The Death Of Mysticism And Conventional Wisdom; The Findings Of "The Becoming Lutheran" Follow Up Survey

A follow up survey for The Becoming Lutheran Research Project was conducted January 4, 2014 to January 15, 2014.  The survey was conducted among those who participated in the initial Becoming Lutheran Research Project. 

The follow up survey was intended to flesh out how former American Evangelicals derived their data and knowledge about: God, the meaning of being human, the world, the church, the nature of truth/reality, etc... while in Evangelicalism compared to where they derived their data and knowledge within Confessional Lutheranism.  The survey allowed for input in the areas of: 

Authority (For example: How do I know? Because the pastor or author told me so) Conventional wisdom (For example: How do I know? Because nearly everyone in my community and church thinks so) Empiricism (For example: How do I know? Because many studies that used very large samples of the total population of people who have had this problem, confirm that the problem is due to a relationship between A and B) Logic/Reason (For example: How do I know? Because, since A was greater than B, and B was greater than C, I concluded that A was greater than C) Mysticism (For example: How do I know? I know because of the spiritual connection that I had with God through my my inward contemplation and self-surrender to Him; I experienced God) Observation (For example: How do I know? Because I was there and saw it for myself) Pragmatism (For example: How do I know? Because I created a program to fix a problem, implemented the program, and it has worked ever since. Because it works, it must be the right way to handle the problem) Revelation (For example: How do I know? For the Bible tells me so; or, thus saith the Lord) Senses (For example: How do I know? Because I touched it, and it felt hot, and it smelled as if something were burning)

From the 156 responses, there is a clear indication that while the respondents journeyed from American Evangelicalism into Confessional Lutheran thought, they experienced a drop in their use of Mysticism and Conventional Wisdom as a means of gathering data and knowledge about God, self, the world, the church, the nature of reality/truth, etc…  More specifically, there was a 73.03% decline in the use of Conventional Wisdom and an 85.71% decline in the use of Mysticism upon entering Confessional Lutheranism.

Though only 29% of respondents indicated that Pragmatism was a means of gathering knowledge and data within American Evangelicalism, this category too declined in use to only 10% of respondents affirming Pragmatism within Confessional Lutheranism. 

Thus, according to this follow up survey, there is a clear indication that when entering Confessional Lutheranism from American Evangelicalism there is a decline in the use of Conventional Wisdom and Mysticism, while there are slight increases to the use of Logic/Reason (17.19% increase) and Revelation as expressed in God’s Word (10.68% increase).

To learn more on this subject, check out Pastor Richard's research journal page by CLICKING HERE.

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