Determination of Ultimate Spiritual Authority
Meeting #28 confronted a rich tapestry of philosophical and religious discourse that touched on fundamental questions of epistemology, theology, and spiritual practice. The conversation, led by Thomas Abshier with participants Leonard Hofheins, Charlie Gutierrez, Armond Boulware, and Lucy, reveals deep tensions between rational inquiry and faith-based approaches to religious truth.
The Central Problem of Truth Determination
The meeting begins with a foundational epistemological challenge: how does one determine which religious text or revelation represents ultimate truth? This question emerges as participants grapple with competing claims from various religious traditions. Thomas Abshier introduces a “triangulation” methodology that seeks to validate truth through three convergent sources: historical/textual evidence, personal spiritual experience, and natural observation. This approach represents an attempt to bridge empirical and spiritual ways of knowing.
Leonard Hofheins counters with a more mystical approach, emphasizing a direct relationship with Christ as the ultimate source of truth. His position reflects a classic tension in Christian theology between mediated revelation (through texts) and immediate spiritual experience. Leonard’s declaration that “Christ is the source of truth” moves beyond textual authority to assert a living, accessible divine presence.
The Authority of Scripture and Competing Revelations
A significant portion of the discussion centers on the relative authority of different religious texts. The participants confront the reality that multiple religious traditions claim divine inspiration for their scriptures. Charlie Gutierrez’s research reveals that “every scripture has its apologist, illustrating the superiority of that over all others,” highlighting the universal human tendency to defend one’s chosen religious framework.
Leonard’s advocacy for the Book of Mormon introduces questions about continuing revelation and the possibility that God might provide additional scripture beyond the biblical canon. His position that Joseph Smith received direct revelation challenges Protestant concepts of closed canon while raising questions about how to validate prophetic claims. The discussion touches on the problematic nature of self-attestation, noting parallels between Joseph Smith’s and Muhammad’s claims of direct divine communication.
Childlike Faith Versus Analytical Inquiry
Perhaps the most profound philosophical tension explored in the meeting concerns the value of childlike faith compared to rational analysis. The participants wrestle with Jesus’s teaching about becoming “like a child” and the blessing pronounced on those who believe without seeing. Thomas Abshier’s confession of being “completely adulterated” by extensive religious and philosophical study contrasts sharply with the innocent trust that characterizes childlike faith.
This tension reflects broader questions in philosophy of religion about the relationship between reason and faith. The discussion suggests that excessive analysis might actually impede spiritual experience, creating what Thomas describes as being “weighed down with intellectual considerations.” Armond Boulware’s simple testimony that faith “works” in his life exemplifies the childlike approach that values practical spiritual fruit over sophisticated theological reasoning.
The Doctrine of Christ and Spiritual Practice
Leonard Hofheins articulates what he terms the “doctrine of Christ” – a progressive spiritual path involving belief, baptism, and receiving the Holy Ghost. This formulation represents a sacramental understanding of Christian initiation that emphasizes both personal decision and divine grace. The discussion reveals tensions between different Christian traditions regarding the necessity and meaning of these practices.
The conversation also explores the cost of authentic discipleship, with multiple references to the persecution and suffering experienced by those who truly follow Christ. This theme connects to broader questions about the relationship between spiritual truth and worldly acceptance, suggesting that genuine faith may be inherently counter-cultural.
God’s Experience Through Creation
One of the most innovative theological concepts discussed involves the idea that God experiences creation through human consciousness. Thomas Abshier proposes that when humans live righteously, they provide God with positive experiences of being present in creation. This perspective radically reframes human existence as participation in divine experience rather than mere obedience to external commands.
This concept has profound implications for understanding joy, suffering, and the purpose of human life. It suggests that stoicism and self-denial might actually deprive God of the full experience of creation’s goodness, while wholehearted engagement with life’s pleasures (within moral boundaries) becomes a form of worship.
Technology, AI, and Information Bias
The meeting touches on contemporary concerns about artificial intelligence and information bias, particularly through the discussion of various AI platforms and their ideological training. The conversation about “grok” and other AI systems reveals anxiety about the ways that technological tools might perpetuate cultural and religious biases, making objective inquiry more difficult.
This concern reflects broader epistemological questions about how cultural assumptions shape our access to information and truth. The discussion suggests that even seemingly neutral technologies carry implicit worldviews that can influence spiritual and philosophical inquiry.
Time Management as Spiritual Practice
Armond Boulware’s description of his approach to planning and time management introduces an intriguing connection between practical life organization and spiritual faith. His concept of establishing “background operating systems” for life goals while maintaining present-moment focus represents a sophisticated integration of planning and trust.
This approach suggests that faith might function not as passive acceptance but as active confidence in established principles and processes. The idea that one can periodically engage in analytical planning while generally operating from faith-based assumptions offers a potential resolution to the tension between reason and trust.
The Garden Metaphor and Return to Innocence
The recurring reference to “getting back to the garden” provides a theological framework for understanding human spiritual development. This metaphor suggests that the goal of spiritual life is not the accumulation of knowledge or sophistication but the recovery of innocent relationship with divine reality.
The garden metaphor implies that the analytical, questioning approach that characterizes post-Fall consciousness might actually distance humans from authentic spiritual experience. The challenge becomes how to maintain necessary discernment while recovering childlike trust and wonder.
Implications for Ministry and Church Formation
The discussion has significant implications for how religious communities might be structured and how spiritual truth might be communicated. The tension between apologetic defense of faith and simple proclamation of gospel truths reflects broader questions about evangelism and spiritual formation in contemporary culture.
The participants seem to recognize that while intellectual preparation has value, the ultimate goal is to facilitate direct spiritual encounter rather than to win philosophical debates. This suggests a ministry approach that emphasizes invitation and personal testimony over argumentative persuasion.
Conclusion: Living Questions Rather Than Final Answers
Renaissance Ministries meeting #28 reveals the ongoing nature of spiritual inquiry and the complexity of religious truth-seeking in a pluralistic world. Rather than resolving the tensions between faith and reason, tradition and experience, or competing truth claims, the conversation illuminates the richness and difficulty of authentic spiritual seeking.
The meeting suggests that spiritual maturity might involve learning to hold these tensions creatively rather than resolving them prematurely. The various participants’ approaches – Thomas’s systematic theorizing, Leonard’s mystical directness, Charlie’s practical questioning, and Armond’s experiential simplicity – each contribute valuable perspectives to the larger quest for spiritual truth.
Ultimately, the discussion points toward a vision of spiritual community that can hold diverse approaches to truth while maintaining commitment to the transformative power of genuine spiritual experience. This vision acknowledges both the value of intellectual inquiry and the irreplaceable importance of childlike faith in the journey toward spiritual understanding.