Christian Anti-Intellectualism
I've long been puzzled by the anti-intellectualism that I sometimes encounter among certain fellow Christians. For example, my formative years as a believer were spent under a pastor who mockingly referred to seminary as "cemetary"; the implication being that formal theological education is antithetical to Spirit-filled living.
What's strange is that the doctrines and creeds which most Christians subscribe to were shaped by intellectuals. Luther, Calvin, Aquinas, Anselm, Jerome, Augustine, Ambrose, Origen and many, many others were world-class scholars who collectively crafted the way modern-day Christians think about their faith. The Apostle Paul was a very smart and well educated guy. He could talk theology and philosophy with the best of them. He even got a gig in Athens at the Areopagus, which--for a philosopher--was the equivalent of a modern-day lawyer arguing a case before the Supreme Court.
So clearly there is not a dichotomy between intellectualism and Christianity. What I eventually learned is that the anti-intellectualism came in via *fundamentalism*. There are many forms of fundamentalism--Christian, Islamic, Jewish, Hindu, Communist, etc.--and anti-intellectualism tends to be a core characteristic of all of them. This is because fundamentalism is rooted, driven and sustained by fear. Fundamentalism is a retreat position. It is the idealogical equivalent of circling the wagons, or scurrying to the inner keep of the castle and raising the drawbridge. Knowledge and education (not to mention inclusivity and coexistence) are seen as threats to the fundamentalist ethos. Fundamentalism is characterized by an emphasis on strict adherence to a relatively narrow set of rules and a somewhat exclusivistic "us vs. them" worldview.
Christian fundamentalism is a relatively recent phenomena and came about as a reaction against Enlightenment thinking. According to Wikipedia:
"There was no single founder of fundamentalism. Americans Dwight L. Moody (1837 – 1899), Arthur Tappan Pierson and British preacher and father of dispensationalism John Nelson Darby (1800 – 1882), among others, propounded ideas and themes carried into fundamentalist Christianity.
The term fundamentalist...derives from a series of (originally) twelve volumes entitled The Fundamentals: A Testimony To The Truth. Among this publication's 94 essays, 27 of them objected to higher criticism of the Bible, by far the largest number addressing any one topic. The essays were written by 64 British and American conservative Protestant theologians between 1910 and 1915. Using a $250,000 grant from Lyman Stewart, the head of the Union Oil Company of California, about three million sets of these books were distributed to English-speaking Protestant church workers throughout the world."
It was a revelation when I left behind the provincial world of that "cemetary" pastor and discovered a whole galaxy of brilliant, educated and deeply devout Christian thinkers who seek to love God with all of their heart, soul, mind, and strength. Rather than being fearful and suspicious of knowledge, they embrace the gift that God has given them of inquisitive minds. I can't help but think that God smiles upon that.
"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." 1 John 4:18
What's strange is that the doctrines and creeds which most Christians subscribe to were shaped by intellectuals. Luther, Calvin, Aquinas, Anselm, Jerome, Augustine, Ambrose, Origen and many, many others were world-class scholars who collectively crafted the way modern-day Christians think about their faith. The Apostle Paul was a very smart and well educated guy. He could talk theology and philosophy with the best of them. He even got a gig in Athens at the Areopagus, which--for a philosopher--was the equivalent of a modern-day lawyer arguing a case before the Supreme Court.
So clearly there is not a dichotomy between intellectualism and Christianity. What I eventually learned is that the anti-intellectualism came in via *fundamentalism*. There are many forms of fundamentalism--Christian, Islamic, Jewish, Hindu, Communist, etc.--and anti-intellectualism tends to be a core characteristic of all of them. This is because fundamentalism is rooted, driven and sustained by fear. Fundamentalism is a retreat position. It is the idealogical equivalent of circling the wagons, or scurrying to the inner keep of the castle and raising the drawbridge. Knowledge and education (not to mention inclusivity and coexistence) are seen as threats to the fundamentalist ethos. Fundamentalism is characterized by an emphasis on strict adherence to a relatively narrow set of rules and a somewhat exclusivistic "us vs. them" worldview.
Christian fundamentalism is a relatively recent phenomena and came about as a reaction against Enlightenment thinking. According to Wikipedia:
"There was no single founder of fundamentalism. Americans Dwight L. Moody (1837 – 1899), Arthur Tappan Pierson and British preacher and father of dispensationalism John Nelson Darby (1800 – 1882), among others, propounded ideas and themes carried into fundamentalist Christianity.
The term fundamentalist...derives from a series of (originally) twelve volumes entitled The Fundamentals: A Testimony To The Truth. Among this publication's 94 essays, 27 of them objected to higher criticism of the Bible, by far the largest number addressing any one topic. The essays were written by 64 British and American conservative Protestant theologians between 1910 and 1915. Using a $250,000 grant from Lyman Stewart, the head of the Union Oil Company of California, about three million sets of these books were distributed to English-speaking Protestant church workers throughout the world."
It was a revelation when I left behind the provincial world of that "cemetary" pastor and discovered a whole galaxy of brilliant, educated and deeply devout Christian thinkers who seek to love God with all of their heart, soul, mind, and strength. Rather than being fearful and suspicious of knowledge, they embrace the gift that God has given them of inquisitive minds. I can't help but think that God smiles upon that.
"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." 1 John 4:18
1 Comments:
Wow. I too am trying to come to terms with my up-bringing in a proudly conservative, fundamental church.
Your statement -
"This is because fundamentalism is rooted, driven and sustained by fear. Fundamentalism is a retreat position."
opens a window of understanding that I had felt, but not yet formed into a thought.
1 John 4:18 is so appropriate.
Thanks for a great post.
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