— Midweek Meditations:
thoughts, inspiration and encouragement
from ACF community members —
In the last fortnight at UWC Robert Bosch College, I’ve been teaching a unit on religion in ‘Theory of Knowledge’, a core course of the International Baccalaureate diploma program. The optional unit offers students the opportunity to explore intriguing questions such as what does religious knowledge contribute to knowledge overall; can there be religious knowledge independent of the culture that produces it; where do religious beliefs come from; is a ‘global ethics’ desirable and possible?
The assessment that ends the unit comprises a mini exhibition. Students are to choose one of the prescribed knowledge questions (a.k.a. prompts) and then identify a real-world object to illustrate how religious knowledge shows itself around us. Prompts popular for the unit include “what makes a good explanation?”; “can new knowledge change established values or beliefs?”; and “does some knowledge belong only to particular communities of knowers?” Illustrative objects have included Thomas Aquinas’s Summa Theologica, the Copernican configuration, and their own rosary beads, respectively.
For most students the real challenge comes in trying to explain in a 300-word commentary how their object relates to the prompt. What is it precisely that links the two? In the context of religion, the challenge is exacerbated by the limits of our ability to conceptualize and then express the feeling, experience, or idea contained in the object. (The sacred is, for example, materialized in the profane: while its physical form may be a manuscript, the object is ascribed miracle-working powers; the artefact is adorned with pearls, gold, and purple silk, but these materials are symbolic of the invisible or intangible.)
Composing the commentary does not rely just on the students’ understanding; it relies also on our common capacities – and these are constrained in different respects. Many people have very personal and deeply held convictions about religious matters, which makes their discussion awkward. In addition, religions are often complex systems of beliefs, values, and practices that are hard to comprehend. Most practically and significantly, students come to realize that some things cannot be put into words and as such cannot be communicated. These feelings, ideas, etc. are the ‘ineffable’, that which is either indescribable or unspeakable (like the taboo ‘Jehovah’).
The difficulty that humans have in forming such propositions definitively is one that has long engaged philosophers. Taoist philosopher Lao Tzu asserted that the “name that can be named is not the eternal name”. Nicholas of Cusa, a Renaissance Cardinal, argued that God is a reality that exceeds what is known and accessible to humans and so cannot be captured in our words or concepts. The 20th-century Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein posited that the world that we seek to describe does not define our language; instead, it is defined by our language.
From this insight, Wittgenstein drew the famous conclusion that: “[w]hereof one cannot speak, thereof one must remain silent.” His dictum, however wise, does not apply to the students in my unit: they must still come up with 300 words of commentary explaining the knowledge in a religious object by the deadline I set!
The ACF Midweek Meditations
are written by a diverse group of our church members with the intention to seek God’s fingerprints in our lives. They range from somber to humorous and are inspired by all facets of live and faith. Written by ordinary people from all walks of life, they reflect a wide range of Christian backgrounds and spiritualities.
Each week’s text portrays the individual viewpoint of its author. They might not always resonate with everyone, and are not meant to be understood as representing the Anglican Church Freiburg as a whole. Yet, as a church that is aiming to ‘Build a Community of Grace’ we seek to practice learning from and listening to one another.
We pray that these humble ponderings add a small spark of blessing to your week.
Freiburg Anglican Church 