A Quote to Consider
“Education must enable one to sift and weigh evidence, to discern the true from the false, the real from the unreal, and the facts from the fiction.”
-Martin Luther King Jr.
Discerning fact from fiction and the true from the false is becoming increasingly difficult.
I cannot help but think of an incredibly sad conversation I recently had with a lifelong friend. In many ways, we could not agree on basic facts, words’ definitions, or even a shared understanding of reality.
It can be hard to see a way forward. For so long, education has prioritized STEM fields over the humanities. The social sciences, while not as elevated as STEM in our culture, tend to also be seen as superior, or at least far more pragmatic than the humanities, or heaven forbid the arts.
But of what use are the sciences if we cannot discern what is real and true? Does scientific scholarship even mean anything if facts are based on ideological perspectives?
There is no doubt that the humanities opened the door to these challenges. But epistemological debates have given way to the view that reality is a function of power.
There is a famous quote, attributed to Karl Rove, from 2004, which reads in part, “People like you are still living in what we call the reality-based community. You believe that solutions emerge from your judicious study of discernible reality. That’s not the way the world really works anymore. We’re an empire now, and when we act, we create our own reality.”
MLK Jr. had a very different vision. He believed that truth, not just power, mattered. Reality and facts are not subject to the whims of powerful actors but can be discerned by weighing evidence.
Education is not just about learning information; it is about enabling us to sift the evidence to discern what is real, what is true, and what is, in fact, factual, rather than waiving our agency over to the actions of the powerful who believe they create reality and are not subject to it.
Prayer
Lord,
You are God eternal. Forgive us when we grasp for control and power. Give us the humility to recognize our limits, the wisdom to discern what is true, and the faith to trust You when we feel out of control. Teach us to seek truth rather than power as we live faithfully before You.
Amen.
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Daily Reflections for a Life of Faith
Whispers of Grace is a series of personal reflections written by Rondall Reynoso, a long-time Christian, scholar of religion, and an artist. Each reflection begins with a Bible verse, continues with some honest thoughts about life and faith, and closes with a simple prayer.
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