The importance of insight, knowing the truth about reality and oneself, is universal, present in very culture, worldview, and religion. Leyland Ryken describes “archetypal plot motifs” that occur in all literature, myth, and legend. One of these is “the movement from ignorance to epiphany” (insight).

Why does “the movement from ignorance to epiphany” appear in very culture, worldview, and religion? Why is insight about reality so important? Why should we know the truth about God, the world, and ourselves? Why?

Because God created the world as a school. Every aspect of creation, the natural world, ourselves, and our relations are revelatory. All facts speak to us. Everything, every encounter, and everyone is an invitation to think and learn.

God, the great teacher, created human beings as his pupils — in his image. We are homo discens, the being who learns. Humans were designed for intellectual curiosity and insight.

Knowing, understanding, wisdom, and insight, are crucial features of the world as God created it.

The movement from ignorance to insight is a central feature of the Bible. Consider this passage; “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Rom 12:2)

Our goal as followers of Jesus Christ is to know God and to make him known. This involves a process of diligent study, moving from ignorance and illusion to epiphany and insight. We can express this intellectual transformation in this way: “Now that you know who you are in Christ, consider how you ought to think!” We should enroll in God’s school.

Once again, transformation is the result of insight. This happens due to a radical change in what and how we think, brought about by repentance from being “conformed to this world” intellectually and being “transformed” in our minds by the Spirit of God.

Olga Kondyuk works at the Ukrainian Evangelical Theological Seminary. Her husband, Denys, is completing his doctorate at Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic, and teaches in the  Department of Missiology at the seminary.

In this video excerpt (16 minutes well spent, with translation), Olga demonstrates the critical importance of polemical theology:  “Theology is of paramount importance at this time to help distinguish between good and evil.” She critiques three slogans of Russain propaganda that attempts to justify the invasion.

Olga is an example of a thinker attempting to love God with her mind in the midst of terrible chaos and loss.

Watch the whole workshop with six Ukrainian, Christian women sharing their perspectives about the conflict. Translation provided as needed.

God is the supreme thinker. He possesses an omniscient quantity and quality of knowledge. He is the intelligent king, architect, economist, and philosopher of creation.

Indeed, he is the expert in every realm of knowledge. He is the ontological genius, savant, virtuoso, and mastermind. He is the unassailable specialist of every kind of intelligence. Moreover, he understands in depth and breadth each realm of knowledge in every language and at each level of development.

He knows how to coordinate means and ends, and cause and effect. His diagnosis and prescription is always correct. He builds whatever he designs, and his ideas always produce positive results. And he embodies intellectual virtue in infinite degree: courage, carefulness, fair-mindedness, curiosity, honesty, and humility are always in evidence as the paradigmatic thinker and doer.

In all these ways, therefore, God was Adam’s intellectual exemplar. He modeled for Adam and Eve how to represent his interests in the garden as apprentice rulers, builders, investors, and thinkers. He wanted his vice-regents to care for, protect, and enlarge his property for his name’s sake and the benefit of his creatures (Gen 1:26‒28).

 So, as you can see, the intellectual capacities that God has given you are very important. As you discover, develop and use them, you advance God’s plan for creation.

But intelligence is multi-faceted. There are various kinds of cognitive abilities and not merely the type measured in standard IQ tests. The psychologist Howard Gardner suggested a nine-fold theory of intelligence:

Naturalistic intelligence: Naturalistic intelligence describes people who are sensitive to the natural world. They enjoy being outside, nurturing and exploring the environment.

 Musical intelligence: People with musical intelligence have an excellent sense of rhythm and the ability to recognize tone and pitch. More often than not they play an instrument or are involved in music as a profession.

Logical–mathematical intelligence: People with this type of intelligence are excellent at maths and working with numbers. They can recognize patterns easily and work out processes in a logical manner.

Existential intelligence: People with high levels of existential intelligence ask questions similar to why are we here? They are often deeply philosophical thinkers and they have the capacity to look for answers to questions bigger than themselves.

Interpersonal intelligence: People with this type of intelligence are often good at reading verbal and non-verbal cues as well as determining temperament and mood. They feel empathy easily. Often this type of intelligence can be found in politicians, social workers, life coaches and psychologists.

 Linguistic intelligence: People with high linguistic intelligence are very good at putting their feelings and thoughts into words in order to make others understand them. They are drawn to activities such as reading, writing and public speaking.

Bodily–kinaesthetic intelligence: People high in bodily–kinesthetic intelligence have an excellent sense of timing and a great mind-body coordination. They are able to use their bodies to convey feelings and ideas and, often take up roles in dance, sports or medicine.

Intra–personal intelligence: Intra-personal intelligence refers to an understanding of oneself and the human condition as a whole. Philosophers, spiritual leaders, psychologist and writers usually have high intra-personal intelligence.

 Spatial intelligence: Spatial intelligence is defined as the ability to consider things in three dimensions. These people can be found in professions such as architecture, design and map reading.

Think about these kinds of intelligence. Discover yours. Embrace it. Nurture it. And use it to God’s glory, mankind’s blessings, and your personal fulfillment.

Recently, I read an informative book called The Secret Body by Daniel M. Davis. One chapter especially interested me―“The Multi-colored Brain.”

He depicted the study of the brain in this way: “The scale of the problem―to understand the human brain―and its importance are second to none in all biology and perhaps all science.” He described the amazing complexity of the brain like this:

A human brain is made up of 86 billion neurons, and each has multitudes of long, thin strands protruding from its main cell body: dendrites for receiving signals and an axon for sending them out. Altogether the 86 billion neurons are connected by around 100 trillion synapses, each allowing messages to move from one cell to another . . . . A complete wiring diagram of the human brain needs about as much data as all the digital content held in the world today.

This comment was particularly noteworthy:

Inside your head is the most complicated object we know of in the universe . . . A small object responsible for all art and culture, the creation of money and bombs, everything humankind has ever done to the planet and the extinction of countless other species―not to mention our personal feelings, memories, dreams and relationships. And perhaps most mysteriously, our sense of self and the experience of making choices.

Clearly, we need to care for and nurture this most precious asset! Our brains are critically important as creatures made in God’s image. And certainly, with respect to our mandate as vice-regents (Gen 1:26‒28), we must bring this “most complicated object” to God. He owns it and we are responsible for its use and development. We are stewards of our brains.

God created a world for intelligent creatures. He made sentient beings with intellectual desire, imagination, and an aspiration for wisdom. Serving God is inconceivable without utilizing the cognitive abilities God gave us.

The Bible shows that we are built for intellectual curiosity. God wants us to ask questions—and to find the answers in revelation. Indeed, God created the whole world as a school in which every experience is an invitation to think and learn. Every aspect of creation, the natural world, ourselves, and our relations is revelatory. All true facts speak to us about God.

God, the great teacher, created human beings as his pupils—in his image with high-capacity brains. Demonstrating our love for God with our minds and then using our growing understanding to bless others are essential. Cogent and pious thinking is a critical aspect of serving God. This involves a process of diligent study, moving from ignorance and illusion to understanding and wisdom.

The Scriptures reveal that mankind is homo adorans (worshiping creatures), created in God’s image, designed to love and serve. We are also thinkers, homo sapiens (thoughtful and self-conscious), homo discens (learners with intellectual curiosity), homo quaerens (questioners, those who wonder), homo imaginans (those who imagine and create), and homo faber (those who build and organize).

All of these wonderful capacities require a brain. As Christians, we must develop our immense intellectual potential―each and every one us, regardless of intellectual capacity and academic achievement. We are all stewards of whatever cognitive potential and educational level we possess.

Let’s bring our beautiful brains to God!

Love God with the Whole Mind: Emerging Scholars and the Quest for Mental Piety

Such a Heart as This: The Intellectual Implications of Deuteronomy 5:29

Today we have SMART devices. The acronym SMART means Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology. It monitors hard drives and alerts us when there are problems and harmful processes underway. Smart devices, like cell phones, TV’s, cameras, and computers, connect to the internet. We can quickly access information, share it with others, and store it for future use. SMART devices also link with other digital tools through wireless protocols such as Bluetooth.

Suppose, however, we think of SMART technology as a metaphor and apply it to the evangelical church. That church would be highly interconnected and supremely self-aware. It would possess multi-capacity hardware and endless, application potentials. So, let us engage in a little thought experiment and imagine what this might mean.

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The SMART church’s self-monitoring analysis and reporting capacity would scrutinize the thought and practice of the church, and warn us quickly of any crisis or inappropriate application. The church would quickly address malpractice and moral failure, such as abuse of power, sexual misconduct, unwise political collaboration, or lack of financial transparency. It would also discern and address fatal doctrinal errors and syncretism with local cultures and worldviews (“viruses”).

The SMART church would connect with its religious history, its social context, and the global Christian community. It would know its past: the creeds, theological development, and key moments in church history. It would link to believers all over the world and learn from them. It would deeply understand the cultural setting in which it resides.

The SMART church would be a place for thinkers. Believers would love God in all dimensions: their heart, their hand, and especially their mind (Mark 12:30). Businessmen, artists, academics, writers, technicians, and scientists would grow in knowledge and wisdom. They would connect their faith and profession. They would discern how to go “into” the world but not become “part of” it. Sermons would be well-prepared and intellectually stimulating for believers and non-believers. The music and lyrics would be thoughtful, other-focused, and multi-cultural. The liturgy would include scripture reading, confession of sin, communion, testimony, and citation of creeds.

The SMART church would function as a learning center whose members possess intellectual curiosity. SMART believers would be readers because of their hunger to learn about God and his world. They would study the Bible and the basic tenants of theology. They would understand human depravity and divine grace. They would view their cultures critically and engage idolatry. They would also design many creative applications for the glory of God and the benefit of mankind.

The SMART church would provide insightful contributions for the common good and public square. SMART Christians would attain positions of influence in society in business, the arts, sciences, politics, law, education, and the media. They would express and model the intellectual plausibility and existential credibility of the Christian faith.

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But now, let us return to ecclesiological reality. Sadly, many evangelical churches today are not SMART. They are not often historically, globally, or even contextually interconnected. They are turned inward and tuned out. They are gullible and easily swayed by public opinion and erroneous schemes. They are viewers (of social media, movies, and TV), not readers. They are largely irrelevant intellectually. They are basically self-preservative, continually focused on maintaining outdated infrastructure.

Metaphorically, many churches prefer the old, rotary phone. Their technology cannot connect with the world today. And, sadly, we know what happens with old technology. It goes to the museum or worse—it is thrown into the trash.

The hope of future knowledge of God is the purpose and plan of our Creator. One day, the impact of sin upon the mind and heart will be reversed. Our brains, body, and soul will completely serve and honor the Lord. One day, we will reach the finish line.

Why? Because knowing God is the goal of creation and through him to know all things: “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Hab 2:14).

Ezekiel associates the restored knowledge of God with future redemption and cosmic renovation. “They shall know that I am the Lord when: I break the bars of their yoke, deliver them from the hand of those who enslaved them (36:11). Or, “They shall know that I am the Lord when: the trees of the field shall yield their fruit, the earth shall yield its increase, and they shall be secure in their land” (34:27). At that time God’s people will know with certainty their true identity, for “they shall know that I am the Lord their God with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are my people” (34:30).

In Jeremiah the Lord pledges divine enablement to know him. “I will give them a heart to know that I am the Lord, and they shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart” (24:7). More significantly, God proclaims an entirely new relationship with his people based upon a new covenant that enables a universal knowledge of God: “I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord” (31:33b–34a).

It is essential that the agent of insight, understanding, and knowledge is none other than promised Messiah, Jesus Christ. Isaiah stated that: “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.” (11:1–2)

Finally, the Messiah will fulfill Adam’s broken mandate (Gen 1:28). He will “work and keep” God’s creation (2:15), bringing order, beauty, safety, and purity, and productivity to the entire earth. He lives forever because he gains all knowledge and wisdom from the only authenticated course, God himself. The “last Adam,” Christ (1 Cor 15:45), will not fail as the first Adam or Israel or the church, for he will reject all knowing apart from listening to and obeying God. And, most importantly, all this will be accomplished because (“for”) “the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.”

This is our finish line and the end of our marathon―knowing God.

(Or, How not to love God with the mind)

 In order to become intellectually impotent and irrelevant as a follower of Jesus Christ, simply implement at least one of the following attitudes:

Naive attitude: Some are blissfully unaware or ignorant by choice.

Curious but uncommitted: Many want intellectual entertainment, but are unwilling to discipline their minds or submit to programmatic learning.

Committed but undisciplined: Many view learning like a cafeteria and consume what is appealing, rather than what has balance and nutrition.

Intellectual pride: Some think they know enough already or that they know best the path to knowledge.

Independent spirit: Some approach theological education based upon what is interesting or easiest.

Consumer approach: Some “shop” for knowledge, learning formats, and instructors that conform to their “buying” preferences. When study becomes difficult or boring, they take their “business” elsewhere.

Intellectual laziness: Some are not willing to pay the price of learning and self-discipline.

Triviality: Some are conditioned by modern technology and inconsequential chatter through social media, so they are not prepared to read, write, or reflect deeply.

Passivity: Some fulfill the role assigned to them by society — intellectual simplicity, private religiosity, and subjective spirituality.

Sacred-secular dichotomy: Some comply with modern secularism that declares spirituality and worldview are just private and personal and is only useful for Sunday at church.

Social obstacles: Many are distracted by the demands of culture (sports, parties, family).

Anti-intellectualism: Some resist study and reflection because their tradition minimizes the need for theology or thinking.

Fundamentalism: Some resist study due to “separation” from the world and do not interact with culture or worldview.

Capitulation: Some embrace the postmodern narrative and myth of progress — the past is irrelevant, authority is questionable, and every perspective is equally valid.

Spiritual resistance: Some reject or delay theological education because it is a spiritual battle that they are losing.

I Believe So That I May Understand                                                                (Credo ut Intellegam)

It is well known that Anselm’s great ontological proof for the existence of God, the Proslogion, was the result of a prolonged process of perplexity and travail. His search resolved in a fit of joy, but only after deep prayer and contemplation. This attitude is evident in chapter 1. Consider these three excerpts:

What shall your servant do, tormented by love for you and yet cast off “far from your face”?; I was made in order to see you, and I have not yet accomplished what I was made for; How wretched man’s lot is when he has lost that for which he was made! Oh how cruel and hard the Fall!

Teach me to seek You, and reveal Yourself to me as I seek, because I can neither seek You if You do not teach me how, nor find You unless You reveal Yourself.

I do not try, Lord, to attain to your lofty heights, because my understanding is in no way equal to it. But I do desire to understand Your truth a little, that truth that my heart believes and loves. For I do not seek to understand so that I may believe; but I believe so that I may understand.

Anselm’s maxim, “I believe so that I may understand,” is associated with another expression  “faith seeking understanding.” Both sayings point to the basic role of faith and spirituality. Whatever else human beings are, a thinker, learner, questioner and wonderer, maker and builder, or producer and consumer, the Bible says that he/she is first and foremost a religious being, a worshipper. Why? Because human beings are made in the image and likeness of God, created for relationship with our creator and rulership over his creation. We all reason and act on the basis of our “faith” or worldview, even if we are clueless about our most basic beliefs.

Psalm 36:9 declares: “For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light.” For Anselm reasoning was an attempt, though feeble, to know God and understand the world in His “light” or to “think God’s thoughts after Him.” C. S. Lewis put it well: “I believe in Christianity as I believe the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.” I do not claim the faith, piety, or insight of Anselm, but I do seek to “see everything else” on the presumption of my faith.

This website and my blog—including my book—are meager efforts to think about ourselves and the world from the vantage point of the Old and New Testaments.  Whatever I write, post, and dialogue about in this forum the affirmation, “I believe so that I may understand,” serves as my starting point.