Life at the Crossroads: Perspectives on Some Areas of Public Life Scholarship Living at the...
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Transcript of Life at the Crossroads: Perspectives on Some Areas of Public Life Scholarship Living at the...
Life at the Crossroads: Life at the Crossroads: Perspectives on Some Areas Perspectives on Some Areas of Public Lifeof Public Life
ScholarshipScholarship
Living at the Living at the CrossroadsCrossroads
Chapter 9Chapter 9
Marsden and the Outrageous Idea Marsden and the Outrageous Idea of Christian Scholarshipof Christian Scholarship
Genuine Christian scholarship is Genuine Christian scholarship is rarerare
Keep religious beliefs privateKeep religious beliefs private
Product of formative power of Product of formative power of academic communityacademic community
Genuine Christian scholarship is Genuine Christian scholarship is outrageousoutrageous
Takes gospel seriouslyTakes gospel seriously
Challenges assumptions of academyChallenges assumptions of academy
Dearth of Christian scholarship Dearth of Christian scholarship distressing . . .distressing . . .
Because it is scholarship Because it is scholarship ‘conformed to the world’ ‘conformed to the world’ (Rom 12:1-2)(Rom 12:1-2)
Because of the cultural Because of the cultural power of the university and power of the university and scholarshipscholarship
Cultural Power of UniversityCultural Power of UniversityThis great Western institution, the university, dominates the world today more than any other institution: more than the church, more than the government, more than all other institutions. All the leaders of government are graduates of universities, or at least of secondary schools or colleges whose administrators and teachers are themselves graduates of universities. The same applies to all church leaders. . . . The professionals—doctors, engineers, lawyers, etc.—have all passed through the mill of secondary school, the college and the university. And the men of the media are university trained. . . . The universities, then, directly and indirectly dominate the world; their influence is so pervasive and total that whatever problem afflicts them is bound to have far-reaching repercussions throughout the entire fabric of Western civilization. No task is more crucial and urgent today than to examine the state of mind and spirit of the Western university (Charles Malik).
Power of Scholarship: Ideas have Power of Scholarship: Ideas have legslegs
Ideas have legs in the sense that they Ideas have legs in the sense that they are not the disembodied abstractions of are not the disembodied abstractions of some ivory-tower academic, but are some ivory-tower academic, but are real spiritual forces that go somewhere, real spiritual forces that go somewhere,
that are on the march in that are on the march in somebody’s army, and somebody’s army, and
that that have a widespread effect have a widespread effect on our on our practical, everyday lives practical, everyday lives (Al (Al Wolters). Wolters).
Power of IdeasPower of IdeasThe ideas of economists and political The ideas of economists and political philosophers, both when they are right and philosophers, both when they are right and when they are wrong, are more powerful than when they are wrong, are more powerful than is commonly understood. Indeed, the world is commonly understood. Indeed, the world is ruled by little else. Practical men, who is ruled by little else. Practical men, who believe themselves to be quite exempt, from believe themselves to be quite exempt, from any intellectual influences, are usually the any intellectual influences, are usually the
slaves of some defunct slaves of some defunct economist. . . . I am sure that economist. . . . I am sure that the power of vested interests the power of vested interests
is is vastly exaggerated compared vastly exaggerated compared with the gradual with the gradual
encroachment encroachment of ideas (John of ideas (John Maynard Maynard Keynes).Keynes).
Power of ideas Power of ideas
Facts-values, theory-practiceFacts-values, theory-practice
““My point is that in such My point is that in such seemingly innocent-looking seemingly innocent-looking words and phrases a whole words and phrases a whole idolatrous perspective on the idolatrous perspective on the world, a whole distorted mind-set world, a whole distorted mind-set and humanistic thought-pattern is and humanistic thought-pattern is subliminally propagated in our subliminally propagated in our civilization” (Wolters).civilization” (Wolters).
Laissez-faire economicsLaissez-faire economics
Neo-classical theory: Laissez-Neo-classical theory: Laissez-faire Market is machine; let it faire Market is machine; let it function freelyfunction freely
Implications: Implications: unemploymentunemployment
health carehealth care
poverty for manypoverty for many
environmentenvironment
Keynesian responseKeynesian response
Keynesian interventionists Keynesian interventionists Market needs Market needs government government intervention/maintenanceintervention/maintenance
Implications: Implications: debt grows largerdebt grows larger
totalitariantotalitarian
produces welfare stateproduces welfare state
Behaviourism in PsychologyBehaviourism in Psychology
Behaviourism: humans are Behaviourism: humans are complex machines; behave complex machines; behave in predictable waysin predictable ways
Stimulation Stimulation Behavioural Behavioural response response Reinforcement Reinforcement
Only a theory?Only a theory?
Shapes policy of mental Shapes policy of mental health hospitalshealth hospitals
Shapes educational theoryShapes educational theory
Shapes advertising policyShapes advertising policy
Shapes business Shapes business managementmanagement
Christian scholars participate in Christian scholars participate in two traditions:two traditions:
Western academic traditionWestern academic tradition
Christian tradition of Christian tradition of involvement in scholarshipinvolvement in scholarship
Unbearable tensionUnbearable tension
CriticalCritical Participants Participants in Cultural in Cultural Academic TraditionAcademic Tradition
ParticipantsParticipantsShare in academic task with Share in academic task with colleagues who don’t share our colleagues who don’t share our religious commitmentreligious commitment
Not to seek academic ghettoNot to seek academic ghetto
At home in academiaAt home in academia
Critical Critical Participants in Cultural Participants in Cultural Academic TraditionAcademic Tradition
ParticipantsParticipants
CriticalCriticalShaped by gospelShaped by gospel
Encounter with others who Encounter with others who have different religious have different religious commitmentscommitments
At odds with academiaAt odds with academia
Critical participation meansCritical participation means
True insight into creation by allTrue insight into creation by all
Yet idolatry will distort that Yet idolatry will distort that insight to some degreeinsight to some degree
Twofold task of Christian Twofold task of Christian scholarsscholars
Celebrate true insightsCelebrate true insights
Uncover idolatry that twists themUncover idolatry that twists them
Scripture . . .Scripture . . .
Offers foundation and Offers foundation and direction for academic workdirection for academic work
But how?But how?
Rejection of biblicism and Rejection of biblicism and dualismdualism
Rejection of two approaches: Rejection of two approaches: Biblicism and DualismBiblicism and Dualism
BiblicismBiblicism Bible gives direct answers to Bible gives direct answers to contemporary questions in contemporary questions in academic disciplinesacademic disciplines
DualismDualism Christian belief applicable only Christian belief applicable only to the realm of theology to the realm of theology Keeps biblical teaching Keeps biblical teaching completely separate from completely separate from theoretical work theoretical work
BiblicismBiblicism
Rightly understands Bible Rightly understands Bible must speak to all of lifemust speak to all of life
Does not recognize:Does not recognize:Redemptive purpose of BibleRedemptive purpose of Bible
Cultural gap between Scripture Cultural gap between Scripture and contemporary scholarshipand contemporary scholarship
Deceptively simple line Deceptively simple line between Bible and scholarshipbetween Bible and scholarship
DualismDualism
Rightly understands Rightly understands Bible does not speak so simply to Bible does not speak so simply to scholarshipscholarshipRedemptive nature of BibleRedemptive nature of Bible
Misses cosmic scope of gospelMisses cosmic scope of gospelBlind to importance of biblical Blind to importance of biblical view of worldview of worldSimply accepts idolatrous status Simply accepts idolatrous status quoquoNegates Christian scholarshipNegates Christian scholarship
Three positive ways Bible can Three positive ways Bible can form scholarshipform scholarship
As true story it gives direction As true story it gives direction and purpose to scholarshipand purpose to scholarship
Biblical worldview provides Biblical worldview provides context for Christian context for Christian scholarshipscholarship
Christian worldview and Christian worldview and scholarshipscholarship
Elaborating creation, fall, Elaborating creation, fall, redemption redemption E.g., creation order E.g., creation order challenges naturalism of challenges naturalism of natural sciences and natural sciences and relativism of social sciencesrelativism of social sciencesE.g., idolatry can help spot E.g., idolatry can help spot reductionist scholarshipreductionist scholarship
Three positive ways Bible can Three positive ways Bible can form scholarshipform scholarship
As true story it gives direction As true story it gives direction and purpose to scholarshipand purpose to scholarship
Biblical worldview provides Biblical worldview provides context for Christian context for Christian scholarshipscholarship
Specific biblical themes can Specific biblical themes can guide scholarshipguide scholarship
In political science one would be guided by In political science one would be guided by such biblical themes as the sovereignty of such biblical themes as the sovereignty of God, the God-given authority of government, God, the God-given authority of government, the task of the government to promote (the the task of the government to promote (the biblical norms of) justice, liberty and peace, biblical norms of) justice, liberty and peace, and the required obedience of citizens. In and the required obedience of citizens. In sociology one would take into account the sociology one would take into account the biblical norms for marriage, family, and other biblical norms for marriage, family, and other societal structures. In psychology one would societal structures. In psychology one would view man not as an animal that can be view man not as an animal that can be conditioned, nor as a machine that can be conditioned, nor as a machine that can be programmed, but as a creature of programmed, but as a creature of exceptional worth because man alone is exceptional worth because man alone is made in the image of God. . . . In economics made in the image of God. . . . In economics one would want to take into account the one would want to take into account the biblical ideas of justice and stewardship, of biblical ideas of justice and stewardship, of ownership, of work and play (S. Greidanus).ownership, of work and play (S. Greidanus).
Nature of Christian ScholarshipNature of Christian Scholarship
Inner connection between Inner connection between Scripture and scholarshipScripture and scholarship
Critiquing foundational Critiquing foundational idolatrous assumptionsidolatrous assumptions
Acknowledging legitimate Acknowledging legitimate insights into creationinsights into creation
Inner Connection between Inner Connection between Scripture and ScholarshipScripture and Scholarship
A distinctive element of Christian scholarship is its A distinctive element of Christian scholarship is its deliberate attention to the inner connection between deliberate attention to the inner connection between Scripture and scholarly inquiry, that is, the normative Scripture and scholarly inquiry, that is, the normative bearing of Scripture on the making of theory. We see it bearing of Scripture on the making of theory. We see it as our responsibility to apply the biblical story and a as our responsibility to apply the biblical story and a biblical worldview to the basic religious, ideological, and biblical worldview to the basic religious, ideological, and philosophical assumptions that form the philosophical assumptions that form the
foundations of all academic work. . . . foundations of all academic work. . . .
The crucial insight we wish to guard is The crucial insight we wish to guard is that there must be an inner that there must be an inner
connection connection between the Gospel and between the Gospel and scholarship scholarship (Cross and Our Calling).(Cross and Our Calling).
ExamplesExamples
Behaviorism: Insights and Behaviorism: Insights and idolatryidolatryMarxism: Insights and Marxism: Insights and idolatryidolatryRomantic literature: Insights Romantic literature: Insights and idolatryand idolatryGlobal free market ideology: Global free market ideology: Insights and idolatryInsights and idolatry
Spiritual power of secular scholarship Spiritual power of secular scholarship and the need for prayerand the need for prayer
““. . . science, secularized and . . . science, secularized and isolated, has become a satanic isolated, has become a satanic power, an idol which dominates power, an idol which dominates all of culture. . . .all of culture. . . . O Our vocation ur vocation [is] to war against the spirit of [is] to war against the spirit of apostasy. . .” We cannot “battle apostasy. . .” We cannot “battle this spirit in our own power. The this spirit in our own power. The warfare to which I refer is one of warfare to which I refer is one of faith, a struggle even with faith, a struggle even with ourselves, in the power of the ourselves, in the power of the Holy Spirit, a struggle which finds Holy Spirit, a struggle which finds its dynamic in a life of prayer” its dynamic in a life of prayer” (Herman Dooyeweerd).(Herman Dooyeweerd).