scholarship & spirituality

Scholarship & SpiritualityScholarship & SpiritualityRobert C. NewmanRobert C. Newman

Abstracts of Powerpoint Talks

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http://newmanlib.ibri.org/NewmanPpt/AbstractsTopically.htm

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Scholarship & SpiritualityScholarship & Spirituality LetLet''s begin by defining each term.s begin by defining each term. Scholarship:Scholarship:

A manner of living that seeks to discover A manner of living that seeks to discover and understand the facts in some field and understand the facts in some field of academic study.of academic study.

Spirituality:Spirituality: A manner of living which seeks to A manner of living which seeks to

conform oneself to the standards set by conform oneself to the standards set by the Holy Spirit in Scripture.the Holy Spirit in Scripture.





Some Tensions:Some Tensions:Scholarship & SpiritualityScholarship & Spirituality





Some TensionsSome Tensions Neglect of spiritualityNeglect of spirituality Ignoring or isolating one or the otherIgnoring or isolating one or the other Misuse of consensusMisuse of consensus The danger of positivismThe danger of positivism





Neglect of SpiritualityNeglect of Spirituality We may become dominated by our field of We may become dominated by our field of

study to the detriment of things needed for study to the detriment of things needed for spiritualityspirituality An academic version of becoming a workaholic.An academic version of becoming a workaholic.

We cannot devote all of our time to our We cannot devote all of our time to our studies/research.studies/research. We cannot do this & be faithful to our Lord.We cannot do this & be faithful to our Lord. This may mean we wonThis may mean we won''t advance as far in our field t advance as far in our field

as we might otherwise have done.as we might otherwise have done. Yet some spiritual people have gone to the top Yet some spiritual people have gone to the top

of their fields:of their fields: Joseph, Moses, DanielJoseph, Moses, Daniel





Ignoring or IsolatingIgnoring or Isolating We may try to solve complex questions of We may try to solve complex questions of

interaction between our academic field and interaction between our academic field and Scripture by ignoring one or the other, or by Scripture by ignoring one or the other, or by isolating one from the other.isolating one from the other. Perhaps we misunderstand the Bible here.Perhaps we misunderstand the Bible here. Perhaps we wish to get along better with our Perhaps we wish to get along better with our

academic colleagues, or with our fellow believers.academic colleagues, or with our fellow believers. Our responsibility is to be fair, both to the Our responsibility is to be fair, both to the

academic field and to the Bible, whether this academic field and to the Bible, whether this position is popular or not.position is popular or not.





ConsensusConsensus We may tend to identify scholarship with We may tend to identify scholarship with

the consensus of scholars in our field…the consensus of scholars in our field… … … or spirituality with the consensus of or spirituality with the consensus of

Christians.Christians. We must instead go back to the data in We must instead go back to the data in

both cases.both cases. Again, this may mean loss of Again, this may mean loss of

advancement in one place or the other.advancement in one place or the other.





PositivismPositivism We may tend to identify scholarship with We may tend to identify scholarship with

some sort of positivism:some sort of positivism: We must believe nothing we cannot observe or We must believe nothing we cannot observe or

test academically.test academically. But some problems may only be soluble by But some problems may only be soluble by

revelation.revelation. Others may have more than one possible Others may have more than one possible

solution, but the data is currently solution, but the data is currently insufficient to make scholarship better insufficient to make scholarship better than a guess.than a guess.





Some Reinforcements:Some Reinforcements:Scholarship & SpiritualityScholarship & Spirituality





Some ReinforcementsSome Reinforcements Spirituality frees one from fear of other Spirituality frees one from fear of other

humans.humans. The best scholarship is done when peer The best scholarship is done when peer

pressure can be ignored.pressure can be ignored. Scholarship is invaluable for Scholarship is invaluable for

understanding what Scripture really understanding what Scripture really says.says. We need to know the original languages.We need to know the original languages. We need to know the culture and writing We need to know the culture and writing

conventions of the original authors & conventions of the original authors & audience.audience.





Some ReinforcementsSome Reinforcements Spirituality gives us an absolute basis for Spirituality gives us an absolute basis for

diligence, honesty, truth-seeking, etc.diligence, honesty, truth-seeking, etc. Without these, scholarship cannot flourish.Without these, scholarship cannot flourish.

Scholarship emphasizes: Scholarship emphasizes: freedom to investigate,freedom to investigate, importance of believing only what is true.importance of believing only what is true.

Both of these are needed to advance in Both of these are needed to advance in spirituality & to avoid two common spirituality & to avoid two common problems in the modern church:problems in the modern church: Excessive dogmatism,Excessive dogmatism, Refusal to practice doctrinal discipline.Refusal to practice doctrinal discipline.



ConclusionsConclusions Christians need both spirituality and Christians need both spirituality and

scholarship.scholarship. Understood as a general method Understood as a general method

(rather than as an academic (rather than as an academic profession), scholarship is a subset of profession), scholarship is a subset of Christian morality.Christian morality.



The EndThe EndIf we seek to be scholars, If we seek to be scholars,

may we be spiritual scholars.may we be spiritual scholars.



scholarship & spirituality

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academic field

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