What Are Your Conclusions?
What have you learned from this study? What surprised you? What reinforced what you already believed? Have you changed your mind about anything? What further things would you like to know?
Our topic for study has been, “Has Science Rediscovered God?” We’ve done this by evaluating the scientific evidence of the last 50 years. Without a doubt, the scientific evidence of the next 50 years will bring even more to the table which will either confirm or weaken our current conclusions. But, this is the time to formulate conclusions that you can draw right now from the known evidence. Please don’t cop out with a, “I don’t know.” Surely you know something based on the evidence. Which direction does it point? Follow the trail wherever it leads. Take a stand, and be willing to modify your course as new evidence and understanding is revealed.
I hope you have already started conversations about the material — especially with those who don’t think as you do. That’s the best way of learning — listening and engaging another person’s point of view. Are your arguments today stronger or weaker than when you started? Are you able to clearly articulate WHY you believe such and such, not just WHAT you believe — not just offering your opinion. Are you more open today to self-evaluation of your assumptions and worldview? Are your conclusions based on evidence and good reasoning, or are they more based on your ideology, even what you may WANT to be true? Even if based primarily on ideology or worldview, ask yourself, “Does the evidence support or negate my ideology?”
“Know thyself, the unexamined life is not worth living,” was one of Socrates most famous dictums. Socrates is considered the father of Western philosophy (lover of wisdom) because he facilitated becoming wise by asking questions and starting conversations — not because he knew a lot of the answers. In fact he taught that, “The only true wisdom is in knowing that you know nothing” — and he readily admitted that about himself.
