Being an intellectual Christian

[humble soul]

Ok ok....I do see myself as an intellectual. That puts me on the outer already. A modern day Pharisee. As another thread suggests on this forum, the heart is more important than knowledge when it comes to faith, when it comes to love.
If I remember correctly, Thomas Aquinas wrote about the importance of faith and reason. So it appears that God does value reason. He wants us to think. Think for ourselves. He gave us a brain.
I think what I am getting at is, that it is possible to live the life of an intellectual Christian. And by that I mean, to read not just scripture but books on Christian philosophy. Such as kirkekegaard and St. Augustine and Milton.

 

[humble soul]

But the challenge is humility. Can you choose the intellectual path to God and maintain humility? The temptation is to take pride in the path. As if you own it. As if you have discovered the "best truth".
So you have to constantly be on guard. That you haven't become too fossilised. Too set in your thinking. Stay open. There is more than one way to God. The intellectual one is just one path.

 

[Who Me]

There is more than one way to God.

No there is only one way to God. That is through faith in Jesus, that said we are to be able to give a reason for our belief and that means understanding basic theology.

Only someone being spoon fed the ' milk ' of Christianity will talk only about feelings and faith.

 

[humble soul]

No there is only one way to God

Can you see how that kind of thinking can lead to intolerance and spiritual pride?
And "Jesus" may be accessible in other ways than through the Bible. The Jesuits suggest God is in all things.

 

[Who Me]

Can you see how that kind of thinking can lead to intolerance and spiritual pride?
And "Jesus" may be accessible in other ways than through the Bible. The Jesuits suggest God is in all things.

God is in all things is pagan thinking. If God is in everything, then it follows that everything is God.
God created all things but he is not in all things.

Pride lurks in everything, David Copperfield has a character Uriah Heep, the Gillian, who was ' ever so umble '

The telling pint about Christianity is we do not deserve to be saved, we are Christian because of God's grace and we have to build decieve it.
This should keep our feet firmly on the ground, even if our head is in the clouds.

 

[humble soul]

You might like Ross Douthat and his book "bad religion " then.

 

[LovethroughDove]

Wisdom is very valuable!

Proverbs 3:13-15 Blessed is the man who finds wisdom,
the man who gains understanding,
for she is more profitable than silver
and yields better returns than gold
She is more precious than rubies;
nothing you desire can compare with her.

Proverbs 8:9-11 To the discerning all of them are right;
they are faultless to those who have knowledge.
Choose my instruction instead of silver,
knowledge rather than choice gold,
for wisdom is more precious than rubies,
and nothing you desire can compare with her.

Hosea 4:6 my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.

Like Who Me stated, we need to be able to verbalize our faith, a reason for our faith. It is not just for those who ask, but to put yourself in a steadfast immovable stance in what you believe in.

 

[LovethroughDove]

But the challenge is humility. Can you choose the intellectual path to God and maintain humility? The temptation is to take pride in the path. As if you own it. As if you have discovered the "best truth".
So you have to constantly be on guard. That you haven't become too fossilised. Too set in your thinking. Stay open. There is more than one way to God. The intellectual one is just one path.

I'm open to God revealing himself to others at his pace.