What is truth?

In 'A New Kind of Christian', Brian McLaren states (as part of a discussion between two fictitional characters) that '... all truth is contextual.' The context of that statement is the sincere attempt to understand scripture (the Bible) not just in a modern, North American, middle class view but as it was first intended - to a specific audience for a specific purpose.

But the statement stands: is all truth contextual? That is, is all truth only truly understandable through the context that it is said, by whom it is said, when it is understood or discovered, given etc.. A friend of mine once said that all truth is contextual because it is interpreted by beings immersed in their own contexts: culture, gender, biases, history, opinions, religion, etc. We can't escape it.

And yet I'm propelled to say that there are many truths that are far outside of any context we understand. For instance, the statement: 'God is good' is, as I understand it, a true statement in any age to any person or people. Or even outside of people or the history of the human race. I believe God was good long before there were people. And, of course, my language fails me quickly in my attempts to express this truth. But given the barriers of language, it is still true. And it is true in many more and deeper ways that I will never understand. For to know God is good, or to know Him as He truly is, I see Him and understand Him only through my little eyes and brain. And even understanding that I am made in His image, I am only one very small (significant) incomplete example of the image of God. And there are billions of examples of the image of God running around for us to know. Albeit misconstrued and incomplete examples.

So then, for us, perhaps all truths are contextual because we cannot escape the time and culture and places we are alive in. But that does not nullify the truths that are outside of our contexts. Does it?

By the way, the picture above was not altered in any way.