The Outrageous Idea of Christian Scholarship

Rating:
Summary: This IS courage!
Review: In response to the review by Peter Kindle, who says that instead of appealing for inclusion, Christian scholars should fight for their place. Fine, but what do you think this book is about? It is fighting for the right for inclusion from one of the many possible angles. So, when Kindle says that we should fight, he better also recognize it when we are doing just that; otherwise, he is simply being hypocritical and unobservant. Ignore his foolish review and get this book. You will not regret it.

Rating:
Summary: An appeal for inclusion, when what is need is courage
Review: Marsden addresses two audiences: mainstream university scholars and religious people who are uncertain what "Christian scholarship" might be. To both his aim is clear, to show how faith is relevant to scholarship apart from dogmatism. I am not entirely sure he has succeeded.

In chapter one he sketches the historical secularization of the university. In two he provides answers to three arguments against inclusion of Christian scholarship: lack of empirical support, offense to others in a pluralistic setting, and violation of church/state separation. Chapter three contends with liberal pragmatism and the academic prejudice against voices of faith. Marsden contends that faith-informed voices need not be absolutist, and that to deny them is to undermine pluralism. "What difference could it possibly make?" is answered in chapter four by identifying the paradigmatic perspectives faith-informed scholarship might provide, including faith challenges to naturalistic reductionism (causation without God), human exaltation, and moralistic relativism.

In chapter five Marsden's arguments attempts to illustrate faith-informed scholarship from four perspectives: Creation, Incarnation, Holy Spirit, and Human Condition. To me, his entire argument for the inclusion of Christian scholarship in academia rests on the persuasiveness of these examples. Moral progress is possible apart from belief in a Creator. Neither the incarnation nor doctrine of the Holy Spirit provide empirical, reproducible evidences. These faith convictions may provide a hermeneutic, but not one that is likely to be persuasive for the unconverted.

In chapter six Marsden presents academic strategies which may provide a greater hearing for faith-informed scholarship, and many examples of how these have worked. I was left with the impression that the "idea of Christian scholarship" was already well-seeded and producing fruit.

If all truth is God's truth, and if the pluralistic world of contemporary academia is the competitive arena in which truth claims contend, then "Christian" scholarship simply needs to get into the arena and fight. Christian scholars, no more than any other subgroup, should wait to be invited. I was not convinced that we need more reflection among Christian scholars. What we need is more courage.

Rating:
Summary: This IS courage!
Review: Marsden addresses two audiences: mainstream university scholars and religious people who are uncertain what "Christian scholarship" might be. To both his aim is clear, to show how faith is relevant to scholarship apart from dogmatism. I am not entirely sure he has succeeded.

In chapter one he sketches the historical secularization of the university. In two he provides answers to three arguments against inclusion of Christian scholarship: lack of empirical support, offense to others in a pluralistic setting, and violation of church/state separation. Chapter three contends with liberal pragmatism and the academic prejudice against voices of faith. Marsden contends that faith-informed voices need not be absolutist, and that to deny them is to undermine pluralism. "What difference could it possibly make?" is answered in chapter four by identifying the paradigmatic perspectives faith-informed scholarship might provide, including faith challenges to naturalistic reductionism (causation without God), human exaltation, and moralistic relativism.

In chapter five Marsden's arguments attempts to illustrate faith-informed scholarship from four perspectives: Creation, Incarnation, Holy Spirit, and Human Condition. To me, his entire argument for the inclusion of Christian scholarship in academia rests on the persuasiveness of these examples. Moral progress is possible apart from belief in a Creator. Neither the incarnation nor doctrine of the Holy Spirit provide empirical, reproducible evidences. These faith convictions may provide a hermeneutic, but not one that is likely to be persuasive for the unconverted.

In chapter six Marsden presents academic strategies which may provide a greater hearing for faith-informed scholarship, and many examples of how these have worked. I was left with the impression that the "idea of Christian scholarship" was already well-seeded and producing fruit.

If all truth is God's truth, and if the pluralistic world of contemporary academia is the competitive arena in which truth claims contend, then "Christian" scholarship simply needs to get into the arena and fight. Christian scholars, no more than any other subgroup, should wait to be invited. I was not convinced that we need more reflection among Christian scholars. What we need is more courage.

Rating:
Summary: A wake up for Christians Inside and Outside of Academia
Review: This is quite simply an excellent little book. Marsden is very clear in setting out the parameters of his study; he very precisely says that it is not a work of history. He directs the reader to another wonderful book he wrote several years ago called The Soul of the American University. The Outrageous Idea of Christian Scholarship, he says, is intended as an appendix to that work. It must be read that way (which J.P. Parland who wrote The New York Times Book Review above didn't seem to do). The book is not intended to stand alone.

The fundamental assertion Marsden makes is that Christians should engage their subjects AS CHRISTIANS, which many Christian professors do not do. They are Christians on Sunday mornings, but they have no concept of how that may connect with their academic world. Marsden is clear that he thinks this needs to change; being a Christian should affect every aspect of our lives, and we need to be a force in higher education today.

This book is also for other Christians in the secular world. The basic argument of the book can be generalized to the culture. If you are a Christian, don't compartmentalize your life so that you put your faith into action only on Sundays or only at Bible Studies. It should encompass and pervade everything we do, especially the workplace, whether you are a professor, fireman or waitress.

Though best read after The Soul of the American University, this book makes excellent arguments on its own if you are already in the frame of mind that Christians maybe should be more active in the secular community. I say this because if you are looking to be won over by hard evidence and historical inquiry, you need to read The Soul first.

It is written in a very readable style, accessible to virtually everyone. I highly recommend this book to all who are looking to seriously defend the idea that we as Christians need to engage our culture in the secular world, not just draw them back into ours.