The Brain Gap

In the past few years, I have spent a great deal of time thinking about the apparent gap between the academy and our church congregations. Many churches have professionals as members and, as such, are very educated. However, a little bit of probing often reveals a profound ignorance of the gospel message and how it relates to the culture. Many (not all) church members are quite content with an unrooted theology that topples over upon any dissension of any sort. As a result, there is a steady flow of people, from all walks of life, exiting the church. Their thinking goes something like, "this old-fashioned church thing just doesn't seem to hold a lot of water in a capitalist, technology-driven world. Everyone around us seems to be doing just fine without "religion" of any sort. All those pat answers the church teaches do not really make sense anyway. Even if they did, are they not simply that specific pastor's understanding of truth?" And the church watches in dismay as people either exit and do not return or maybe come back infrequently to renew old acquaintances.

Now I want to be clear on a few things. Firstly, I am not suggesting that all pastors preach "pat answers" and are the source of the discontent. There are many good pastors out there doing a marvelous job pastoring, including teaching. I also do not want to come across as a doom-commentator with the answers to all the problems. However, I believe there is a dichotomy that has developed (and is growing) in much of the church. We are, indeed, a relatively educated population in the West (relative to much of the rest of the world anyway). But, we are sometimes ignorant to the point of naivety when it comes to our faith. Why is this so? Is our faith not supposed to define all we are and do? Is the Holy Word of God not a sacred revelation of what we believe is the epitome (God) of all that is true, real, and good? If so, then why are we so content with not understanding it? Why is an understanding of proper exegesis and theology not valued as highly as something that will bring "results" such as a "good foundation for a career"? And why is church often nothing more than a voice of condemnation or a perpetual A.A. meeting?

To some extent I identify with those that have left the church because they see it as merely a crutch that has been carried on from ancient times. I also have been very perturbed by the unthoughtful and narrow responses I have received many times. We don't seem to understand how faith really makes any difference in how we live. If the point of Christianity, or the Bible, is to help people have a conversion moment in order to save them from hell, then maybe all this stuff actually doesn't matter. Maybe it doesn't matter that we do not understand even the most basic theology and doctrine or proper exegesis. Let's leave that for the pastors to learn in seminary as long as people come to a "saving knowledge of Jesus Christ" right?

Well if that truly is Christianity's big answer, then yes, let's leave theology and all that other stuff to those "called" to do so. But is that really the point, to "save souls"? Jesus' mandate to his disciples was not to get people to pray a "sinner's prayer" but to "go make disciples...baptize them...and teach them to obey." If we are not just called to "save people from hell" or even "get them into heaven", but rather to "make disciples," then we must approach this a little differently. Then following Christ is a distinct shift in thinking from the culture around us. Christ then becomes the goal or telos toward which our lives are transformed or discipled (if that's a word). Our entire understanding of reality has been re-shifted. This is much more than a crutch, old-fashioned tradition, or wholesome entertainment. It very much changes how we live, act, and think because it is the goal of our entire lives!

When we view Christ as the centre of our understanding of reality, then we cannot simply resort to fluffy answers because our goal is not merely to "be saved" and then in turn to "save others". The church is the one to disciple and train believers with this diametrically different purpose in view. Although I am not proposing that all Christians get a degree in Biblical studies or theology, I do believe many Christians are attending our churches and are starving to hear how or why all this stuff matters. Why are we only "drinking milk" in church when we eat "pure steak" the rest of the week? Many of us have a presupposition of church that allows us to leave our brains at the door when we enter and then we pick them back up when we leave. The result is inevitable: Christians end up with the exact same value system as the rest of culture. The consequences are obvious: Christianity simply doesn't really matter. That seems to be how many inside and outside the church view Christ and the Christian life.

I am not proposing any answers here. What I do want to do is challenge those who claim Christ as Lord of their life to be thoughtful. Think deeply and graciously about God, how you live your life, and the "big" questions people ask. Although human knowledge has many limitations, Jesus said to "love God with your mind". Being a disciple of Christ is not just one aspect of our lives that is different from others. It is an entirely different telos; a different end or goal. The church must help people to understand how to be "discipled" in Christ. In a culture that for the most part embraces education, let's not be the arrogant voice of ignorance but a community of discipleship. That will entail a passionate devotion to learning about the truth, wherever it is found. Just some thoughts...