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Yes, the PhD
thesis is huge. But I did state to persons that assisted me with the
questionnaires that I would share those results and my research paper over
time.
Today is my
first day off (other than weekends) since I started with corporate security.
It was very
good to receive a phone call this afternoon from my former Pastor, Pastor John,
and we agreed praying for my blogging and for my career that the focus should
be gospel focused and not productivity focused which I noted was a Western
concept. We both agreed that there was no question it was God’s will for me to
obtain the Doctorate, even without related work offers at present.
Methodology:
Daniel Day Williams
Daniel Day
Williams (1969) comments that there are certain broad foundations of the
empirical method that can perhaps be agreed upon.[1] One, experience in the empirical method is
the felt, bodily, organic action of human history.[2] This experience includes sense data, but is
not limited by it.[3] Williams writes that there is a mysterious
disclosure of God by which God is revealed metaphysically, and he reasons that
human faith cannot survive without interpreting this metaphysical experience
that is manifested in all things.[4] Traditional Christian thought can agree that,
in a sense, God reveals things about himself outside of revealed Scripture.
Through creation God provided sufficient evidence for his existence, and
therefore persons would be accountable for denying this revelation. This is known as natural revelation and is
distinguished from special revelation. Special revelation would include Scripture
and the gospel message and therefore natural revelation would provide natural
information concerning God, but not specific information in regard to
salvation. The knowledge of God for
humanity is limited when restricted to natural theology. It is not the same knowledge of God that is
revealed supernaturally in Scripture.
James D.G. Dunn (1988) writes it is clear that within the Romans text
the concept of God revealing himself through natural theology exists.[5] This natural theology has always been
apparent to humanity, and has been present as long as the cosmos have existed.[6]
Two, God is
experienced as a power and process, immanent, and therefore working within the
world, creating ways in which God is experienced by rational communities.[7] Williams asks that if there is a way of
getting knowledge outside of science, what is it?[8] Conservative Christians and some liberals
would of course answer that God has revealed spiritual knowledge through
prophets, apostles and scribes through Scripture. Williams recommends the
phenomenological method, which deals with understanding and clarifying human
experience.[9] For Williams, human beings are animals, but a
special kind of animal that needs to be understood in the context of human
suffering and how this impacts the human relationship with God.[10]
Three, the
knowledge of the character of things is derivable from a disciplined and
critical analysis of the structures in experience and testing of the
theological propositions concerning God and humankind.[11] Empirical theology has often denied religious
claims that are deemed to be private or related to a church.[12] Williams admits, however, that this view is
problematic as every empirical theology stands within a historical religious
perspective.[13] Even though Williams states that each
empirical theology is coming from a historical perspective,[14]
it does not mean that claims and doctrines within a historical approach should
be beyond criticism.[15] Ganzevoort explains that for the empirical
method, Scripture is not limited to its original understanding, and it may be
directed to uncover interpretive potential for today.[16]
Doctrines and creeds within tradition will be questioned,[17]
as will overall religious worldviews.[18] Ganzevoort reasons that for Biblical
theology, other disciplines are often used in the process, such as linguistic
and literary sciences, archeology, and of course history.[19] The other disciplines can yield insights on
Biblical texts,[20]
the implication being that empirical theology is a discipline outside of
Biblical theology, which can also assist in the understanding of Biblical
texts.[21] Philosophically, I reason that for the sake
of religious truth, a member of a faith group, and in particular a scholar such
as myself, must be willing to, while striving for objectivity, examine his
historical religious perspectives and doctrines, and this can occur through the
use of disciplines other than Biblical studies, theology, and philosophy. This
work of empirical theology will provide the opportunity to examine the views
and doctrines of free will, sovereignty, and soul-making theodicy, and also to
evaluate the criticisms of these approaches as well.
Four,
empirical theology has a formal structure that is tentative with correctable
assertions.[22] This would seem to be essential as empirical
theology by nature is awaiting data[23]
and reviewing the quality of that data in order to form conclusions.[24] To form conclusions, based on theological
deductions, before empirical data exists,[25]
would be the work of philosophical and not empirical theology.
DUNN, JAMES
D.G. (1988) Romans, Dallas, Word
Books
GANZEVOORT, R.
RUARD (2004)(2005) ‘van der Ven’s Empirical/Practical Theology and the
Theological Encyclopedia’, in Hermans,
pp.53-74. C.A.M. & Moore M.E. (eds.), Amsterdam.
GANZEVOORT, R.
RUARD (2005) ‘WYSIWYG: Social Construction in Practical Theological
Epistemology’, in R. Ruard Ganzevoort,
R. Ruard Ganzevoort, Amsterdam.
WILLIAMS,
DANIEL DAY (1969) ‘Suffering and Being in Empirical Theology’, in The Future of Empirical Theology,
Chicago, the University of Chicago Press.
[1] Williams (1969: 176).
[2] Williams (1969: 176).
[3] Williams (1969: 176).
[4] Williams (1969: 177-178).
[5] Dunn (1988: 56).
[6] Dunn (1988: 57). There is no assumption here that human beings
existed at the creation of the cosmos.
[7] Williams (1969: 176).
[8] Williams (1969: 178).
[9] Williams (1969: 178).
[10] Williams (1969: 178).
[11] Williams (1969: 177).
[12] Williams (1969: 180).
[13] Williams (1969: 180).
[15] Williams (1969: 180).
[16] Ganzevoort (2004)(2005: 4).
[18] Ganzevoort (2004)(2005: 4).
[19] Ganzevoort (2004)(2005: 4).
[20] Ganzevoort (2004)(2005: 4).
[21] Ganzevoort (2004)(2005: 4).
[22] Williams (1969: 177).
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