–The following is from an article by Michael W. Austin, published by the Christian Research Institute:
“Anti-intellectualism is rampant in the United States. For quite some time now, our culture has exalted feelings above reason, pragmatism over wisdom, entertainment over intellectual engagement, and we’re now seeing the fruit of these choices. The criticisms are now clichés, but they are nevertheless true. Image often trumps substance. Slogans are more effective than sound policy proposals. The art of persuasion is less about truth and evidence, and more about tapping into the emotion of one’s audience to get them to do or believe what one wishes. People focus more on the messenger’s rhetorical abilities than the message itself. In these and other ways, the church often has followed suit.”*
Evangelicals are suspicious of higher learning. Baptist preachers better not mention church history, Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, or early church Fathers like Tertullian, Augustine, or Thomas Aquinas. Preach on anything in the Bible, but don’t get too deep. No doctrine, nothing intellectual, nothing that “makes my brain hurt”—in other words, DON’T ASK ME TO CONCENTRATE.
Wait, what? You give up your Sunday to hear about Jesus, but you’re not willing to work at it?
You spend your free time lifting weights, but you’re not willing to lift any weight with your mind?
How can God grow you or use you if you refuse to be challenged?
Who benefits from this pervasive mistrust of higher learning? The devil. He uses it to keep us from learning God’s truth. He has convinced us that big words and deep thoughts lead to falling away from God, and small words and superficial truth lead to faithfulness.
But did Jesus teach only small words and surface truths? Was he suspicious when spiritual teaching became sophisticated?
No. And isn’t He your example? Scripture rebukes anti-intellectualism:
“We have a great deal to say about this, and it’s difficult to explain, because YOU HAVE BECOME TOO LAZY TO UNDERSTAND. Although by this time, some of you should be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary principles of God’s revelation again. You are like babies who need milk, not solid food…. Solid food is for the mature” Hebrews 5:11-12,14.
Are you still learning the basics? Still figuring out the fundamentals of your faith? Are you an infant eating creamed corn because you have not advanced to steak? “Solid food is for the mature.” DO YOUR WORK! Pastors should not have to apologize when they discuss church history, or explore topics with big names like eschatology, predestination, or the priesthood of Melchizedek.
If you want to know Jesus, make up your mind to do the hard work. Read C.S. Lewis. Study deep topics. Search for teachers, ministers, and mentors who will challenge you. Reject anti-intellectualism. It is a trap from the enemy.
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* https://www.equip.org/articles/anti-intellectualism-church/
Household Words: 