The Christian Scholar
Ross, Michael, Charlie, and I were discussing a wide variety of items tonight at a party, and the subject of Christian academia was briefly addressed. I'd like to raise this issue again for more comprehensive analysis, if you gentlemen don't mind.
First, here is a wonderful article written by Alister McGrath of Wycliffe Hall at Oxford University on the role that the Christian scholar can and should play in both the church and the wider culture. To read his article, click here.
The questions I'd like to raise are:
- What is distinct about Christian scholarship?
- What role should Christians play in the academy?
- What roles should Christian academics play in the life of Christ's church?
- What criteria should aspiring Christian academics use to choose institutions in which to study?
- What biblical mandate, if any, do we have for pursing ministry in academic circles? Why shouldn't all bright gifted teachers in Christ's church simply pursue pulpits for their teaching ministry?
I submit these questions as guiding framework for what I sincerely hope is a fruitful conversation.
posted by Anonymous at 9:50 PM
11 Comments:
Do any of you gents know why our side menu is located at the bottom of the screen. It's causing aesthetically regulative demons to burst out of my mind, unbalancing my "chi"!
your side bar goes down when you put a word or link in your post that is too long and extends the borders of the post column. so go back and find a long link in one of your posts and get rid of it to make the side bar come back.
also, on academia. i hope that as you are discussing how christians should act in the university realm, you will note that you would hence forth be hypocritical to criticize universities as pursuing liberal agendas if you decided that academics ought to work to promote a christian agenda. personally i think the point of university is to learn all perspectives, even the seemingly dangerous or unpopular ones, and then choose what you like on your own.
not that y'all would say something hypocrytical, but next time you're peeping papa bear bill o'reilly or his ilk and he starts in on how american universities try to indoctrinate kids with liberal doctrines you'll have something to think about.
oh, and if your che is off, i've got a great home remedy. i dont know if this is allowed for y'all, but i find that the combo of beer, music and or sports at a bar with friends sets that shiz straight. (i avoided swearing, wasnt that nice of me).
Dantzler,
I think there is a difference between private and public education. I agree that public, state-funded schools should embrace diversity and teach all perspectives. However, I know of very few who teach a proper evangelical viewpoint.
As far as private education, those schools are by nature privatley funded, thus may teach whatever they wish, or whatever the trustees see fit.
Thanks for you recipe for curing one's "chi" problems. I have used those combinations before but I find that they are only temporal fixes and not permanent ones for "what ails ya."
Sure, private schools can teach what ever they want. in fact another name for private schools is parochial schools, so they may in fact teach a particular narrower veiw point.
however, that is the danger of private schools. they dont have to give you the full story if they dont want too. someone could start a school that claimed that the nazis had it right all along and should be regarded as champions of the white race.
obviously, that'd be a bad thing. so i'd be careful to say that private schools can teach anything. moreover, i think that the more a person knows about secular things, the more impressive it is when they adhere to things that they believe to be sacred. for instance someone that only read the bible and lived in the woods being only positively reinforced about religion would be less admirable than someone that read philosophy, politics, etc and interacted with people from all walks of life and then still held to their beliefs by simply adjusting them to fit in the real world or by arguing on the same level as everyone else in favor of their validity.
oh yeah, medical marajana also helps out the chi ..... or so i hear.
"for instance someone that only read the bible and lived in the woods being only positively reinforced about religion would be less admirable than someone that read philosophy, politics, etc and interacted with people from all walks of life and then still held to their beliefs by simply adjusting them to fit in the real world or by arguing on the same level as everyone else in favor of their validity"
I agree. I went to public school my entire life and went to a state-supported university (USC). In fact, my high school was well known as one the most diverse schools in the state. I also know my Auburn, Georgia, and Miss. State alumnus brothers who are apart of this blog would agree as well.
Drew,
McGrath says some good and interesting things in his article. In fact, there is probably nothing with which I disagree.
Now, to answer your questions.
1. What is distinct about Christian scholarship?
The simple answer to this question is Christian scholarship is presented within a coherent framework that corresponds with reality. That framework is, of course, biblical Christianity. We would argue that we have objective truth in the Word of God to which all knowledge and truth must be weighed and measured. So, for example, as a Christian history teacher, I can look at history and say that there is a deeper meaning, which can be objectivified in the eternally existing God. Whereas, a history teacher with an evolutionary worldview would see history as a set of unconnected and random events.
2. What role should Christians play in the academy?
More of one than they currently do. Dantzler Smith has correctly pointed out that it is the job of public education to give a variety of options from the marketplace of ideas. Conversely, Charlie remarked that it would be nice if biblical Christianity was given a fair shake in this marketplace. With that said, it should not be the dominant worldview presented in the educational setting. The facts should be presented and the options weighed. I would argue and have myself found that biblical, historical Christianity has more than an adequate claims to truth. Therefore, it is right and appropriate that each worldview be given a fair and objective (as objective as we can be) look.
3. What roles should Christian academics play in the life of Christ's church?
Christian academics ought to be an essential and thriving aspect of Christ's Church. We are called to love God not only with our hearts and souls but also with our minds. We are not compartmentalized being. We are whole and as such we should desire to be fed as whole beings. Christian academics can be very useful in feeding the flock of Christ through apologetic approaches to topics normally considered "outside" the scope of the Church. Therefore, Christian academics should be involved in teaching roles, primarily. Beyond that, I am not really sure how to incorporate the academic.
4. What criteria should aspiring Christian academics use to choose institutions in which to study?
Not sure I have much to say here. Criteria is simple to me. Will the institution I am attending allow me to live and work within my Tritarian theistic worldview despite the fact they might disagree with me? Disagreement in higher education is probably one of the best ways to expose real truth. I guess my point here is that Christians should and ought to be willing to go to and interact with secular education and educators.
5. What biblical mandate, if any, do we have for pursing ministry in academic circles? Why shouldn't all bright gifted teachers in Christ's church simply pursue pulpits for their teaching ministry?
Quickly, 1 Corinthians 10:31 comes directly to mind. Also, Matthew 22:37, we are called to love God with all our minds.
First off, Drew...great questions. I agree with every point that Michael made so I am only expanding on his thoughts.
1. What is distinct about Christian scholarship?
Agree with Michael, a proufoundly different view of history.
2. What role should Christians play in the academy?
I would add that it is the Christian's duty out of the love overflowing from the Holy Spirit which indwells the Christian scholar to live the life we are called to live. Eventhough reason and arguments help, in evangelism, people will accept Christ based on the truth they see in a person's life and actions.
3. What roles should Christian academics play in the life of Christ's church?
I would answer this with another question - what should we think about Church Theologians? I'm thinking of Pete Schemm's role at Open Door Baptist. This is an interesting situation considering we all would agree that the pastor should be a theologian as well.
4. What criteria should aspiring Christian academics use to choose institutions in which to study?
In the public square, they should bring their worldview where they work...as every person does. True beliefs should manifest themselves practically in their actions and lifestyle...as all beliefs should and do, even if certain behaviors expose beliefs that are not voiced. Actions speak louder then words. This is our privilege, challenge, and our responsibility.
5. What biblical mandate, if any, do we have for pursing ministry in academic circles? Why shouldn't all bright gifted teachers in Christ's church simply pursue pulpits for their teaching ministry?
Some people have to teach the pastors. Based one's calling at a particular point in one's life, that decision is made.
Drew and Ross,
You guys are the ones thinking about becoming the highest level of Christian scholar. I am really interested in hearing your perspective on these questions.
At last, gentlemen, I am posting some of my thoughts on this issue. I apologize for the delay, and giving the excuse that at this moment I am quite fatigued, beg for grace in skewering any flaws in logic and argumentation.
1.What is distinct about Christian scholarship?
A Christian scholar is distinguished from his secular colleagues by what I like to call the "gospel nexus," which is the relentless quest for truth and beauty within the academic's particular field. All truth is a corollary of God's common grace to all people, and therefore we can wholeheartedly agree that "all truth is God's truth." The Christian scholar does not stop at this point where perhaps his unbelieving colleagues might. Rather, the Christian scholar applies the message of redemption (found in the Gospel) to his or her work and celebrates the beauty found in God's renewing work in people and culture at large. In other words, a Christian scholar seeks truth and new understanding of this world, yet looking through the lens of the gospel (which claims that God is actively renewing a broken world into something of pristine beauty and perfection) and paints a portrait for the world to see of what that truth will be when transformed by God's grace. The sciences, fine arts, and humanities can all be used as vessels for understanding the larger implications of the gospel in God's world.
2. What roles should Christians play in the academy?
I believe that it is imperative that Christians not only sanction but strongly encourage their brightest minds to cultivate their gifts in the realm of academia. Christian scholars have a large role to play in both parochial and public circles of the academy. Secular universities, claiming tolerance and inclusivism in the name of academic freedom, must recognize the contributions of self-postured evangelical scholars in academia. To silence their voice in the academy is to play the hypocrite, which Dantzler astutely hinted at in his post. Thank you, Dantzler, for that comment. And by the way, I detest Bill O'Reilly as well.
3. Christian academics, though primarily ministering in academic institutions, owe their primary allegiance to the church, as do all Christians. While not seeking to abandon projects directed to the scholarly community-at-large, the Chrisian academic must realize that he or she has a gift of intelligence that must be used to benefit God's people in the context of the Church. Therefore, Christian scholars should be encouraged (and in some cases allowed) to introduce to lay people their ideas. I hope that this would be done within the context of a local church, and my vision of this is to demonstrate to God's people how God's redeeming activity through Jesus Christ really does affect all aspects of society, from chemistry to painting, to law, and yes, theology.
4. Aspiring evangelical scholars should seek out educational opportunities that excel, period. A bright believer who has her heart set on law should not hesitate to apply to Harvard Law School for fear of anti-Christian thought. I do recognize that this will be a controversial concept, however, due to impressionability of young minds, and I confess that this is a difficult subject that will draw fire from all sides. Should a student decide that a Christian education is desirable, then I have no objections, but one proclamation: Christian high schools and universities in particular must set the bar much higher than the secular community in academic rigor, depth, and breadth. Evangelical educational institutions that operate on a fideistic model without real, open, honest questioning do their students no favor, and set them up for second-rate scholarship. In order to gain any type of academic respect from our secular counterparts, distinctively-Christian education must be "above reproach" and set the pace for academic excellence.
5. The great commission of our Lord gives warrant for penetration of the ivory tower with a Christian worldview. Acts 1:8 would also support this notion, in bringing the truth of the gospel to all spheres of the world. First Corinthians 10:31 should spur believing scholars to continual excellence, knowing that they serve not men, but strive for the glory of Christ in their research and teaching.
These are a few thoughts on this subject, very much from the top of my head. I look forward to your comments and [gentle] criticism.
If those comments were from the top of your head, the top of your head is pretty impressive.
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