Jesus Christ and the life of the mind
Ratings2
Average rating4.5
15
Ratings2
Average rating4.5
In The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind (1994) Mark Noll offered a forthrightly critical assessment of the state of evangelical thinking and scholarship. Now, nearly twenty years later, in a sequel more attuned to possibilities than to problems, Noll updates his earlier assessment and charts a positive way forward for evangelical scholarship. Noll's Jesus Christ and the Life of the Mind shows how the orthodox Christology confessed in the ancient Christian creeds, far from hindering or discouraging serious scholarship, can supply the motives, guidance, and framework for learning. Christian faith, Noll argues, can richly enhance intellectual engagement in the various academic disciplines -- and he demonstrates how by applying his insights to the fields of history (his own area of expertise), science, and biblical studies in particular. In a substantial postscript Noll candidly addresses the question How fares the "evangelical mind" today? as he highlights "hopeful signs" of intellectual life in a host of evangelical institutions, individuals, and movements. - Publisher.
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Short Review: An exercise in what it means to encourage the life of the mind, bounded by the creed, with the example of history, and with illustrations of how that can work out in practice.
As a whole I alternate between being really appreciative of the concept of this book and the fact that Noll is attempting to work out on paper how we encourage the intellectual life within the bounds of Christianity and being frustrated with how he does it.
Jesus Christ and the Life of the Mind was published in 2011 and I wonder how it would be different had Noll written it in 2018. Part of the weakness of Noll's project has been that he has mostly encouraging the life of the mind of academics and theological leaders within the Evangelical church. It is not that he is unaware of average lay person or that he does not think that the development of the life of the mind of the laity is important. But that the pitch of Noll's work catches the interest of those that are already intellectually active.
I was quite frustrated at times with this book. But in the end I am encouraged that it was written, even when I disagree with aspects because Noll's example of intellectual development and encouragement is the point, not the particulars.
I have about 1500 words on this on my blog at http://bookwi.se/life-of-the-mind/
