Charles at Power of Suggestion has some good thoughts about intellectual curiosity and its role in the disciple’s life. An excerpt:
“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.”
In many ways we’ve followed this command well, but in far too many we have failed. Our failures at innocence are known and talked about constantly amongst ourselves and by those outside the church. Richard Dawkins got a lot of mileage out of them in The God Delusion. Our failure in wisdom has been significant as well.
Far too many of us are willing to coast through our Christian lives without ever questioning our pastors, unless they tell us we can’t do something that we really want to do (that’s when we start buying commentaries). Sometimes we get all bent out of shape when they suggest that something we would never, ever do might be okay, or when they suggest we give a little slack to people in sin.
But for the most part, we absorb what they say (those who are listening, anyway) and move on, without ever wondering if they’re right. We’re failing at being wise.
I know a temptation exists to overdo it and become a self-anointed watchdog, but most of the time we go to the other extreme Charles talks about. He’s got a point. Read the whole thing by clicking the link above.
