Balance and the Truth

"Balance is an offense to the truth."  That was the closing line of column written by a political science professor at Gettysburg College.  She was explaining her inability to provide a balanced discourse in her classroom during the current presidential campaign because, in her view, one of the candidates was so disqualified as to warrant a balanced presentation.  She concluded by saying: "My approach for the fall semester will be boldly honest: It is a disservice to students to attempt to provide balance when I know that balance is an offense to the truth."

My initial reaction to that statement was negative - a typical "tolerant" liberal expressing intolerance toward someone or some idea she doesn't agree with.  But I quickly realized that I didn't really disagree with that statement; I simply disagree with her misapplication of it.  In fact, I wholeheartedly agree that "balance is an offense to the truth."

The problem lies in an understanding of "truth."  In this case, I believe the professor was confusing a truth claim with a preference claim.  She made a strong and passionate case why she preferred one candidate over the other; she clearly views the possibility that this candidate could become President as loathsome.  But no matter how strong her opinions or how passionately she holds them, they still fall short of being a truth claim.  In fact, I would be surprised if this professor philosophically even holds to the existence of something called objective truth; in the post-modern world truth is a personal construct, something that differs from person to person.  For a post-modern, it is simply intellectually dishonest to suggest that anything is "the truth."

At HCA we strive to help our students discern the difference between truth claims and preference claims.  But to do that, you must first believe that objective truth exists.  For the Christian, that truth is found in the written Word (Jn 17:17 - "Your Word is truth.") and the Living Word (Jn 14:6 - "I am the way, the truth, and the life.")  It is in that context that I agree ... balance is an offense to the truth.  We don't present a "balanced" view of salvation; salvation is by grace through faith apart from meritorious works. (Eph 2:8-9)  And "there is no other name under heaven ... by which we must be saved."  (Acts 4:12)  It would be an offense to the truth to balance that message by saying there are multiple ways to be saved.  We don't present a "balanced" view of Scripture ... it is the inspired, inerrant, authoritative Word of God.  We don't balance that message by suggesting that there are other sources of authoritative truth.

In fact, the Five Solas of the Reformation affirm that "balance is an offense to the truth."

• Sola Scriptura - Scripture alone
• Sola Fide - Faith alone
• Sola Gratia - Grace alone
• Solus Christus - Christ alone
• Soli Deo Gloria - To the glory of God alone

May God "guide us into all the truth" (Jn 16:13) and may we reject "balance" that is an offense to that truth.