academia aversion
During the summer months, one would think academia would be far from the mind. However, as of late (and since I have little to do), I've reviewed and processed several academic subjects often discussed in my house--politics, culture, literature, visual art, etcetera. Unfortunately, I cannot process them as well because my brain left quite a time ago, leaving plenty of space for dull disappointment to stuff its belongings into dark corners and reside.
To be quite honest, I tire of academia. The constant research, the debate, the condescension...I can no longer take. I cannot keep up anymore. I can't, because...many academics discuss and debate amongst each other, but don't even consider the application. How do my thoughts affect my family, my community, myself? Rather, they store their theories in cardboard boxes marked "for professional use only". Certainly the rest of mankind will not understand it, and certainly not use the latin phrase correctly!
Often, and sadly, many who surround themselves with austere academia recite and understand the good findings very well...yet, hardly succeed in putting them into practice. They excuse no other who tries and fails, yet expect unquestioned pardon for themselves. Inadvertently, they dichotomize their lives into theory and practice--and who cares if you strive to live a good, consistent, biblical life? if you don't know all the in's and out's of the latest academic school, it isn't worth crap.
In an review of the book Comparing Two Giants of Apologetics: C S Lewis, Francis A Schaeffer, Douglas R Groothius comments:
"The Christian worldview is not proven in one or two strokes, but is rather verified by appealing to a wide and compelling variety of converging arguments. Christianity is shown to be the best explanation for origin and nature of the universe as well as the human condition and the facts of history. Moreover, Christians must be pastoral in their apologetic practices. We must care deeply for the lost, not simply desire to defeat their arguments. The stakes are too high for apologetic one-upmanship."
Francis Schaeffer did not claim academia, although many place him in that category. Lewis, although an impressive academic in his own right, related Christian truths unto people, not just theological eggheads (lest we forget that they are people too). Both saw the danger of losing touch with the reason we study Scripture or anything else so thoroughly--to present it to people, who long to understand their purpose on this earth.
To be quite honest, I tire of academia. The constant research, the debate, the condescension...I can no longer take. I cannot keep up anymore. I can't, because...many academics discuss and debate amongst each other, but don't even consider the application. How do my thoughts affect my family, my community, myself? Rather, they store their theories in cardboard boxes marked "for professional use only". Certainly the rest of mankind will not understand it, and certainly not use the latin phrase correctly!
Often, and sadly, many who surround themselves with austere academia recite and understand the good findings very well...yet, hardly succeed in putting them into practice. They excuse no other who tries and fails, yet expect unquestioned pardon for themselves. Inadvertently, they dichotomize their lives into theory and practice--and who cares if you strive to live a good, consistent, biblical life? if you don't know all the in's and out's of the latest academic school, it isn't worth crap.
In an review of the book Comparing Two Giants of Apologetics: C S Lewis, Francis A Schaeffer, Douglas R Groothius comments:
"The Christian worldview is not proven in one or two strokes, but is rather verified by appealing to a wide and compelling variety of converging arguments. Christianity is shown to be the best explanation for origin and nature of the universe as well as the human condition and the facts of history. Moreover, Christians must be pastoral in their apologetic practices. We must care deeply for the lost, not simply desire to defeat their arguments. The stakes are too high for apologetic one-upmanship."
Francis Schaeffer did not claim academia, although many place him in that category. Lewis, although an impressive academic in his own right, related Christian truths unto people, not just theological eggheads (lest we forget that they are people too). Both saw the danger of losing touch with the reason we study Scripture or anything else so thoroughly--to present it to people, who long to understand their purpose on this earth.
Labels: culture shock, frustration, sobering thoughts, the spirit works
posted by Elizabeth at 13:12
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2 Comments:
"To be quite honest, I tire of academia. The constant research, the debate, the condescension...I can no longer take."
I share your sentiments. Our society worships academia. To be an academic, in their eyes, is to be an intellectual god. However, academia, the sacred temple of our society, never approaches a fundamental purpose. Like Schaeffer would say, they cannot make sense of all the particulars. And without fundamental purpose, the academic cannot rationally apply his knowledge to any realm outside the temple. I marvel that people can run such an empty trade for their whole lives. They have no real foundation for the existence of knowledge, much less a reason to search it out. Fortunately, it's different for us who have the Holy Spirit's guidance.
Or should be different, at least. But how guilty we can be of storing up our theories in our cardboard boxes, hoarding our knowledge for ourselves and not sharing it with those who so desperately need it! R.C. Sproul said, in response to Jonathan Edwards' "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," "If we had any compassion for other people, we would wail at the thought of a single one of them falling into the pit of hell." I know that I, for one, fail miserably in this respect. We must be careful to use the knowledge we amass in our Bible studies and philosophical discussions for the edification of others, not just for ourselves.
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