I am confident, if an audience, equally distributed between opposing factions, were asked, “Are you of the truth?”, it would be the only point on which everyone would agree.
As I observe continuing conflict and division in our society, it is fascinating to see each side claim truth. It seems to matter little if there is objective evidence to the contrary. Either side, when presented irrefutable evidence that their position is not true, often responds, “I don’t care about that, I know what is true.” I suppose there is no such thing as irrefutable evidence any longer.
Perhaps we are seeing the logical outcome of a relativistic culture Where knowledge, truth, and morality exist in relation to culture, society, or historical context, and are not absolute. I understand this possibility, but I am perplexed by our casual surrender of reasoned truth i.e. if A is true, B cannot be true. Honestly, though, I am increasingly aware that often A is not what I thought and neither is B.
So what does it mean when we say “I am of the truth”?
The following quote I came across this morning is challenging me to think about what is means to be “Of the Truth.”
“If you seriously ask the question, ‘Am I of the truth?’, you are of the truth. If you do not ask it seriously, you do not really want, and you do not deserve, and you cannot get, an answer! He who asks seriously the question of the truth that liberates is already on the way to liberation.”
Of course Tillich is talking about more than factual truth, establishing what is verifiable by investigation. He certainly includes that. But he is after the deeper levels and originating sources of truthfulness that we might call integrity of character, authenticity in behaviour, consistency in values and ethical choices, an absence of cynicism, an aversion to lies whether spoken, implied or by self-deceit. All of these grow out of the deep subsoil of the soul, the accumulation over time of mistakes and missteps, of good decisions and unselfish choices, those moments of self-discovery, self-awareness and self-correction which are the often hidden work of the Holy Spirit in the conscience and at the well-springs of motive and self-knowing.
I guess the first question for me is: “Am I seriously asking, Am I of the Truth?”
“Distrust every claim for truth where you do not see truth united with love; and be certain that you are of the truth and that the truth has taken hold of you only when love has taken hold of you and has started to make you free from yourselves.” Tillich
The blog post in its entirety can be read HERE