The Truth, Belief, And Justification

With this lesson, we begin a new unit on epistemology, which is the philosophical study of knowledge claims. In this first lesson on epistemology, we begin by examining the question “What do we mean when we say we know something?” What exactly is knowledge? We will begin with a presentation that introduces the traditional definition of knowledge. Wood then discusses some of the basic issues raised in the study of epistemology and then presents an approach to epistemology that focuses on obtaining the intellectual virtues, a point we will elaborate on in the next lesson.

Sometimes when we hear the word justification we find it accompanied by other “ation” words: sanctification, glorification, propitiation, regeneration and imputation. These words are from time to time used interchangeably. This can be confusing and needs to be clarified before continuing. Imputation is where credit has been given. It can also mean to lay responsibility on someone. With God, imputation is where He accounts righteousness to the believer. Sanctification is separate from justification. Justification is about one’s position with God; sanctification is about one’s spiritual condition. Propitiation is defined in “Reformation tradition as the satisfaction of divine wrath upon sin”. Regeneration is the creation of a new heart and new spirit. This change of heart and spirit is what allows us to live righteous lives. Glorification comes once we receive our heavenly reward. It is the completion of our salvation.

How is the term justification defined by scholars? What is your own definition based on your research?

Christianity treads a delicate delineation between faith and reason. At times, the two seem mutually exclusive. During the early stages of Christianity, church fathers argued about the roles of Athens and Jerusalem in Christianity. Some, like Tertullian, insisted Christianity consisted solely of Jerusalem, or faith alone. Others, like St. Augustine and Clement of Alexandria, argued that all truth stems from the character of God, and is thus viable to the Christian. They united Athens and Jerusalem, reason and faith. The interplay of faith and reason shines brightest through the work of Thomas Aquinas, who, like Augustine, believed faith and reason play an intertwined role in revealing truth.

The topic of knowledge and belief has been a subject of investigation and a primary field in philosophical research for centuries. Whether it was Aristotle or Descartes, multiple ideas on knowledge and belief arise, such as the epistemological theories of foundationalism or coherentism, which provide philosophical explanations to this debate. For the sake of this essay, and in my own opinion, knowledge should be distinguished from belief. Everyone is subject to different types of beliefs based on upbringing, however knowledge of basic items is universal, therefore it immediately becomes apparent that there is a clear distinction between the two concepts.

| The study of knowledge: What constitutes knowledge, the nature of knowledge, and whether knowledge is possible

During the first few weeks of class we’ve gone through various texts in order to better our understanding of human knowledge. We have talked about Christianity St. Matthew “The Sermon on the Mount”, Plato and “The Allegory of the Cave”, “The Four Idols” of Sir Francis Bacon, Robert Frost’s “Mending Wall”, and even Carl Jung and “The Structure of the Psyche”. All these texts may have been written in different eras and different places, but they have one thing in common, and that is their understandings of human nature and knowledge, and how they demonstrate to us epistemology (how we know) and metaphysics (what human beings know).

My initial reaction to this text, A Critique of Skepticism, by John Hospers, held some unique technique as well with reason in regard to “Theory of Knowledge.” I think it was comprised with various, yet continuous questions. For example: What is knowing something is substantial? - Why is it imperative to isolate between what you know and do or can't know? - When do you doubt what you thought you truly knew? These questions fascinate my mind into pondering about things, substances, items, any form etc. This paper spotlights on uncertainty, and why philosophers, for instance, John Hospers challenge against this viewpoint. There are many avenues to approach what the idea of knowing- what do we know? How did we learn to know it? It can continue

Moreover, religious documents are viewed as fiction. The Bible, especially, is seen as impossible for Atheists to relate to or form any kind of scientific reasoning for our creation on Earth. Atheists focus their attention on human doubt and science breakthroughs. Beliefs like evolution, natural selection, and other scientific opinions are considered because of their factual foundations.

To truly think about knowledge brings about some interesting thought. When asked to think about knowledge, most individuals concern themselves solely with what they know such as certain subjects, theories or facts. In the grand scheme of things, this way of thought is seemingly only minute or even superficial. As human beings, we do not always considered how we come to know what we know. We often place are acquisition of knowledge lower in a taxonomy of importance. All too often, individuals take knowledge and its power for granted. However, individuals like René Descartes and his work, The Meditations, provide a deep exploration of knowledge and all its facets. For every individual or scholar this work is very important in that it causes

The Doctrine of Justification has been a vital teaching throughout the history of Christianity and it is the fulcrum upon which the Church balances; even minor tweaking could result in drastic changes to our core beliefs. This Doctrine can be summarized to say that Justification is God’s declaration, that only through faith in his son’s suffering are we saved and are righteous in God’s sight. This teaching is as old as our religion and we can see this through its expression from both old and new testaments writers. Justification is at the heart of our faith, so it is important to be able to understand and analyze this fundamental Doctrine.

Without justification, arguments for God are shrouded with problems. For example, in the essay Belief without Argument, Alvin Plantinga argues for a weak foundationalism, which claims that God is a basic belief. A basic belief is the foundation of all knowledge and does not need proof. He is a Calvinist that believes God is a self-evident basic belief that is infallible. With God as the basic belief, all human knowledge rests on this infallible foundation. Michael Martin raises issues with Plantinga’s claim by demonstrating that an infallible basic belief can be ambiguous. In contrast, a community of individuals who hold that the catholic God is a basic belief may be in conflict with another community that claims that the Devil is a basic belief. Consequently, since Plantinga’s basic belief is infallible, it clashes with other beliefs in an epistemic relativistic fashion. An interchangeable infallible basic belief demonstrates that arguments for God need to justified through argument and evidence. It is important to incorporate rational understanding when contemplating on a deity because claims of infallibility are dangerous. Moreover, a basic belief with many communities in conflict raises many epistemic issues that defy

Empiricist philosophers such as John Locke believe that knowledge must come from experience. Others philosophers such as Descartes believe that knowledge is innate; this way of thinking is used by rationalist. In this paper I will discuss the difference between Descartes rationalism in his essays "The Meditations" and Locke's empiricism in his essays "An Essay Concerning Human Understanding". I will then lend my understanding as to what I believe as the ultimate source of knowledge.

A perpetual conflict emanating throughout all mankind questions the significance of knowledge to human nature, regarding knowledge’s definition, acquisition, branches, and value. Major role models in the foundation of philosophy - specifically, in this essay, Plato and Aristotle - obsess over the significance of knowledge and its importance to and relationship with the development of human beings and their mindsets. Although Plato’s view on knowledge describes the internal predisposed essence of all Forms and the need for a superior being to extract them from the student, Aristotle’s outlook resides as more reliable and realistic due to his beliefs in the premise of knowledge in the sensation and perception, with continuing development in memory, experience, art and science, and, ultimately, true wisdom.

The purpose of this thesis is to provide an understanding of the meaning of Soteriology and the relation to the Doctrine of Salvation and Grace (Free Grace). Soteriology is “the study of the doctrine of salvation.” Basically, the teaching of Soteriology is part of Systematic Theology.