S
Stewardship of the MindA Christian Argument for Fostering Intellectual Virtue
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
The Problem
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
“There is no longer a Christian mind.”
- Harry Blamires
“Christians view humble
ignorance as being more
noble than a cultivated
mind.”
Richard Hofstadter Anti-
intellectualism in
American Life
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
The Battlefield
“…thought control, as conducted through the agency of the national media
and related elements of the elite intellectual culture.”
Noam Chomsky, Necessary Illusions, Thought Control in Democratic Societies
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
"The battle for humankind's
future must be waged and won in the public school
classroom...between the
rotting corpse of
Christianity...and the new
faith of humanism.
Humanism will emerge
triumphant."
• John Dunphy; The
Humanist;
January/February, 1983
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
College is a battlefield of ideas
FreeRepublic.com
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
College is a battlefield of ideas
FreeRepublic.com
“[Professors] are rightfully
unimpressed with the inability of
most Christian students to
defend their beliefs.” Frank Turek
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
Recent Studies
• Percentage of students leaving the faith while in college
61%
Barna
Study
2006
66%
Assemble
of God
Study
70%
LifeWay
Research
2007
88%
SBC
Family
Life 2002
35%Return to
faith later
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
Not Equipped
• “…it’s not so much that Christian minds are lost at college —it’s that Christian minds rarely get to college. They rarely get to college because many parents and churches emphasize emotion and ignore the biblical commands to develop the mind, which means that most kids skip off to college equipped with nothing more than feel-good emotionalism.”
• Frank Turek
• “A tepid Christianity cannot withstand a rabid secularism.”• Ravi Zacharias
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
How did this come about?
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
1600 1700 1800 1900 2000
German
Higher
CriticismHume
Kant
On the
Origin of
Species
Revivalist movements of the
1730s-1750s and the 1800s
Puritans
Edwards
Mather
Harvard
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
“Thou shalt love the Lord
thy God with all thy
heart, and with all thy
soul, and with all thy
strength, and with all thy
mind”
Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27
Heart
Mind
Soul
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
1600 1700 1800 1900 2000
German
Higher
CriticismHume
Kant
On the
Origin of
Species
Revivalist movements of the
1730s-1750s and the 1800s
Puritans
Literacy Rate
89%-95%
Edwards
Mather
Harvard
Puritans focus on
intellect, spiritual
and emotional
Puritans
build some
of the finest
colleges
Newton
Jonathan
Edwards
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
1600 1700 1800 1900 2000
German
Higher
CriticismHume
Kant
On the
Origin of
Species
Revivalist movements of the
1730s-1750s and the 1800s
Puritans
Focus on
Experience
Edwards
Mather
Harvard
Education started to focus on
specific disciples – science
divorced from theology
Theology separated form other
disciplines and intellectual pursuits
were abandoned
Newton
Great Awakening
George Whitefield
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
Legacy of the 1800’s revivals“But their overall effect was to overemphasize immediate personal
conversion to Christ instead of a studied period of reflection and
conviction; emotional, simple, popular preaching instead of
intellectually careful and doctrinally precise sermons; and personal
feelings and relationship to Christ instead of a deep grasp of the
nature of Christian teachings and ideas.”
J. P. Moreland, Love God With All Your Mind, pg 23
“Anti-intellectualism was a feature of American Revivalism.”
George Marsden, Fundamentalism and American Culture, 1980
pg. 212
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
1600 1700 1800 1900 2000
German
Higher
CriticismHume
Kant
On the
Origin of
Species
Revivalist movements of the
1730s-1750s and the 1800s
Puritans
Edwards
Mather
Harvard
Secular subculture
in academics
Science and
Religion seen at
odds
Draper &
White
A History of the Warfare of
Science with Theology in
Christendom (1869-96)
A History of the Conflict
between Religion and
Science (1874)
Newton
Draper
White
Darwin
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
1600 1700 1800 1900 2000
German
Higher
CriticismHume
Kant
On the
Origin of
Species
Revivalist movements of the
1730s-1750s and the 1800s
Puritans
Focus on
Experience
Edwards
Mather
Harvard Draper &
White
Jehovah's Witnesses
Mormonism
Newton
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
1600 1700 1800 1900 2000
German
Higher
CriticismHume
Kant
On the
Origin of
Species
Revivalist movements of the
1730s-1750s and the 1800s
Puritans
Edwards
Mather
Harvard Draper &
White
Newton
Today
??????????
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
1600 1700 1800 1900 2000
German
Higher
CriticismHume
Kant
On the
Origin of
Species
Revivalist movements of the
1730s-1750s and the 1800s
Puritans
Edwards
Mather
Harvard Draper &
White
Newton
Today’s Cultural
Perception
Science = Fact
Religion = Myth
People look to science
for issues of morality.
Example: Darwinism
plays a strategic part in
rationalizing eugenics,
euthanasia, infanticide,
abortion, Marxism,
relativism, and genocide.
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
Impact
• Intellectually shallow, theologically illiterate form of Christianity. (Anti-intellectualism)
• Believers grew suspicious of intellectual issues altogether.
• Birth of Mormonism (1830).
• Birth of Jehovah’s Witnesses (1884).
• Philosophies critical of religious thought, especially from Europe (Immanuel Kant & David Hume) went unanswered.
• Darwinian Evolution made the world safe for Atheists.
• Growth of scientism.
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
Secularization’s Influence On Culture
• Darwinism plays a strategic part in rationalizing eugenics, euthanasia, infanticide, abortion, Marxism, relativism, and genocide.
• "Men have forgotten God; that's why all this has happened.” - Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
Influence on culture
• America is secularized politically and intellectually.
• Not all the way down to the level of the guy on the street.
• Secular subculture in American education system, mass media and upper echelons of legal system.
• "they are very influential, as they control the institutions that provide the 'official' definitions of reality.“ Peter Berger
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
Influence in the Church
1. A misunderstanding of faith's relationship to reason.
2. The separation of the secular and the sacred.
3. Weakened world missions.
4. Anti-intellectualism has spawned an irrelevant gospel.
5. A loss of boldness in confronting the idea structures in our culture with effective Christian witness.
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
Where are we today in the Church?
Moralistic Therapeutic Deism
• A god exists who created and ordered the world and watches over human life on earth.
• God wants people to be good, nice, and fair to each other, as taught in the Bible and by most world religions.
• The central goal of life is to be happy and to feel good about oneself.
• God does not need to be particularly involved in one's life except when God is needed to resolve a problem.
• Good people go to heaven when they die.
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
Where are we today?
“…it is not so much that US Christianity is being secularized. Rather more subtly, Christianity is either degenerating into a pathetic version of itself or, more significantly, Christianity is actively being colonized and displaced by a quite different religious faith."
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
The Double-minded Person
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
“Jesus is
God”
“Everyone's
morals are
equally
valid”
What would
follow if
Christianity is
true?
What would
follow if
Christianity is
not true?
How does our view of reality influence
our decisions and actions?
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
“Jesus is
God”
“Everyone's
morals are
equally
valid”
Private life Public life
People try to compartmentalize their lives.
We act one way at work, another at school,
another at work, and another way at home.
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
“Jesus is
God”
“Everyone's
morals are
equally
valid”
Private life Public life
"The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today... is
Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips and walk out the
door and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is simply what an
unbelieving world finds unbelievable."
Lyrics from DC Talk "What if I Stubble"
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
“Jesus is
God”
“Everyone's
morals are
equally
valid”
Private life Public life
Moral Confusion
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
“Jesus is
God”
“Everyone's
morals are
equally
valid”
Private life Public life
Moral Confusion
Psalm 119:113
“I hate double-minded
people, but I love your
law.”
James 1:8
“…he is a double-
minded man, unstable in
all his ways.”
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
How do we fix this?
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
Mind
Fix these words of mine in your
hearts and minds
Deuteronomy 11:18
Do not be conformed to this age,
but be transformed by the renewing
of your mind, so that you may
discern what is the good, pleasing,
and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:2
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
Mind
Fix these words of mine in your
hearts and minds
Deuteronomy 11:18
Do not be conformed to this age,
but be transformed by the renewing
of your mind, so that you may
discern what is the good, pleasing,
and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:2
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
Mind
Fix these words of mine in your
hearts and minds
Deuteronomy 11:18
Do not be conformed to this age,
but be transformed by the renewing
of your mind, so that you may
discern what is the good, pleasing,
and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:2
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
Finally, brothers and sisters,
whatever is true, whatever is
noble, whatever is right, whatever
is pure, whatever is lovely,
whatever is admirable--if anything
is excellent or praiseworthy--think
about such things.
Philippians 4:8
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
“The mind, not the Bible, is the very first line of
defense God has given us against error.” … “In
order to understand the Bible accurately, our
mental faculties must be intact and we must use
them as God intended.” … “What is the tool we
use in our observations of the world that helps us
separate fact from Fiction? That tool is reason,
the ability to use our minds to sort through
observations and draw accurate conclusions
about reality. Rationality is one of the tools God
has given us to acquire knowledge.”
- G. Koukl, Tactics pg. 32
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
Stewardship of the Mind
• Is stewardship only related to money?
• “The responsible use of resources, esp. money, time, and talents, in the service of God.” (OED)
• The Parable of the Talents - Matthew 25:14-30
• Your intellect is one of the greatest gifts from God
• How should we use our intellects?
• Should we increase it for His kingdom?
• Steward = Responsibility
And now you know about
your
responsibility
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
Start with reading
• Reading requires interaction.
• Media is more passive and does not require interaction.
• Media makes fewer demands it breeds passive participation, short attention spans, instant gratification.
• All truth is God’s truth.
• Must read with discernment. In light of the Christian worldview.
• "I knew I had to out-think those who were challenging my faith; and to out-think them, I knew I had to out-read them." - James E. White
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
Reading, it’s your choice
• Choosing to read• Available to everyone, it is a matter of choice
• May not be easy, difficult to change old habits
• What to read• Widely read v. well read
• What is better, reading a lot of garbage or few excellent works
• Not unlimited time need to be selective
• It is like a diet, junk food verses nutritious food
• The Bible is foundational for your diet (For the renewing of your mind)
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
Your armoryclaustrum sine armario est quasi
castrum sine armamentario
A monastery without a
library [sine armario] is like
a castle without an armory
[sine armamentario]
- Norman Monk 1170 AD
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
Discipleship of the Mind
• Barna Group Study (David Kinnaman)
• More than 50% of the 18- to 29-year-olds in the church aspire to careers in science and technology.
• Only 1% of young adult pastors/leaders ever address science in their teaching.
• We need to address the typical “apologetics” issues as part of church programs
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
Discipleship of the Mind
• “The state, condition, or fact of being a pupil, follower, or adherent of any teacher, leader, doctrine, etc.; the position of a pupil, or follower.” OED
• We need to train people to think with a Christian worldview
• Classes
• Sermons
• Small Group Studies
• Integrated into all aspects of the local Church
• Training people up includes training the intellect
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
“In their uncompromising determination to proclaim
truth, Christians must avoid the intellectual flabbiness
of the larger society. They must rally against the
prevailing distrust of reason and the exaltation of the
irrational. Emotion, self-indulgence and irrationalities
have always been the enemies of the gospel, and
the apostles warned their followers against them.”
- Herbert Schlossberg
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
Resources
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
Recommended Books to Start With
More at http://www.thirdcolumnministries.org/Pages/Stewardship-of-the-Mind.aspx
© 2 0 1 5 T h i r d C o lu m n M in i s t r i e s
Thank you for participating!
• Question?
• Contact us: www.ThirdColumnMinistries.org