Westminster Confessions

Sometimes the old saying “You can’t see the forest for the trees” is exactly the opposite of what we need to hear. While it is true at seminary that the details of individual courses (assignments, readings, lectures, papers) can prompt chapel reminders that we need to remember why we are here, I think we also need to think about the converse situation. Sometimes we are way too goal-oriented. We see our classes as a means to an end… getting out to do ministry so we can “glorify God.”

Well, yes. But…

There is an inherent quality of godly academic study that is often missed. It is more than just a “joy in the journey” (which I embrace also) that provides the proper orientation for our attitude as we move through life. Rather, what I am referring to is delight. Many times we rush through the task at hand and miss the opportunity to relish the small details, the deep ideas, the interwoven complexities. This is more than mere academic snobbery… this is an important devotional opportunity. Surely it must also glorify God when I delight in the intricacies of language (or even contemplate that God uses language to communicate with mankind). Is it not an act of worship to sit quietly and think of the attributes of God as I read through Job? Or to sit with some friends and discuss a particular insight or complexity?

In other words, there is a value in study and contemplation–in and of itself, not just for some end result or use. We are far too utilitarian in our mindset. Please don’t misunderstand! I do not want to advocate islands of contemplative isolation that remove us from the community of fellowship. It’s just that I think we sometimes get the balance wrong. We often ere on the side of usefulness and miss some of the beauty.

This entry was posted on Friday, February 4th, 2005 at 1:31 pm and is filed under Academia. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.