Tuesday, February 12, 2019

The problem with experience

Do we dare appeal to experience to define and concretize our belief?  Do we dare appeal to experience to define the foundation of our reality?  What then when someone appeals to an experience that promotes that which is contrary to our own belief?  Answer: we must appeal to the concrete and objective teachings of the church, not our experience within that structure.
We cannot claim to appeal to experience and then when someone else appeals to a differing experience then appeal to the objective teaching of the church.  We also cannot appeal to “relationship” for our relationship with God is unlike any other relationship.  We speak to him, he does not speak in return in the way that any other relation would.  He speaks through the liturgy, through the Bible, and through the sacraments.  We may “feel” something when we are involved in private prayer, but this cannot be appealed to as authoritative or validating, for our feelings may not be what they seem.
As natural and as easy as it may be to live by, be encouraged by and enjoy an experience, we cannot look to experience for a foundation.  Our only foundation is the objective body of Christ, as seen, touched, tasted, smelled and heard in the local church.

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