A case is made against intellectualism in the context of Biblical Christianity. First, let’s identify what intellectualism is and is not, how it can be used in a wrong way, and the biblical case against it.

Intellectualism is variously defined as:

  • the use, development, and exercise of the mind
  • the theory that knowledge is wholly or mainly derived from pure reason; rationalism
  • the exercise of the intellect at the expense of emotions
  • the intelligent or unintelligent, sophisticated reasonings emanating from human self-knowledge [my definition]

On the surface, none of these definitions impute anything negative except the last one where a lack of intelligence is associated with that intellectualism. The reasonings of man are not inherently wrong unless:

  • the sources of knowledge on which they are based are flawed
  • the capacity to reason logically or objectively (intelligence) is not attained
  • the intent of the reasonings is not totally pure or honest

The methods by which we understand anything, whether it be by intelligence alone or in conjunction with intellectualism, must incorporate the following:

  • acquirement of applicable knowledge
  • usage of common-sense logic (related to intelligence)
  • absence of significant prejudices and predispositions (who is without some form of subjectivity?)

One major undesired outcome is that one gets so caught-up into the “intellectualism of things” that they become more important or overlook the simple common sense that we had before evolving into a false, intellectual, state of mind. I like what one writer says about this negative form of intellectualism (The Danger of Intellectualism):

I here use the word “intellectual” to refer, not to intelligence and knowledge alone, but to a love of sophisticated terminology and complex abstract reasoning which transcends basic logic and common sense. And there is a difference between an intelligent person and an intellectual, there is also a difference between a Bible student and a theologian. Someone once defined an intellectual as an individual who is educated beyond his intelligence. This may be close to the mark. The modern theologian is a religious philosopher who is not content with simple Bible statements, but insists upon harmonizing everything into a semi-logical pattern which fits certain preconceived theological assumptions.

What is God’s perspective on intellectualism? It appears from scripture that God is diametrically opposed to the wisdom of man, whether it be by intellectualism or intelligence as far as humans are capable, apart from spiritual revelation from God. As Paul states in 1 Corinthians 1:21:

“For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.

And how do we know the world through wisdom did not know God? The previous verses of 1 Corinthians 1:1-20 indicate it.

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. … Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?”

In fact, you could argue that one of Paul’s major goals in 1 Corinthians is to refute complex intellectualism. One of the problems that Paul had with the leaders at Corinth was that many were rejecting Paul’s leadership and touting their own due to more sophisticated types of reasonings. Surely this is the reason Paul said to them (1 Corinthians 2:1-5):

“And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.”

Another form of intellectualism occurs with bible commentaries, exegesis, etc. It is here that man dives into the task of “explaining God’s Word” with words that supposedly compliment the meaning of Scriptures. And to some degree, they do succeed, but to another extent they do not succeed, but end up creating man-made doctrines that defy and make the Word of God of no effect as Jesus accused the Pharisees in Mark 7:13:

“Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.”

Now what were these traditions and how were they derived? The Hebrew Bible and Jewish Orthodoxy is based on the Written Law (Torah) and Unwritten Law (Talmud) which resulted in the religious law (halakha) of Jesus’s day. The Christian Age has similar problems with God’s Word being supplanted by man. Consider the volumes of commentaries written about the Bible. Many of these commentaries are based on predisposed Christian doctrines that evolved throughout the Church Age. For instance in the Protestant branches of Christianity today, you have competing thoughts of Calvinism and Arminianism which are saturated into many of the commentaries that exist today on the Bible. These “isms” are very complex, commanding only the “best” of minds to fully comprehend thereby excluding the simple folks of the Church from this elitist class of “supposed” Christians. It would only prove my point further by documenting and detailing the 5 points of the Remonstrants/Arminians and the counter 5 points of Calvinism (TULIP). But this is too much for this author’s mind to fully comprehend, so I relent and run back to the remembrance of the cross where Jesus died for me, and regroup my simplistic faith about God and Christ. There are other Scriptures that teach me to not thing too hard about things so that they become complex and need big-sounding words to describe them to be fully understood.

Ecclesiastes 1:17-18 “And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit. For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.” 1 Corinthians 8:2 “And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.” 1 Corinthians 13:12 “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.”

Having come out to observe things like this that be in the world today, I retreat now back to the safety of the sheepfold again where my boundaries are the Word of God and within them do I trust to safely reside.