Epistemology: Introduction to a Christian Theory of Truth
The following article is taken from the podcast episode transcript by Joel Settecase with help from ChatGPT.
What Is Truth? Exploring the Christian Theory of Truth
When we discuss truth, it's important to understand its source, necessity, and nature. In this post, we will explore the Christian theory of truth, focusing on why it matters and how only the Christian worldview can account for it.
Why Truth Matters
Truth is incredibly important to Christians. As believers, we hold that truth is not just a concept but embodied in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the manifestation of truth—truth incarnate. This belief permeates our understanding of historical, theological, scientific, logical, and mathematical truths. All these truths find their ultimate foundation in Jesus, who we affirm is Lord.
However, many people today hold different views about truth. In the United States, only 4% of our neighbors have a biblical worldview, meaning 96% do not see Jesus Christ as the source and standard of all truth. Therefore, it’s crucial for Christians to articulate what truth is, where it comes from, and why only Christianity can explain it.
Defining Truth: The Three C's
Truth can be defined as a quality that a proposition possesses when it meets certain criteria. There are three main criteria, which we’ll refer to as the "Three C's" of truth: comprehensibility, coherence, and correspondence. Let’s break these down.
1. Comprehensibility
For a statement to be true, it must be comprehensible within a particular language. Language is the medium through which we convey propositions, and it varies culturally. Whether it’s English, French, or Greek, language must follow its own rules of grammar and syntax to communicate meaning effectively.
This is particularly important to Christians because our entire worldview is rooted in words. The Bible is the written Word of God, and Jesus Christ is described as the incarnate Word in John 1:1. Therefore, language and its proper use are essential for conveying truth. Without comprehensibility, truth cannot be expressed.
2. Coherence
The second criterion is coherence, meaning that a true statement must be logically consistent. This involves adhering to the laws of logic, which are foundational for any rational discourse. The three basic laws of logic are:
The Law of Identity: A thing is itself (A is A).
The Law of Non-Contradiction: A statement cannot be both true and false in the same sense at the same time.
The Law of Excluded Middle: A statement is either true or false—there is no middle ground.
For truth to hold, the proposition must follow these logical laws. A coherent proposition aligns with the internal rules of logic, making it understandable and logically valid.
3. Correspondence
Lastly, a true statement must correspond to reality. Correspondence theory holds that truth reflects the way things actually are. If a statement matches the facts of reality, then it is true. For example, if I say "The sky is blue," this proposition is true if it corresponds to the observable reality of the sky’s color at that time.
Why Only Christianity Can Account for Truth
Now, why do these three criteria—comprehensibility, coherence, and correspondence—require the Christian worldview? The Christian worldview provides the necessary preconditions for these aspects of truth:
Comprehensibility: God has created humans in His image, capable of using language to communicate truth.
Coherence: The laws of logic reflect the orderly nature of God’s mind, and only in a universe governed by a rational Creator can logic be absolute and binding.
Correspondence: The Christian belief in an objective reality created by God ensures that truth corresponds to the world as He has made it.
Thus, only Christianity, with its belief in a rational Creator who communicates through language, provides a sufficient explanation for how truth operates.
Conclusion
Truth is more than just facts or ideas; it is bound up in the nature of God and His creation. As Christians, we are called to understand, articulate, and defend the truth. By examining the comprehensibility, coherence, and correspondence of truth, we can see why the Christian worldview offers the only adequate foundation for truth.