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).