, laws, institutions and institutions and families, then the families, then the inevitable result is inevitable result is anarchy leading anarchy leading to tyranny.to tyranny.


11stst Century Century RomeRome

1818thth Century Century FranceFrance


Biblical PresuppositionsBiblical Presuppositions We start with the presuppositions We start with the presuppositions

(premises) that 1) there are (premises) that 1) there are absolutesabsolutes, 2) , 2) which are which are defined bydefined by GodGod , 3) who speaks , 3) who speaks to us through to us through scripture scripture and his and his creationcreation, , and 4) gives us and 4) gives us faithfaith to believe to believe and and reasonreason to understand.to understand.

Any worldview Any worldview that denies these that denies these presuppositions is presuppositions is notnot Biblical. Biblical.


Revelation and ReasonRevelation and Reason Reason, apart from Reason, apart from

revelation, can only lead to revelation, can only lead to relativism, skepticism and relativism, skepticism and despair because it is despair because it is impossible to know impossible to know objective truth, morality objective truth, morality and reality apart from Godand reality apart from God

This was the great failing This was the great failing of the Enlightenment – it of the Enlightenment – it only worked to the extent only worked to the extent reason was shaped by reason was shaped by Biblical truthsBiblical truths


Three Philosophical IssuesThree Philosophical Issues All worldviews must attempt to All worldviews must attempt to

answer (even if unsuccessfully) answer (even if unsuccessfully) three philosophical questions:three philosophical questions:I. How do we know what

is true? (epistemology)II. How do we know what

is moral and good? (ethics)III. How do we know what

is real and our essential nature? (metaphysics)

The resulting answers define The resulting answers define how we live our lives, relate to how we live our lives, relate to others and to God, perceive the universe, others and to God, perceive the universe, structure society and shape our lawsstructure society and shape our laws


First Philosophical IssueFirst Philosophical Issue

I.I. EpistemologyEpistemology::The Problem of The Problem of Knowing What Knowing What is Trueis True

Can finite human Can finite human beings be certain beings be certain of anything of anything unless we know unless we know everything?everything?


Second Philosophical IssueSecond Philosophical Issue

II.II. EthicsEthics::The Problem of The Problem of Knowing What is Knowing What is Right and MoralRight and Moral

Can imperfect Can imperfect human beings, human beings, with conflicting with conflicting motives, know motives, know what is objectively what is objectively right or moral?right or moral?


Third Philosophical IssueThird Philosophical Issue

III.III. MetaphysicsMetaphysics::The Problem of Knowing The Problem of Knowing What is Real and The What is Real and The Essential Nature of Essential Nature of Things and OurselvesThings and Ourselves

With perceptions With perceptions limited by subjective limited by subjective senses, can we know senses, can we know what is objectively real?what is objectively real?

Can there be the one (a Can there be the one (a universal standard) and universal standard) and the many (diversity)?the many (diversity)?


Biblical PresuppositionsBiblical PresuppositionsA Biblical worldview must start with God A Biblical worldview must start with God as the Creator:as the Creator:• Epistemology: God created all things, yet

transcends all of creation. Only God, therefore, is omniscient and can know everything.

• Ethics: As creator, God is sovereign over His creation and thus has sole authority to define what is moral.

• Metaphysics: Because all things were created by God out of nothing, he alone determines their essential nature. There are no naked facts.


Apart From God . . .Apart From God . . .Our Lives Have No Our Lives Have No

MeaningMeaning““In Him In Him we live and we live and move and move and have our have our being.” being.” (Acts 17:28 – (Acts 17:28 – Paul preaching Paul preaching on Mars Hill to on Mars Hill to Greek Stoics Greek Stoics and Epicureans)and Epicureans)


The Gap between God and The Gap between God and ManMan

As a finite, imperfect As a finite, imperfect (sinful), created beings, (sinful), created beings, we cannot know what is we cannot know what is true, what is moral or true, what is moral or what is real apart from what is real apart from GodGod

Only God can bridge the Only God can bridge the epistemological, ethical epistemological, ethical and metaphysical gap and metaphysical gap between us and Him – we between us and Him – we cannot do it ourselves cannot do it ourselves through human ability or through human ability or initiativeinitiative

Tower of Babel:Tower of Babel:Man Trying to Reach GodMan Trying to Reach God


A God Who SpeaksA God Who Speaks

Although we Although we cannot reach cannot reach God through our God through our own efforts, own efforts, God in his God in his mercy has mercy has reached down reached down to usto us

God speaks to God speaks to us in Scripture, us in Scripture, which is his authoritative revelation which is his authoritative revelation regarding his nature and his creationregarding his nature and his creation


Biblical or Biblical or Post-Post-Modern Modern Worldview?Worldview?

Secular rationalism as a viable worldview is dead Secular rationalism as a viable worldview is dead (yet we still try to “convince” people that (yet we still try to “convince” people that Christianity is true through evidential apologetics)Christianity is true through evidential apologetics)

Now that the “modern” age has ended, Western Now that the “modern” age has ended, Western culture faces a choiceculture faces a choice

The only two externally coherent worldviews left are The only two externally coherent worldviews left are Christianity (reason empowered by objective truth, Christianity (reason empowered by objective truth, morality and reality) and post-modernity (nihilism)morality and reality) and post-modernity (nihilism)


The Tyranny of Post-The Tyranny of Post-ModernityModernity

Post-modernity, however, Post-modernity, however, is internally incoherent is internally incoherent because it rests on an because it rests on an inherent contradiction: It inherent contradiction: It must assert absolutely must assert absolutely that there are no that there are no absolutes. absolutes.

Ultimately, this inherent Ultimately, this inherent contradiction leads to contradiction leads to tyrannytyranny

While claiming neutrality, While claiming neutrality, post-modernity seeks to post-modernity seeks to supplant virtuesupplant virtue


God or Autonomous Man?God or Autonomous Man?

Only a Biblical world-Only a Biblical world-view, rooted in a view, rooted in a transcendent, omniscient transcendent, omniscient and sovereign Creator and sovereign Creator who reveals truth, morality who reveals truth, morality and reality to rational man and reality to rational man is both externally and is both externally and internally coherentinternally coherent

Only an authoritative God Only an authoritative God who defines the limits of who defines the limits of human institutions like the human institutions like the Church and the State is Church and the State is able to preserve true libertyable to preserve true liberty


A Biblical WorldviewA Biblical Worldview

““We demolish arguments and every pretension We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” make it obedient to Christ.” ((II Cor. 10:5 NIVII Cor. 10:5 NIV))

Unless Christ is Lord over your presuppositions Unless Christ is Lord over your presuppositions and worldview by submitting to Biblical and worldview by submitting to Biblical norms, He is Lord over none of your life.norms, He is Lord over none of your life.

Biblical Absolutes and Relativism

Spiritual

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