Wise Words on Wisdom

I'm currently reading J. P. Moreland's book Love Your God with all Your Mind. The subtitle helps to explain what the book is about: The Role of Reason in the Life of the Soul. It's what I would call a book that is both theologically weighty yet practically pungent. That is, as it relates to the spiritual life, we must be deep and careful thinkers, while at the same time white-hot in our affections for Christ. Therefore, we should not be affraid to think for the glory of Christ. If we are to understand the Word of God, we must use our brains. I am not advocating a heady Christianity, where we reside in our ivory towers and have no contact with the world around us. Nor am I suggesting that we pile up information in our minds that has no practical use in our daily lives. As J. P. Moreland writes, "For the Christian, seeking the truth is no mere abstract activity unrelated to life."

One important aspect in using our minds is the gaining of wisdom. We gain wisdom by praying, reading the Bible, and surrounding ourselves with wise people. I like Moreland's definition of wisdom: "Wisdom is the wise use and application of knowledge." He goes on to write, "It involves knowing how to use good means to accomplish worthy ends in a skillful manner."

Moreland also mentions that some Christians erect a false dichotomy between "practical wisdom" and "theoretical knowledge." Since we live in an anti-intellectual age, most people find theoretical knowledge a waste of time; they want practical wisdom that they can use. Moreland has some wise words for these people. He writes:

Some Christians misunderstand the nature of wisdom, preferring practical wisdom and disdaining theoretical knowledge. However, since wisdom is the application of knowledge, you cannot be practically wise without being theoretically informed.

Chew on that for a minute.