Meagan Palermo
Theology 202
Experience and Theology
Webster Dictionary defines experience as, “…the fact or state of having been affected by or gained knowledge through direct observation or participation.” The word experience is often used when trying to show qualifications of one’s life. For example, one may have had experience planning weddings before, therefore they believe this gives them more knowledge of how the process is ran, and they believe it that makes their clientele feel secure. This security is an emotional reaction. The word experience has become a word that has become subjective. One’s experience may not amount to what another may believe experience really entails. Evangelical theology doesn’t have wavering opinions of whether experience is relevant or not. This is because evangelical theology’s only blueprint is the Bible. The Bible does not accommodate to feelings. It’s an unwavering source. Therefore, experience and truth are linked.
Moreover, when believing the meaning of experience stems from what emotional reactions occur rather than the doctrine of the Bible that the word’s meaning stems from, this ultimately changes the word altogether. Experience involves the change of the individual’s personal life. This is seen in the Bible. The story of Adam and Eve is a perfect example of this. They experienced a major change when they disobeyed God. They understood that God was telling the truth when He said that their actions would have consequences if they were to eat from the tree of good and evil. Therefore, because they disobeyed, they had a transformative change of their personal life. They were kicked out of the Garden of Eden. Their personal life was ultimately changed because of their experience. The Bible is the ultimate source of what experience means. It’s unwavering and a steady source that can be used rather than turning to emotional reactions that can change almost simultaneously.
Resources
“Experience.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-
webster.com/dictionary/experience. Accessed 19 Feb. 2024.
