Hyper-Narrative

Message presented 3/28/10

By: Dan Davis

Discussion Guide by: Loren Collins

Link to Video: http://www.vimeo.com/3829682

Larry’s Blessing at the end of the meeting:

 

Catalyst, in recognition of the grand intertwined complexity of truth and mystery…
May You Celebrate and Declare Truth, with Beauty and Humility.
As you endeavor to make sense of all that is, of all that is best, and of all that is beyond us…
May you walk in and live by – Faith, Hope & Love.
Now,
Go with Conviction,
Go with Humility,
And manifest a Beautiful Truth

 

 

CONNECT:

 

1) What was your response to Dan’s message; any particularly excite, challenge, or tick you off?

 

For the next two questions – Remember the summaries of the three approaches to truth in terms of narrative that Dan mentioned.

 

·       Modern: Meta-Narrative: an overarching story that universally explains the reality of all things.

·       Post Modern: Micro-Narrative: a personal story that explains your reality.

·       Biblical: HyperNarrative: a multifaceted story of all things that we find our place within.

 

2) What is your place within the Hyper Narrative?

 

3) Recall the pitfalls that Dan mentioned when talking about approaching truth only from a meta-narrative or a micro-narrative perspective.  How do you approach truth, are you susceptible to any pitfalls from your approach.

 

DISCUSS:

 

4) Dan highlighted that “Scripture was written over 1,400 years, on 3 continents, in three languages, by both genders, from multiple religious and cultural perspectives in a blend of genres: narrative, law, wisdom, epistle, parable, prophecy, poetry, & more.”

 

All Christian’s believe that even in all its diversity in authorship, context, and genre it somehow holds truth in some way.  How does each approach; a meta-narrative, micro-narrative, and Hyper-narrative, explain the relationship between the Scriptures and truth?  How do you explain how the Bible is true?

 

5) What is critical realism?  Read 1st Corinthians 13: 11 -13 and the N.T. Wright, how do they relate?

N.T. Wright:

“I propose a form of critical realism. This is a way of describing the process of “knowing” that acknowledges the reality of the thing known, as something other than the knower (hence “realism”), while fully acknowledging that the only access we have to this reality lies along the spiraling path of appropriate dialogue or conversation between the knower and the thing known (hence “critical”). (The New Testament and the People of God, p. 35)

6) I read a statistic recently that stated that 54% of Christians throughout the world were Catholic, 12% were Eastern Orthodox, and the remaining 34% are Protestants with all sorts of denominations (including Evangelicals).  Together these groups exceed over a billion people, yet generally they are divided over doctrines and truth often calling each other’s places in the Hyper Narrative into question.

 

How does this result rise out of a bad approach to understanding truth?  How would a healthy, humble or “critical realism” centered approach make a difference?

 

CHALLENGE:

 

These were Dan’s Challenges that he left with us at the end of the message.  I think they stand on there own as challenges to consider this week both individually and as a group.

 

·       Where do you need to let go of an elitist, prideful, angry grip on Truth?

·       Where do you need to find courage and a voice for the things that are true and matter?