Social Constructivism and Christianity

By Stephen W. Jones

Social Constructivism and Christianity explores whether social constructivism and biblical Christianity can be compatible with one another, without being unfaithful to either. This short book Includes discussion of constructivism, reification, absolute truth, and interacting with Truth from both relational and rationale cultural knowledge systems. The primary audience is North American, though others may find the considerations herein to be useful and applicable to their context.

• Language: English
• Publisher: I AM Intercultural
• Release date: Sep 1, 2015
• ISBN: 9781940105703

Stephen W. Jones

What We Do: For the Body of Christ, I AM Intercultural amplifies the voices of the marginalized, instructs the powerful, and creates a welcoming space of dialogue and growth for the discipleship and growth of all. We provide high quality published materials and training opportunities to develop perspectives that enable and enhance Christ-centered cross-cultural communications and interactions. Products are available in print, through electronic media, and prepared for individual or group training sessions. Services include coaching, training, train the trainer workshops, and follow-on opportunities for coaching and dialogue as needed. Our Vision: We value reconciliation in the Christian church and seeing the Christian church living with an effective testimony in society around the world. Because we value biblical shrewdness and Christ-like gentleness, we seek to build trust and confidence between our staff and our customers, delivering current, useful, and valued products, and accomplishing relevant preparation for ongoing successful communications in intercultural endeavors. Our Name: I AM Intercultural reminds us of Jesus (I AM), who we know in part through His beautiful multi-cultural body, the church. To know Jesus is to know someone who is deeply present in every culture of the world. Additionally, it invites His followers on a cross-cultural journey so that we can also say, as His disciples, that “I am intercultural.” Intercultural is intentionally chosen instead of multicultural, cross-cultural, or multiethnic. The emphasis is on the back and forth movement between cultures that simultaneously involves the maintenance of the beautiful uniqueness of different cultures and the rich co-created space of life together across cultures.

Book preview

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Social Constructivism & Christianity

Copyright © 2018 Stephen W. Jones

This title is also available as an ebook.

Visit: www.iamintercultural.com

ISBN 978-1-940105-72-7

I AM Intercultural

A division of Excegent Communication, LLC

Watertown, MN

www.excegent.com

Because of the dynamic nature of the internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the Publisher.

Book design: Andre R. Fonseca

Contents

Dedication

Acknowledgements

Forward to the 2016 Edition

Forward to the 2018 Edition

Chapter One: Introduction

What this booklet attempts to accomplish

The journey ahead

Chapter Two: Constructivism

Culture

Radical Constructivism

Social Constructivism

Cybernetic Constructivism

A Summary of Constructivism

Assigning Values and the Trap of Reification

Implications

Ontological Options

Relativism

Power and Society

The Necessity of Subjectivity

Chapter Three: Common Christian Problems with Constructivism³⁹

Absolute Truth

Morality

Turning Toward Synthesis

Chapter Four: Relational Truth and Rational Truth

How this Approach Connects to the Previous Chapters

Ways of Knowing: An Oversimplified Introduction

Rational Knowing

Relational Knowing

Constructivism and Knowing

Fundamental Truth

Knowing Truth Differently

Relational

Rational

Implications

The Absolutist and Moralist and Truth

Where Do We Go from Here?

Conclusion

Resources

Works Cited

About the author

Dedication

This small book is dedicated to the memory of my mother, Susan Jones. I cherish the many years of love and support that you gave to our family, both when we were children and as adults. I am so grateful for the ways that you sought to engage us in the cultures of the places we lived. I am also grateful for the influence of the steady stream of international students that were in our house as you taught English. It was not until I was an adult that I realized what a privilege it was to grow up in a house where there were people present from around the world several days every week.

Thank you for the example you set in serving others - both those like you and those who were different from you.

I miss our long conversations about faith, life, culture, family, ideas and possibilities, and I have a feeling that we would have enjoyed talking about this little book. We miss you but we are so grateful for the life you lived so well.

Stephen W. Jones

August, 2015

Acknowledgements

Josiah Enns and Michial Farmer, thank you for your feedback on this short book. I appreciate your critical thinking and encouragement.

Darin Mather, thank you for your involved feedback and your contributions to the text, especially in chapters two and three. I enjoyed interacting with you over this material.

All three of you, it is a pleasure to work with you.

I am also grateful to Jennie. It is a privilege to do life together in our growing and becoming.

Forward to the 2016 Edition

The importance of the perspective advocated by this book is testified to on a daily basis as I reflect on the news from around the