The Westminster Confession of Funk

I was a guest last week on the “Of Flames and Crowns” podcast with host Lennox Kalifungwa for New Saint Andrews College. It’s a great podcast that I listen to every week. Get full access to Jason Farley's Substack at jasonfarley.substack.com/subscribe

* Quadriga: 4 interpretive layers (literal, allegorical/typological, moral, anagogical) applicable beyond biblical texts * Systematization helps prioritize foundational interpretations before application * Modern readers often use these methods intuitively; understanding the system can improve comprehension Topics Quadriga Overview * Latin term meaning "four-horse chariot" * Medieval exegetical me...

I accidentally said 8 sages, but it is actually 7. Oops. Get full access to Jason Farley's Substack at jasonfarley.substack.com/subscribe

Key Takeaways * Modern leftist ideology stems from 1960s NYC-based philosophical nihilism, not hippie movement * This nihilism, exemplified by Andy Warhol's Factory and Velvet Underground, rejects human nature and reality as constructs * Current left-right divide: secular anti-humanism (left) vs. secular humanism (right) * Understanding this philosophical background crucial for addressing root ide...

Key Takeaways * Christian humanism, rooted in the work of Christ, emphasizes the restoration of human nature and the value of understanding humanity as a reflection of God. * Secular humanism, introduced by Giovanni Pico della Mirandola, proposes a flexible human nature that can be self-determined, diverging from Christian humanism. * The shift from Christian to secular humanism significantly infl...

* Genesis presents a unique cosmology: both solid/intentional and changeable * Adam & Eve's creation illustrates this dual nature: individually and together as God's image * Gratitude is central to the transformative mission and avoiding idolatry in relationships * This "both/and" cosmology reflects God's triune nature and resolves ancient philosophical debates Get full access to Jason Farley's Su...

* The idea of man as a microcosm has been prevalent throughout history, influencing philosophy, theology, and science * Our understanding of the cosmos directly impacts our self-perception and societal structures * The shift from viewing the world as divinely ordered to power-controlled has profoundly affected human governance and social dynamics Get full access to Jason Farley's Substack at jason...

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The world of Critical Theory, and all of modernism, puts rivalry at the center or reality. The Gospel undoes rivalry. Get full access to Jason Farley's Substack at jasonfarley.substack.com/subscribe

* Newton's work unified terrestrial and celestial physics, but didn't intend to challenge religious views * Kant's interpretation of Newton's work popularized a mechanistic universe concept, diverging from Newton's religious perspective * The shift from descriptive to causative understanding of natural laws marked a significant change in scientific philosophy Get full access to Jason Farley's Subs...

* Kant attempted to reconcile metaphysical nihilism with philosophical realism by proposing a two-tiered reality: phenomena (experienced world) and noumena (things-in-themselves). * Kant's work marked a shift from metaphysics to epistemology in philosophical discourse, influencing modern and postmodern thought. * The division between "two kinds of truth" (faith-based and sense-based) has had lasti...

* Machiavelli's ideas led to a paradigm shift from philosophical realism to political realism, prioritizing power and pragmatism over traditional moral frameworks * This shift redefined societal values, emphasizing security and success over virtue, and viewing leadership as productive knowledge rather than theoretical or practical wisdom * The widespread adoption of Machiavellian principles has fu...

* Aristotle defines 3 main knowledge types: theoretical, productive, and practical * Theoretical knowledge subdivides into epistemae, nous, sophia, and gnome * Knowledge integration (theory, production, application) was historically prioritized * This framework helps identify where modern thinkers deviate from integrated knowledge Get full access to Jason Farley's Substack at jasonfarley.substack....

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* "Overlapping spheres of authority" are nested (like Russian dolls), not 2D overlapping circles * Liberal arts education, especially astronomy, cultivates 3D thinking crucial for understanding complex societal structures * Modern education shifted from fostering free thought to emphasizing obedience, limiting our ability to conceptualize complex ideas * Sphere sovereignty involves nested authorit...

* Maximus the Confessor's vision of a "cosmic liturgy" portrays the universe as a grand, unified act of worship moving towards God * This theological perspective influenced medieval thought, scientific revolution, and cathedral architecture * The concept reframes individual purpose within creation as participating in ongoing worship and transformation * Maximus's creator-creature divide concept si...

* Medieval thinkers, contrary to popular belief, had a sophisticated understanding of gravity and Earth's spherical nature * Dante's Divine Comedy demonstrates advanced grasp of gravitational concepts, using them as allegory for spiritual truths * Medieval worldview integrated physical properties with allegorical and theological meanings, influencing architecture (e.g., cathedrals) * The Divine Co...

* The medieval worldview saw reality as interconnected spheres of authority, each with distinct jurisdictions under God's reign * Four main jurisdictions were recognized: self, family, civic realm, and church, each with specific God-given responsibilities * Modern society has shifted towards individualism, losing the concept of harmonious, overlapping jurisdictions * Christians are encouraged to u...

Get full access to Jason Farley's Substack at jasonfarley.substack.com/subscribe

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Having a clear understanding of metaphysics makes all the difference for a societies understanding of itself. Get full access to Jason Farley's Substack at jasonfarley.substack.com/subscribe

* Ancient/medieval worldview used a "chain of being" metaphor, linking heavenly and earthly realms * Metaphors and models (ancient or modern) are useful tools for understanding complex concepts, not always literal * Popular imagination often simplifies or combines scientific/theological concepts, influencing cultural understanding * Comparing ancient metaphors with modern ones can reveal our own a...

How leisure of mind resists the mechanistic universe. Get full access to Jason Farley's Substack at jasonfarley.substack.com/subscribe

* Medieval cathedrals reflect a worldview of a spiritually-filled universe, contrasting modern emptiness-focused perspectives * Maximus the Confessor's creator-creature divide doctrine revolutionized medieval theology and scientific thought * The medieval cosmos was understood as a unified, liturgical system functioning on principles of worship and love of God Get full access to Jason Farley's Sub...

* Eusebius' "Preparatio Evangelica" argued that God prepared all cultures for Christianity, finding truths to build upon and falsehoods to correct * Medieval thinkers used ancient texts as intellectual exercises, sifting truth from falsehood to strengthen reasoning skills * This approach influenced theological writing, poetry, and critical thinking, shaping medieval and Reformation-era scholarship...