How Has Modern Knowledge Reshaped Traditional Faith?

Because our world view is the lens through which we understand our world and because what we learn alters our world view, it is interesting to reflect on how acquired knowledge
reshapes traditional faith.
“Thinking is an act of worship, because truth is God’s gift.” (Adolf Schlatter, 1852-1938) “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge.” (Hosea 4:6)
I would be interested in reactions to the question posed, because for myself I would have to admit many aspects of my faith have changed almost beyond recognition as my knowledge of the world has increased. Please be succinct and use examples to make your case.

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2 Responses to How Has Modern Knowledge Reshaped Traditional Faith?

  1. Andrew G says:

    Scientific knowledge can push the possessor toward a sense of responsibility. It is a signal of transcendence. – Emmanuel Levinas

    For me, one big example from modern knowledge is figuring out the universe is bigger than our galaxy (we learned this maybe less than a hundred years ago?). In fact, much bigger. It’s a clear lesson for me on the dissemination of modern knowledge. Sure we can figure something out, but it takes more than three generations for that knowledge to actually register with people, become accepted or understood, and even become as meaningful as maybe it should be to people.

    Another example is the internet itself. Information works amazing miracles when shared, but loses its truth when caged, rationed out or held in secret by authorities. Kind of like people. When connected, we do the miraculous.

    The recent discovery of mirror neurons is one of my favourites though. We aren’t just autonomous individuals. We are units of a greater network, and we have built-in wi-fi biology.

    All three have tremendous consequences for reshaping traditional faiths (or at least, I hope they do).

  2. peddiebill says:

    I agree that the interconnectedness and vastness of our setting are both key to rethinking traditional thought patterns. It occurs to me that this might be somewhat of a mixed blessing. As with the internet, the spam and rogue operators are harder to keep at a distance and we become interconnected with ideas that are not always helpful. When we are trying to formulate a reconfigured faith that fits our new perceptions we might find ourselves less free to do so than when we could act as smaller independent units. When the boundaries are moving faster than we can respond, faith begins to take on new meaning.

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