Spirituality in the Christianity Perspective
The idea of spirituality is diverse and does not only found in Christianity. Other religions believe in spirituality, although the perspective held by everyone depends on their worldview. The general perspective that has existed on spirituality is that it is ranked above physicality in the universe. The spiritual world is believed to be stronger than the physical world. The Christian view of spirituality begins with the belief in a supernatural being. Christianity is founded on the belief of a supernatural God who is spiritual and exists in trinity. The spirituality of the Christian God comprises of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit but is spiritually referred to as one being (Meilaender, n. p). Spirituality in the Christian perspective involves the practice of the values, beliefs, and the way of life that is defined in the Christian Bible. The nature of God allows Christians to receive help from the Holy Spirit concerning leading a spiritual life. Generally, the idea of spirituality in Christianity contradicts postmodern relativism in that Christianity advocates for truth, unlike postmodernism that does not support certainty for most facts. Moreover, spirituality in Christianity is based on the truth that is revealed by the Holy Spirit.
Christian Spirituality is based on pure truth, and no chance is left for denying the truth, as seen among postmodernists. Postmodernism believes that there is nothing as truth and that everything is designed to fit the progress of human beings. Christianity, however, is led by the power of the Holy Spirit to discern truth and certainty found among the ideologies given in the bible. The idea of spirituality in Christianity treats a person as a complete being that connects the body, the spirit, and the other life components. Spirituality is not distinguished from other life components as they would not function without the spirit. Generally, spirituality in Christianity is the part of a person that can discern truth and falsity, and its definition is contrary to the development set through postmodernism.
Scientism
Scientism is based on the claim that science is the only source of information, although the claim has received harsh criticism leading to a debate. Generally, scientism is mistakenly viewed as a position held by people in science instead of the truth that scientism is a position in philosophy. Scientism is defined as a position that talks about science and not a position that talks for science (Moreland, n. p). Scientism can either be defined as weak or strong, depending on the ideologies held. Strong scientism leaves no space for the development of ideas outside science. Usually, strong scientism claims that everything about knowledge must be accompanied by properly tested evidence from hard sciences. Weak scientism, on the other side, allows for other ideologies outside science. However, the belief in hard sciences prevails where two ideas overlap. Moreover, scientism has been refuted by experts who have passed significant arguments against the position.
Scientism has been challenged by experts who have posed a set of arguments against the position. First, scientism is said to be self-refuting. A position that is self-refuting is one that provides information that is not supported by evidence in the position. For example, the statement by a fifty-year-old man that, “all men die at the age of forty years” is self-refuting because the man does not fit into the statement he presents. Hard scientism is based on the claim that the knowledge about reality is only reliable if it is tested and verified by hard sciences. However, the claim is not tested by hard science that all reality is tested and that it is self-refuting. The second argument against scientism is that weak scientism is not a friend of science. Generally, scientific theories are based on assumptions that require philosophy to uphold their authenticity. When philosophy is taken away from scientific assumptions, weak scientism discredits it, thus becoming a foe of science and not a friend as would be expected.
Ultimate Reality
The most profound nature is the most common question among researchers and other curious people. Generally, everyone wants to know where everything came from and whether there is a power that is above everything that exists. The claim by atheists that reality is the physical matter and energy is flawed in that it overlooks the existence of the non-physical aspects such as spirits (Puchalski, 352). Reality is based on truth and falsity, where fact defines what is real, while falsity defines what is not real. Reality is the explanation or appearance of things according to the way that they indeed are. Also, ultimate reality presents an expression for the reality of existence and the most potent and all-inclusive reality that explains where everything originated from. Of all the definitions given for ultimate reality, the Christian perspective presents a complete explanation. The ultimate reality in the Christian worldview is God, and He is the origin of all things.
The Universe
The question of the correct definition of the universe causes contention among researchers and experts. The universe is generally complex and explaining it is only done in approximations. Generally, the universe is what exists and includes both the physical and spiritual aspects. The universe is not strictly physical, as that would mean that the non-physical reality is not part of the universe. God created the universe, and the complexity has eluded the wisdom of scientists for as long as they have been researching. Since God is spiritual, it would be false to the belief that God only created the physical universe and that no other aspect exists. Therefore, the complete definition of the universe is one that includes both the physical and spiritual realms.
Human Being
The nature of human beings is complex and reaches the extent of contradicting even the best of researchers. Being at the top of the creation chart, human beings cannot manage to understand what is beyond their wisdom. The human being is not simply a biological machine with higher ability than the other animals. The presence of a person complicates the definition of the human structure. In the creation account given concerning creation, human beings were created according to the image of God. Therefore, human beings qualify to be referred to gods since their abilities also higher compared to the other animals. However, the ability of human beings is not equal to that of their creator because they are only an image and not other ‘gods.’ Generally, human beings lack some values such as love for everyone, although the Holy Spirit helps people to live according to the standards of God. Generally, human beings have a spiritual aspect, and their existence does not end on death. The human spirit transits to another state as it awaits judgment and is eternal.
Knowledge
Knowledge is defined as the ability to understand a subject. Also, knowledge may involve the idea of having skills related to something. The definition of knowledge, however, differs among people, and the final definition is based on an individual’s worldview (Shelly, Allen and Arlene, n. p). A similar occurrence is seen in the definition of truth. The existence of absolute truth is contentious and always leaves people debating. The Christian perspective holds that absolute truth exists, and relative truth cannot be tolerated. Truth is only considered relative where an individual attempts to coin their morals outside the known truth. For example, people who want to deviate from Christian morals may come up with ideologies that are true according to their definitions. Some knowledge is, however, sacred and can only be learned from God’s intervention. Human beings do not have all the knowledge needed to keep them in terms with the truth, and thus God is needed to reveal the truth to them. The trust for one’s senses may not offer sufficient truth, and human beings are expected to explore the spiritual realm in search of the truth.
Ethical Basis
The choice of right or wrong has been explained as a relative aspect that depends on the ethical basis of an individual. Applied ethics is my basis of ethics, and thus I interpret right and wrong according to the evidence that I have concerning the situation. The Christian perspective sets a benchmark for morally upright actions, and every Christian will follow them. Morality cannot be said to be learned since if that was the case, then everyone would be morally upright. The designation of morality into one’s conscience is essential in determining whether or not an individual will adhere to morals. God has already set of moral standards that should be adhered to by all Christians. The Ten Commandments are seen as the basis of the morals that govern Christian life. Other religions also have their morals that are agreed upon and believed to work for the benefit of the entire society. Generally, God set the standards for morality, and societies adhered to what was acceptable before God.
Purpose of Existence
Human life is not a result of an accident. The bible used by the Christians explains that human beings were created after an agreement between the trinity of the all-powerful God. Human beings were created according to the image of their creator, and that cannot be defined as an accident. However, the question as to whether everyone is created for a purpose eludes the wisdom of human beings due to the different ways and stages within which human life can end. Generally, God has a purpose for everyone. However, the realization of the purpose of existence is not straight forward. Some people die without achieving their purpose while others fail to know that they already achieved their purpose. The mention of premature deaths in the bible is a confirmation that a person may die before achieving the purpose of existence. The creator created His children with different purposes and helped them in discovering their purpose.
Works Cited
- P. Moreland. “10 Things You Should Know about Scientism.” Crossway (2018)
Meilaender, Gilbert. Bioethics: A primer for Christians. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2013.
Puchalski, C M. “The role of spirituality in health care.” Proceedings (Baylor University. Medical Center) vol. 14,4 (2001): 352-7. doi:10.1080/08998280.2001.11927788
Shelly, Judith Allen, and Arlene B. Miller. Called to care: A Christian worldview for nursing. InterVarsity Press, 2009.
Thomas Burnett. “What is Scientism?” American Association for the Advancement of Science (2020)