Faith & Experience (Part 1)
Faith & Experience (Part 1)
Episode 28 • Featuring J.R. Miller
Appears in this episode
Mormons know their religion is true because they experience a “burning in the bosom.” Pentecostal Christians believe they have proof of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit because they speak in tongues. So how are we to know which religious experiences are truly authentic? Is experience a proper way to ground faith in the first place? On this episode, Shane talks with Dr. J.R. Miller, co-founder of The Center for Cultural Apologetics about his book, One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism, which traces the history of the “subjective turn” that has taken root in many Christian circles over the past few centuries.
SHOW NOTES
Related Resources
Acts 2 & The Tongues Controversy, by Shane Rosenthal
The Mormonization of American Christianity, by Shane Rosenthal
One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism, by J.R. Miller
Is Faith a Feeling?, The Humble Skeptic, Episode 4
The Jesus of History, The Humble Skeptic, Episode 12
A Brand New Resource
Shane recently expanded his article on Acts 2 & The Tongues Controversy into a 26-page downloadable PDF document, which includes background information about the origins of Pentecostalism, along with a brand new section that provides a careful analysis of every passage in the New Testament related to the subject of tongues. For more information about this new resource, click here.
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Faith & Experience (Part 1)
Thanks for this. Great conversation.
I think it would be interesting to hear your thoughts on what scripture teaches about the role, if there is one, “feelings” are meant to play in religious experience, especially in the confirmation of being “on the right path.”
I frequently have conversations with Mormon friends about faith being trust based on evidence. Yet they can’t see how trust in historical witnesses is any more reliable than their own “personal revelation” of truth. They even go as far as to say we can’t trust that the reports of what witnesses said was recorded correctly or even not fabricated - therefore, in their minds, this so-called personal revelation is the only remedy. (Tellingly, they don’t see the irony in this as concerns their own church’s purported founding narratives.)
Anyway - thanks for your thoughts.
An excellent interview. Loved the quote:"The blood of Jesus covers all my sins; even my sins of bad theology."