023 A Word About Theologies and Philosophies

What if the way you see the world is shaping your prayers? Do your beliefs line up with reality—or just how you think things should be?

In this episode, I return to Holistic Christian Prayer with a short interjection in our ongoing series on the Lord’s Prayer. I start by sharing some personal updates and apologizing for the delay in episodes. I talk about my current financial challenges and ask for your prayers, and if it’s feasible for you, occasional donations.

The main focus of this episode is on understanding theology and philosophy, especially how our personal beliefs shape the way we see the world, make decisions, and grow spiritually. I explain theology in two ways:

1. As a framework of beliefs – foundational or secondary systems that structure our worldview, similar to building a house.
2. As an interpretive lens – the way our beliefs color our perception and guide our actions, like sunglasses affecting how we see things.

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Transcript

Life Updates And Apology

Financial Crossroads And Transparency

Speaker 0:29

Welcome back everyone to Holistic Christian Prayer. This is your host, Nickolas Meinerz, returning at long last. This episode will be a short interjection in our study of the Lord's Prayer. But luckily for all of you, you won't have to wait days or weeks or months for the next episode because it's already written. And I will be releasing that episode right after this one. I encourage you to listen to this episode even if you're eager to resume the series because I really think it will help prevent some misunderstandings. So there's that. Announcements and apologies are in order. I must sincerely apologize to all of you who have been waiting, I hope eagerly, for this episode. My life has always been a series of semi-fortunate and semi-unfortunate events, but there has been some extra chaos and stress as of late. Things are still a little crazy for me, however, many things have changed for the better. But truth be told, I still have one major concern, and it could potentially upset my plans to get you guys more episodes regularly again. Finance has always been a struggle for me, and a series of more than semi-unfortunate things have happened to me throughout my life.

Two Ways To Help: Pray And Donate

Speaker 2:05

R ecently, I've been making progress in paying down debts and saving a little money, but an increase in a major expense just went up beyond what I can afford. Well, I could afford the increase, but I wouldn't be able to continue paying down debts at the same time. So I'm left with a choice between remaining where I live now while paying for the monthly increase, or packing up and moving yet again. Moving would really set me back in a lot of ways. I'd like to ask for your help in two ways. First, and I really mean first, I'd ask that you pray for God to provide for me in the area of finance. Little by little he has been showing me that he has provided for me in the past, and he's now gently asking me to trust him again.

Speaker 2:39

Even when in the past I didn't trust that he would help me out of impossible financial troubles, he made a way for me. My lack of faith in him didn't stop him from blessing me. I just want to trust him in advance from now on. I feel like that will make the waiting not just bearable, but exciting. I think God has shown me enough that I can do that finally.

Speaker 2:39

So before you even consider option two, if you do nothing else, just pray for me. Seriously, I'd rather have prayer than the second option. The second option is consider donations. Doesn't have to be a lot or consistent or whatever. Everything is helpful and acceptable.

Why Talk Theology Now

Systems And Lenses

Speaker 3:24

But I don't want anyone who is already struggling financially to support me like that. Please, if finances are tight, then just hold on to your money. This podcast wasn't created to be a means of income for me. The second option exists because the reality is I could really use the help. And if you really like the stuff you hear and you want to help me, and it wouldn't be a burden to you, then I encourage you to donate. I only ask for your help in these two ways now because I need the help. I won't make a habit of asking for donations, but I can't promise I won't ask for more prayers. I'll put my buy me a coffee link in the show notes. Alright,enough of all that. Isn't this episode supposed to be about theologies and philosophies? Right, let's get into it. As I've stated in previous episodes, it will be necessary, and probably increasingly necessary, to discuss theology from time to time. Rather than seeing theology as some dull, boring, or unimportant factor in our faith, it's my hope that I can help you see theology in a more positive light. As is my custom, I'll first explain things in a more advanced way and then try to simplify it in another way. To make things very simple, whenever I say theology, you can think of theology in one of two ways. First, you can think of it as a framework or system of beliefs, and at other times you can think of theology as an interpretive lens through which you consider truth claims, opinions, and philosophies. So at times you may hear me say things like according to so and so's theology, and that refers to a person's beliefs about a particular topic. Or you might hear me say, depending on your theology of let's say gifts of the Spirit, I'm referring to the whole set of beliefs you have surrounding the topic of gifts of the Holy Spirit, and how these beliefs shape your interpretations of other related topics.

Foundational Vs Secondary Beliefs

Speaker 6:00

People tend to use the words philosophy and theology interchangeably, but they are distinct systems. However, because both theology and philosophy are systems of knowledge that are concerned with knowing the truth and understanding reality, you may hear people using either term. So anytime someone speaks of someone's theology or philosophy of something, they mean what that person believes about a particular topic. These beliefs, whether philosophical or theological, are often joined together with other systems of belief to create a foundation for a person's entire worldview.

Speaker 6:40

You can think of belief systems as either foundational or secondary to other beliefs. The more foundational a belief is, the more that other systems of belief will rely on it.

Speaker 6:58

This is sort of like when you build a house. You need to create a sturdy structure of floors, walls, and a roof first, because the rest of the house will rely on that foundation strength to support it. In the house building visual, foundational beliefs would be things like support beams, posts, trimmers, floor joists, and stringers. Secondary beliefs would be things like windows, carpets, drywall, and doors. I hope that helps you see theologies and philosophies as interconnected frameworks of belief that support one another.

Seeing More of Reality, Not Less

Speaker 7:36

The second way you can think of philosophy or theology of something is as an interpretive lens. Earlier, I used the word worldview, and that's what I mean by an interpretive lens. Our theologies and philosophies of various things don't just create structures to build other beliefs upon, like support structures in a house, but they are heavily involved in how we think about all that we experience. The collection of all a person's beliefs, theological or philosophical, whether they are conscious or unconscious beliefs, guides the way they see what goes on in their world as well as the actions they choose to take. A great power of our philosophies and theologies is that they can color our perception of reality, much like different tinted sunglasses tint how we see the world around us. While regular tinted sunglasses and polarized sunglasses will both decrease brightness and glare, you'll want to bring the polarized ones out for a day of fishing at the lake. Why? Because it allows you to see more of reality rather than less.

The Train Station Illustration

Speaker 8:48

In a clear, shallow lake and wearing polarized sunglasses, a man will see his dinner swimming around. In that same lake without polarized glasses, the man chooses not to fish, because according to what he sees, there are no fish. Our theologies or philosophies similarly can blind us to reality and even lead us to more serious consequences than grumbling bellies. If you're not someone who really studies theology or philosophy, or you just found that hard to follow, never fear. I have an example that I think is easy to understand. Consider this. Imagine two people waiting at the same train station, waiting for the same train. One keeps glancing down at their watch, paces back and forth, and taps their foot as they wait. The other stands silently, with their feet set in a ready stance as they gaze with alert and smiling eyes at the horizon. As you watch the man pacing back and forth, you hear the man begin to respond to questions you didn't hear anyone asking. As you listen more closely, you hear the same responses with differing emphasis on certain words. It's only then that you realize that the person you're listening to is rehearsing their answers to interview questions.

Speaker 10:08

It then also strikes you that the other man you've been watching couldn't possibly be dressed any differently than the other man waiting at the station. The man you were watching before believes he's on his way to an interview for a once-in-a-lifetime job in the city, and so he's dressed in his finest clothes. The other man waits in a relaxed but alert manner. He is dressed in flip-flops, swim shorts, a Hawaiian t-shirt, and holds the handle of his suitcase excitedly because he believes the train is taking him out to a beach vacation resort.

Speaker 10:44

Do you see? Same train, same destination, but their beliefs about where it was going shaped what they hoped for and how they prepared. The first man believed he was headed to the city for a life-changing job interview, and prepared for it by wearing formal clothes, practicing his responses to interview questions and staying mindful of the time. The second man believed he was leaving the city and headed to a beach resort for a very much needed vacation. He hoped for rest and relaxation. He prepared by getting into comfortable beachware, leaving his phone behind, and daydreaming of what's to come. They believed different things about the train's destination, so they hoped for different things, and prepared differently for what they hoped for. I hope that visual helped you understand what I mean.

Beliefs Shape Hopes And Actions

Speaker 11:36

Another way to say it is that beliefs shape hopes, and hopes frame what we choose to do. By the way, you may have noticed after you imagine this scene that I didn't tell you who was right, and that was intentional. Was the train headed into the city or the beach resort? What's the truth? That's what philosophy and theology is all about. Personal philosophies and personal theologies are systems of belief that continue to grow throughout a person's lifetime. These personal belief systems help them make sense of the world and their experiences. They're a kind of lens through which a person perceives their whole world and functions as a support guide for all their decisions. If all that doesn't make much sense to you, I can make my point clearer, I think. I believe that it's important to carefully consider the things we believe, because ultimately they have a significant role to play in what we choose to do or not do. I believe that since the God of the Bible is the God of truth, we should do all that we can to align our beliefs with the truth. Our beliefs can influence the very way we read and understand Scripture.

Humility, Scripture, And Testing Teachers

Speaker 12:57

Our goal as believers is to have beliefs that allow us to best see things as they really are, and to act on reality, rather than acting on what appears to be or what we prefer to be true. Finally, I just want to say that whenever I talk about theologies or philosophies, I am a simple layman. I am no scholar, and even if I was, it should be pointed out that even the people who are scholars and have all the fancy credentials disagree with one another and are just as capable of error and misunderstanding as you and me. As a Christian, however, I am only interested in sharing what I believe to be true. So while I am no scholar, I do my very best to teach truth and to back up what I teach with the Bible. In addition to teaching what I believe to be true, I will also sometimes try to fairly represent other people's views and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of those views. In the end, you must pray and study the scriptures for yourself. Don't rely on anyone teacher or pastor or podcaster for your beliefs. Let the Holy Spirit guide you into truth and apply your mind to serious, independent study on your own. Let people like me be a supplement to your studies and test what I say. Test what any teacher says. Look for yourself if the Bible teaches some particular point of view that you hear from someone.

Preparing For Thy Kingdom Come

Closing Prayer And Next Steps

Speaker 14:34

At the end of the day, God expects us to have our own relationship with Him, and while He will hold those who teach more accountable, He also expects us to weigh and test what we hear from our teachers. I pray that we all test what we learn from our teachers, to rely on the Scriptures, and for us to be open to the truths that the Holy Spirit will show us as we study God's Word. Now that we have considered how our theologies and philosophies can influence our thinking and actions, we are now ready to consider what we are asking God for when we pray, Thy kingdom come. Join me in the next episode to continue our series. I'll pray us out. Heavenly Father I thank you that you've given me the time and the energy to put this episode together as well as the next one. And Lord, I just ask that as people are going about reading their Bibles and engaging with you through the Holy Spirit, that they are going through a process of really studying your word rather than just reading it. And that when they're studying, that they're open to what the Holy Spirit reveals to them. Lord, I just ask that you guide them by your Spirit, and that you reveal truths to them and you help them understand difficult passages and that that they are weighing and testing the things that they not only hear from me, but from any of their pastors or local teachers or anyone that they listen to online.

Speaker 16:14

Lord, I just ask that you guide us into truth by the Holy Spirit, and that as we continue this series, that you continue to instruct me so that way I teach truth and I don't make any errors, and that people are blessed by it, and that their their relationship with you and their experience of prayer grows into something that they truly enjoy and that they spend a lot of time doing. Because that's the whole point of this podcast is to get people to enjoy prayer. So, Lord, we thank you, we love you, and we ask that you just guide us throughout the rest of our week. In Jesus' name, amen.