Ecclesia Erratum

Why is culture the way it is? One place the church has goofed is education. I do NOT mean anything about prayer in schools (examinations are a sufficient condition for prayer), or posting the Ten Commandments in the building. What I DO mean is that the church abandoned the ship, to some degree, in American Universities. Most of the top schools in the country were founded by Christians, often for the purpose of ministry (Harvard, Princeton, etc.). Ministry of course, back in the early days of our country implied that one needed a top notch education. I agree with JOHN WESLEY when he said “Ought not a Minister to have, First, a good understanding, a clear apprehension, a sound judgment, and a capacity of reasoning with some closeness? Is not this necessary in an high degree for the work of the ministry? Otherwise, how will he be able to understand the various states of those under his care; or to steer them through a thousand difficulties and dangers, to the haven where they would be? Is it not necessary, with respect to the numerous enemies whom he has to encounter?” Wesley (later in the text) includes knowledge of philosophy, geometry, science, etc., as BASIC knowledge, standard equipment for the minister.

What about today? Although there are many Christian Universities, not many of them are still top notch educationally. In fact, much of the Christian church today is anti-intellectual. A good historical summary of this is in (including the antidote for the poison) J.P. Moreland’s Love God with All Your Mind. I more detailed understanding is
Part of the solution would be to simply encourage and support budding Christian scholars. Put yourself in the shoes of a potential Christian academic that has a choice between paying lots of money to go to a school that is Not respected academically (but has a better world view), or be paid to go to a respected school (even though “you” might make deep compromises to “your” faith) and where “you,” the budding scholar, will increase the chances of “getting a job.” What would you do?

Now imagine that you decide that your religious beliefs are more important to you than the ones that SOME would force upon you at certain academic institutions. You decide to go to the Christian institution and study Mathematics or Science or Literature (something other than the Bible). Your Church family seems disappointed, or at a loss to understand the value of education.

Further, consider the great Christian thinkers that have simply abandoned the “Secular” universities for whatever the reasons. What encouragement are they getting?

The bottom line: It is difficult for me to hear complaints about culture, from those have left it. It is harder yet for me to think of the great Christian minds of history, like Galileo (a committed Christian) who were over looked by the church too hastily. The church may be more effective if she would complain a bit less (assuming reality matches the perception at least in part), a love God with ALL her mind, and her neighbor as herself (which I think entails education in general, etc.) a bit more.