What is Word Wisdom
To be effective witnesses in today’s world we need to know what we believe & why we believe it.
Christianity and rational thought are not mutually exclusive.
Wisdom is the ability to judge rightly and act accordingly. But where does wisdom come from?
Word, Wisdom and the World
The cry of this generation is that everyone is an individual and has the right to his own opinion.
We can agree, but as people pursue that right, we must carefully consider the prevailing philosophies, the systems of thought that influence choices.
‘Philosophy’ translates literally as a love of wisdom.
‘Wisdom’ can be summed up as the ability to judge rightly in matters relating to life and conduct and to utilize soundness of sense in practical affairs.
To exercise wisdom, this common sense, we operate from the criteria of a particular philosophy.
The Questions of Word and Wisdom
Man was created to be a thinking, reasoning being. It is this that drives his quest
to understand the nature of reality.
In this quest he is constantly searching out:
– The absolutes of truth and values.
– The relationship between himself & creation.
– Whether there is a Creator in the equation.
– The reality of anything that could be considered supernatural.
– His self-worth and his relationship with his neighbour.
The conclusions that each individual reaches in these areas shape his conduct and his lifestyle. They influence his actions and reactions to people and circumstances, and to new ideas. They form the philosophical framework from which he operates. They are the foundation and basis of his worldview.
Next week: Three basic lines of philosophy in the world today.
Books on Word, Wisdom and Biblical Philosophy
I am grateful to the many voices of wisdom I have heard, and to those who write so lucidly on Biblical Philosophy. Below are just few of the books I return to again and again.