• Education,  Epistemology,  History,  Mark Noll,  Relativism

    Christian Relativism Anyone?

    After an accumulation of facts, meticulously researched in the most objective way possible, a researcher has the task of presenting the facts in a coherent way. The question is: can he do this without imposing his own political ideology, psychological leanings or scientific paradigm? Historian, Mark Noll, suggests that there are three attitudes available in response to the question. The scientistic attitude requires a scrupulous attention to method. If we get the method right the rest will follow. This attitude is held by positivist scientists and requires the adoption of a verificationist methodology modeled on an “empirical conception of the physical sciences.” The ideological attitude suggests that “historical writing exists…

  • Cornelius Van Til,  History

    Why We Should Take Our Bibles to History Class

    If something happens, is there a way to think about it that is truthful? Does every event have a particular meaning or is it open to interpretation? Does everything depend on how one looks at it, a myriad of perceptual angles? For Cornelius Van Til, all events in history are part of God’s plan. Consequently, the interpretation of an event has taken place prior to the event. The truth about the event is known, by God, long before the event occurs. For human beings this means that interpreting an event truthfully is to “think God’s thoughts after him.” However, not all that human beings can know about events can be known just by watching them. For…