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Civbert · #3 (**permalink**) 02-12-2007, 03:03 PM

Excellent questions.

First, I don't think Scripturalism demands that one deduce all the propositions one "knows" from Scripture in order to know them. I think Scripture clearly indicates that God places knowledge directly into the minds of all men. We are all created with the knowledge of the existence of God. In other words, one need not be aware of everything one knows, or even (on a second order level) know how they know what they know. There is knowledge within our minds that we may not be aware of, that we know. Under the right circumstances, this knowledge may come to our awareness - and yet we might still not understand how we know it. But we still know.

However, the epistemology of Scripturalism gives us the epistemic foundation and tools to justify any claims of knowledge. If we can show how something is true from Scripture, can say with confidence, "this I know". The unbeliever knows God exists. However, the unbeliever doesn't know he knows it. He is not aware of having this knowledge. (There is very little an unbeliever can justify knowing.

Keep in mind that there are "orders" of knowledge. There is "what we know" and there is "what we know we know". Scripturalism can help you with the second order - of knowing what you know. It doesn't preclude that we can know many things (on a first order level) even if we don't (on a second level order) know we know them.

All men have an a first order level (innate) knowledge of good and evil, and on the existence of God, simply because they are created with this knowledge. However, they can give no epistemic justification for what they know. On a second order level, they know nothing because they can not give any account for the knowledge written on their hearts (minds).

As Christians, we can give the justification for this spiritual knowledge all men are born with. Thus we can know that all men have a "justified true belief" in the existence of God, and in God's laws.