RG2G 010 Can You be a Christian AND an Intellectual?

I got an email this week from a longtime friend bemoaning the fact that while they are a Christian, they are having a very difficult time feeling comfortable in the churches in their city.  When I asked why, he responded, “It seems like to go to these churches I have to leave my brain at the door.”  He asked, “Is this just me?”

My response to him was that if this was the first, second, third, or even the hundredth time I’d heard this, I’d say “It could possibly be you. But since I’ve heard this hundreds if not thousands of times over 38 years, it’s really not you.”  It’s a problem that a lot of religious people have that drives thinking people away.  It’s not right and it shouldn’t go on.

So today we’re going to talk about faith and intelligence.  Are there reasons to believe?  Does faith demand and require reason, and does reason, in and of itself, at some point require faith?  Are they at odds with one another or can they be complements to one another?

Fundamentalism and fierce denominational loyalty have arisen in the American church to obscure the true nature of the gospel.  Jesus himself said, “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.”  And while the Bible is not a history or science book, it is not at odds with either one.

If you’re looking for an intelligent faith, a faith that is satisfying to the mind, heart, and soul, then follow Jesus and you’ll find them all in one place.

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