"The matter is quite simple. The Bible is very easy to undestand. But we Christians are a bunch of scheming swindlers. We pretend to be unable to undestand it because we know very well that the minute we understand, we are obliged to act accordingly. Take any words in the New Testaments and forget everything except pledging yourself to act accordingly. My God, you will say,if I do that my whole life will be ruined. How would I ever get on in the world? Herein lies the real place of Christian scholarship. Christian scholarship is the Church's prodigious invention to defend itself agaisnt the Bible, to ensure that we can continue to be good Christians without the Bible coming too close. Oh, priceless scholarship, what would we do without you? Dreadful it is to fall into the hands of the living God. Yes, it is even dreaful to be alone with the New Testament."
Soren Kierkegard, Provocations: Spiritual Writings of Kierkegaard ed. Charles E. Moore (Farmington, PA: Plough
2006-11-11 16:00:49 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
2002, 201
As qtd in The Irresistable Revolution by Shane Claiborne copyright 2006, by The Simple Way (Zondervan)
2006-11-11 16:02:06 · update #1
I think it is a fantastic quote and quite true. However, he is overstating his case against "scholarship" because of the time in which he wrote. He is reacting against the academic community (and therefore academic theologians) that used Hegelian philosophy to systematize knowledge in a crude and detatched way. This is also the reason Kierkegaard said "truth is subjective." It was not because he didn't believe in truth's objectivity, it was that he believed one must go after truth with passion and be recieved with personal commitment.
Thanks for the quote. I needed it.
2006-11-11 16:06:54 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Great quote. I think the scholarship was not only to defend the church against the Bible; but to present the Bible as far to complex to be put in the hands of the people.
2006-11-11 16:47:27 · answer #2 · answered by Tommy 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is all too true. I just think of that beginning to the DC Talk song, "The greatest cause of atheism in the world is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips but then deny him by their lifestyle. That's what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable."
2006-11-11 16:03:20 · answer #3 · answered by TrainerMan 5 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Its interesting, and I am sure very true for some. Not for me however. I understand it all. I may not act accordingly sometimes, but I understand it, and take joy in learning more.
2006-11-11 16:04:18 · answer #4 · answered by sweetie_baby 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'd say that's probably a better Requiem for non-believers, those who teeter on the edge of fully giving their life to Christ.
2006-11-11 16:19:11 · answer #5 · answered by azar_and_bath 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
yes. that boils down to idolatry and not trusting God. then it makes a foothold for all kinds of evil in my life. reminds me of newsboys
''but ignorance here is less than bliss...if the truth be known, there'll be more to answer for, everybody gets a shot....do you really wanna know?''
2006-11-11 16:26:48 · answer #6 · answered by phtokhos 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Verbose verbage
2006-11-11 16:06:18 · answer #7 · answered by IdahoMike 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wow...great quote and I do have to say I agree for the most part.
2006-11-11 16:15:10 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋