Fulfilling the Promise of the New Life

[Abstract: I have only tried to deepen our understanding of the issues surrounding the secular assumptions of much current psychology by doing four things: One, pointing out how the drive toward secularism or naturalism in psychological method is supported upon much broader assumptions about cognitive authority in our intellectual culture; Two, explaining a concept of knowledge that does not start from biases about possible subject matters or methods; Three, discussing some ways in which a "hermeneutical" approach in psychological method needs to be strengthened; Four, clarifying some ways in which misunderstandings and ambiguities of "objective" and "subjective" can lead to confusions about the possibilities of a psychological method that does not assume secularism. My intent is to be supportive of the intellectual thrusts developed in the papers.]

On Ash Wednesday of 2004, “The Passion of the Christ” opened in theaters. It set the stage for a powerful Lenten season as Christians and non-Christians alike were inundated with images of Christ’s suffering and naturally drawn into discussions of the events surrounding the crucifixion. Dallas was invited to speak into this cultural phenomenon as a contributor to a collection of essays published as Mel Gibson's Passion and Philosophy: The Cross, the Questions, the Controversy. The book would be Volume 10 in a series of books about culture and philosophy.

In this essay, Mel Gibson’s 2004 film, “The Passion of the Christ,” is the foundation for a discussion of what was really going on in the spiritual realm during the trial and crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The Trinity was in complete control of each event on the road to the cross; nothing came as a surprise or shock. In fact, these were all necessary components of their plan to redeem the human race.

The first key activity of the Moral Knowledge Initiative was an academic symposium held at Biola University’s Center for Christian Thought in La Mirada, California, on May 14-15, 2019. The aim of the symposium was to generate interdisciplinary conversation and actionable next steps that focus on the restoration of moral knowledge within our institutions and culture. Twenty-two participants discussed how to engage universities and institutions in a way that honored Dallas’s intentions when he was writing The Disappearance of Moral Knowledge.

During two invigorating days in February of 2020, approximately 20 friends, pastors, scholars, professors, and practitioners gathered at Oaks Christian School in Westlake Village, CA, to discuss two pertinent topics for contemporary life today: how do you know what is true and do what is good? These two questions were derived from the ground-breaking work of Dallas Willard in The Disappearance of Moral Knowledge. This summary of "Knowing What's True. Doing What's Good." has been provided by Rich Gregory of Oaks Christian School.

This interview is available to subscribers at the Christianity Today website.

This article is published at Leadership Journal.net: Christianity Today

This interview is available to subscribers at the Christianity Today website.

Question: Do Spokespersons for Christ (“Pastors”) bring unique and indispensable knowledge of how people, including society as a whole, can live in economic wisdom? The position taken here is that they do.

The keys of the kingdom also unlock the joys of your calling.

Every pastor, sooner or later, faces the contradictory demands of being a professional and being in ministry.

A professional has a schedule to keep, credentials to maintain, a career ladder to ascend. Urgent details crowd out solitude, service, and the deepening of a relationship with God. A life of simplicity and ministry to souls is elbowed aside by ambition and expectation.

Like doctors, lawyers, and other professionals today, pastors often feel their working conditions conflict with their calling. Heightened frustration leads to decreasing strength, peace, and joy.

But it does not have to be so.