“Where the Church Does Its Thinking”

His words were like an icy hand casually slapping my slack-jawed face. I had just finished addressing 300 teachers on the topics of excellence and Adventist mission. No sooner had I sat down than the next seminar presenter stood and began speaking, and the first words out of his mouth were something like this: “The local congregation has its place, its own sphere. It is often the scene of action, of mission lived out among the masses. But the university? The university is where the church does its thinking.”

I was stunned. What brand of errant bombast was this? The implication seemed as clear as it was pretentious: At the university—perhaps in academia in general—scholars contemplate, they sagely consider, they engage in genuine thinking. But at the local church? Well, the proletariat never was much for sophisticated reflection, was it? Let the plebs hold their vulgar prophecy seminars while the elevated gentry engage in the far more serious pursuit of ever-deepening erudition.

Years later, as I’ve reflected on that speaker’s comments, I’ve realized it is possible he had no pejorative intent. He may instead have merely been making an off-the-cuff reference that would have raised zero eyebrows in his professional circles. Moreover, it is clear his assertion does have at least a smidge of merit. It is undeniable, for instance, that for centuries, religious entities have established schools of higher learning in hopes of endowing clergy with intellectual chops equal to the philosophical perils running rampant in local churches.

So today, is the phrase then still true? Is the university still where the church does its thinking? The answer clearly is . . . maybe! And what causes that variability is a story for another day in a longer article. But until then, consider the following:

1. Wisdom is not inseparable from academic prowess. I know some very wise academics. It’s also true that some of the wisest people in the church today never went to college, and I am glad they are key leaders in their local congregations. “Wisdom is supreme,” Proverbs 4:7 tells us, “so acquire wisdom” (NET),* and that acquisition does not require an advanced degree.

2. Universities have often saved the church from disaster. One of the many lessons gleaned from the Protestant Reformation is that academic study, rightly leveraged, can yield impactful results. Martin Luther prevailed over Pope Leo X by the power of the Holy Spirit . . . and by a towering command of Latin, biblical exegesis, and canon law. Academic learning thus really did help in the triumph over pagan mysticism, without which you might not be reading these words today.

3. Great thinking is happening in local churches and Adventist universities alike, thinking that ultimately comes from the mind of God. Degreed or not, none of us creates knowledge; we merely discover what God has been thinking all along. Arrogance thus has no place in the sanctuary or the classroom. May the layman and the professor serve each other accordingly.