Seeking direction by using 4 tools for theological reflection in pursuit of wisdom , truth, and unity:
Scripture- the “North Star” or polar north, a means of beginning to orient oneself to pursuit of truth for a Christ follower.
Reason- a God-given spirit and soul endowment God invites us to use in engaging with Him, this can be viewed as an illuminating Source when engaging with Scripture and provides balance. The “South Pole” of the four points…firmly a straight line under Scripture when God is present in it and worth little when God is not…
Tradition- the accumulated, value-proven experiences and practices that provide commonality and are founded on the first century apostolic responses to the Gospel….. This can be thought of as the East point…. the place from which observation, intentionally, and practice bring accumulated wisdom, strength, and tested, “evidence”-based confidence that points us toward truth.
Experience- the individual response to intimate engagement with God; a valued aspect of faith and truth testing and maturity, not wholly relied upon in solitude, but only as benchmarked against a broader “Bell Curve” of personal experiences tested against and validated through the lens of Scripture and reason within trusted, supportive community. This is potentially a “Wild West” approach where each one “does what is right in his own mind,” as was the case in the book of Judges…… not the best primary source for knowing truth unless, like Curly in City Slickers, you have invested sufficient time and effort in discovering the steadfastness and reliability of what is your One Thing!
When one uses these four points of reference to stay within the longitudes and latitudes of the territory given to you to attend to, your boundaries will be defined in a way that keeps out trespassers and secures your “land”…. a rational spiritual and emotional GPS system that can be trusted.