Introduction to Systemic Theology

Introduction to Introduction to Systemic TheologySystemic Theology

Andrew Searswww.techmission.org

The Need for Systemic TheologyThe Need for Systemic TheologyWorld is becoming increasingly complex

and interdependent◦Systems theory is the scientific response◦Systemic theology is the spiritual response

Systems theory only recognizes the what can be quantified (the External)

Traditional theology does not reflect the reality and address the needs of the world today

Traditional Theology =Traditional Theology =1. God only works in the supernatural (breaking natural laws)2. Only demonstration of God working is by breaking natural

laws3. Science and theology operate in different domains and

theology is a small domain of knowledge4. Puts focus on:

◦ Natural laws because they govern everything except when God decides to break them

◦ Materialism because it can be measured and seen ◦ The exterior vs. the interior◦ Asking “What is True?”

5. Takes focus away from: ◦ The Spiritual, Beauty, Culture, Asking “What is Good?”◦ The Internal experience and the Collective perspective

6. Causes us to look for God only in the supernatural

NaturalSupernatural

Natural

Supernatural

ScienceCapitalist EconomicsEngineeringLife SciencesBiologyChemistryPhysics

HumanitiesArtsPhilosophyPsychologyOntology

Cultural StudiesAnthropologyEthicsJusticePerformance ArtsCosmology

Social SciencesEpidemiology Sociology LawSocialist EconomicsPolitical ScienceHistorySystems TheoryEcologyAstronomy

Fields:Theology

Fields:

Principles of Systemic TheologyPrinciples of Systemic Theology1. Systemic theology provides a systems perspective of

understanding God2. God works at all levels of all systems3. God can defy natural laws since He created them4. God also influences events at every level of systems

without defying natural laws5. Systemic theology covers all knowledge: all truth is

God’s Truth6. Avoid a false separation of the spiritual and the

natural7. Look for God throughout our lives in the natural and

supernatural8. Focus on the systemic causes of things to

understand their spiritual depth

* Systemic theology should not be confused with “systematic theology,” which is a term used to refer to a complete, analytical approach to theology.

2. Interior-Individual (I/mind) 1. Exterior-Individual (it/body)

3. Interior-Collective (we/culture) 4. Exterior Collective (they/society)



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Paganism

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Law Based Religion

Christian Nationalism

Global Living Body of Christ

Heavenly Worship

Fields Cultural StudiesAnthropologyEthicsJusticeEastern ReligionsPerformance ArtsCosmology

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Systemic Theology = God Operates Everywhere

Mental Illness, Lies, Abuse & Addiction

Sickness &Physical Oppression

Religious &CulturalOppression

Political & EconomicOppression & Calamities

SpiritualGrowth

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Systemic Theology = God Operates Everywhere


3. Interior-Collective (we/culture) 4. Exterior Collective (they/society)All C

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FieldsSocial Sciences

Epidemiology Sociology

LawSocialist Economics

Political ScienceHistory

Systems TheoryEcology

Astronomy

Undirected Survival

Group Survival

Paganism


Law Based Religion



Heavenly Worship


Atoms

Molecules

CellsPlants

Animals

Mam

mals

Resurrected Bodies


Humans Fields



BiologyChemistry

Physics

Inanim

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(Phy

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Impu

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Mental Illness, Lies, Abuse & Addiction

Sickness &Physical Oppression

Religious &CulturalOppression

SpiritualGrowth

Salvati

on Physical

Healing

RevivalSoc

ial

Movem

ents

Political & Economic Oppression & Calamities

Ways We Get SeparatedWays We Get Separated“We see through a glass darkly”

◦ The glass is different colors for different people◦ Most people only see one part of one quadrant

Each person’s personality and culture predisposes their lens on the world◦ Big Picture = Collective ◦ Detail Oriented = Individual◦ Thinkers = External◦ Feelers = Internal◦ Western Culture = Individual and External◦ Eastern Culture = Collective and Internal◦ Conservative = Individual◦ Liberal = Collective◦ Secular = Exterior◦ Religious = Interior◦ Protestant = Individual◦ Catholic = Collective

The Difference Between AcademicThe Difference Between AcademicKnowledge and Action/ExperienceKnowledge and Action/ExperienceAll Fields in all four quadrants are only academic

knowledge of the External of those areas◦ “Psychology will never tell you what Pizza tastes like.”

All growth comes from action & experience◦ Achieving health vs. Medicine◦ Healthy relationships vs. Psychology◦ Creating healthy culture vs. Anthropology◦ Creating a just society vs. Political Science

To address systemic problems, you need to:◦ Understand systemic causes in all 4 quadrants◦ Implement action plan to address causes in 4 quadrants



Understanding Addiction (knowledge)

• Biochemistry of addiction• Medical Treatments• Hereditary predisposition• Easy access to drugs/addiction• Lack of physical care of bodies• Biophysical emotional predisposition

• Unemployment • Lack of emotional intelligence• Personal isolation/broken relationships• Spiritual emptiness• Wounds from abuse• Separation from God

• Cultural devaluation of emotion, spiritual, relationships, etc.• Subcultures where addiction is norm• Drugs, alcohol, sex, food & materialism promoted in Mass media• Current cultural oppression (racism, etc.)• Cultural inheritance from past oppression• “Worship” of sex, hedonism and other “gods” permeates culture

• Breakdown of family• Lack of jobs• Systemic Oppression (Racism, etc.)• Political priorities• Economics of drug trade• Global exploitation• Failed States/Governments• Globalization of crime



Addressing Addiction (action)

• Get on proper psychotropic medication• Remove access to addictive item• Avoid HALT (Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired)

• Get a job• Go to Counseling• Get healthy friendships• Form identity• Establish physical & emotional safety• Pursue spiritual fulfillment• Get healing from wounds of abuse• Get connected to God

• Spiritual revival• Pursue or create subcultures that value emotion, spiritual, relationships, etc.• Avoid Subcultures where addiction is norm• Avoid triggering mass media• Pursue groups that help to cope with cultural oppression • Pursue groups that positively address cultural inheritance from past oppression• Immerse in culture that Worships God

• Restore and build up family• Support groups that are addressing addiction, oppression, promote policies addressing addiction, and addressing global systemic causes of drug trade

Stages of Spiritual Growth & Fivefold MinistryStages of Spiritual Growth & Fivefold Ministry

Spirituality & the Butterfly EffectSpirituality & the Butterfly Effect Butterfly Effect

◦ Does the Flap of a Butterfly's Wings in Brazil Set Off a Tornado in Texas?

How God affects systems◦ He knows which butterfly to touch to avoid the tornado

Apostles and prophets◦ Apostles and prophets are often associated with social

movements or revivals (impacting Culture and Society)◦ Apostles and prophets listen to God who tells them which

butterfly’s to touch to create a movement◦ Prophets identify the movement and apostles lead it

Spiritual Examples◦ Social: Rosa Parks & Martin Luther King Jr., William Wilberforce,

William Booth, etc.◦ Revivals: George Whitefield, John Wesley, Dwight Moody

Spirituality and MaterialismSpirituality and Materialism Materialism is a lens/worldview/religion that focuses only on

External, reductionist answersAssumptions of materialism form a lens that distort

reality in a way that leads to spiritual regression◦ External lens only shows the External quadrants by definition◦ Reductionist lens gives preference to the center by definition◦ Creates hostility between religion and science

Sub-Branches of Materialism◦ Scientific method: only values what can be measured &

reproduced◦ Capitalism & Communism: societal progress is in only what can be

measured◦ Objectivism: philosophy that only objective truth is important◦ Evolution: assumes that humans are the same as animals ◦ Humanism: humans determine all truth and good using only

rational thought without God

Understanding the Understanding the Limits of ScienceLimits of Science Each “level” has its own science with different sets of laws

& models◦ Only simple examples accurately follow models

Most systems are too complex to be solvable◦ Math: ratio of solvable problems to unsolvable problems is zero◦ Physics: Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle provides fundamental

limit to knowledge◦ Chaos Theory: these limits and system complexity create

fundamental limits to knowledge in other fields “We still do not know one thousandth of one percent of

what nature has revealed to us.” – Einstein◦ Chaos Theory is likely to prove that we can never know more

than that

Why is the World Powerless Why is the World Powerless Against Modern Problems?Against Modern Problems?Our Internal and Collective perspectives

are underdevelopedWe lack the tools needed to address the

world’s most important problems:◦ Addiction, Cultural Degradation, Racism, Climate

Change, TerrorismNeed a systemic view that understands

complexities of multiple causesBias toward academic understanding

rather than action and experience

Growth in Spirit and TruthGrowth in Spirit and Truth John 4:23-24 “Yet a time is coming and has now come when

the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.“

Knowledge of External = Academic = Truth◦ Primarily comes through teaching and learning◦ Scientific method applies to ExternalGrowth of the Internal = Spirit◦ Primarily comes through Individual or Collective experience◦ You can study about Internal things, but growth comes from

the experience◦ Emotional healing vs. studying psychology◦ Scientific method does not apply to Internal by definition

Replacing the Scientific MethodReplacing the Scientific MethodScientific Method Systemic Method Focus: only on the External

◦ what can be measured/replicated Finding Truth

◦ Scientific Method

◦ Reductionist Question

◦ What is true?

Goal◦ Expand proven knowledge

Focus: on all four quadrants

Finding Truth◦ External: scientific method◦ Internal: five-fold ministry◦ Holistic

Questions◦ What is true?◦ What is helpful?

Goal◦ Grow in truth◦ Increasing health (life)

Systems and the DemonicSystems and the DemonicAtomic Model Example

◦ No one has seen the atomic model, but it accurately describes what you can observe

◦ Are atoms real? YesDemons

◦ Individual Translation: addiction & abuse◦ Collective Translation: systemic & cultural oppression◦ You may not see it, but it accurately describes what you

can observe◦ Are demons real? Yes◦ Biblical & historical examples



AddictionSystemicHealth Effects

Cultural Exploitationin Media

Exploitive Politics & Globalization

Fundamental SystemicProblems of our Age

Cultural Exploitation in MediaCultural Exploitation in Media1. Modern worship: Corporations use images of sex gods,

youth, alcohol, drugs, materialism & violence, & those gods will bless them with increased profits.

2. We participate by consuming media which numbs us, keeps us occupied and creates a steady diet of sex, youth, alcohol, drugs, violence & materialistic consumption.

3. Those images affect us by causing us to put too much of our focus on those things (i.e. worship those things)

4. We become in bondage through addiction, debt, work commitments, etc.

5. Cultures are exploited and degraded often with major social consequences: women, hip hop culture, developing countries

Exploitive Politics & GlobalizationExploitive Politics & Globalization1. Our system rewards politicians and companies

that get things for you.2. These politicians and companies aggressively

try to get things for you.3. They end up exploiting those with less power .4. You benefit through reduced prices and

increased benefits.5. By supporting those politicians and companies

you are contributing to systemic injustice. Examples: unjust wars, economic exploitation,

de facto segregation, racism, sexism, slavery, etc.

Understanding GodUnderstanding GodImagine the entire universe (all systems)

exists in God’s “brain” or consciousness◦Like the movie the Matrix◦God exists outside of space and time because

they are created by His consciousness◦Natural laws function like a computer program

governing things, but God can modify the program at any time

◦Study of all laws/knowledge is the study of spiritual laws/knowledge

◦This perspective helps to reconcile science and religion (evolution)

Vision for Systemic TheologyVision for Systemic TheologyDomain: Systemic theology covers all knowledge

and experience that promotes spiritual growth◦ Goal is to promote spiritual growth◦ All truth is God’s Truth◦ Includes all fields◦ Internal “knowledge” must be experienced◦ How do we create systems that promote spiritual growth?◦ Will come from people with experience and knowledge

across all four quadrantsExamples

◦ UrbanMinistry.org: Wiki of knowledge promoting Individual and social spiritual growth

◦ ChristianVolunteering.org: directory of experiences that promote spiritual growth

http://www.urbanministry.org/

http://www.christianvolunteering.org/

References & CreditsReferences & CreditsScripture from New International Version (NIV)The 4 quadrant framework and some of the

levels of systems were drawn from A Brief History of Everything, Ken Wilber

Idea for using the term “Systemic Theology” came from a discussion with Doug Hall

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs◦ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_needs

Thanks to TechMission staff who provided feedback on these ideas.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow's_hierarchy_of_needs