How Shall We Then Read?

Cultivating a Christian Intellectual Life

Francis Schaeffer (1912-1984).

Reading has the potential to become an act of worship. As twentieth-century Swiss theologian Hans Urs Von Balthasar (1905-1988) wrote, “Man is the creature with a mystery in his heart that is bigger than himself.” This mystery is, at once, a source of wonder and an object of anxiety. It is there. But what do we do with it? Pursuing the life of the mind, under the guidance of Scripture and the Holy Spirit, leads us to recognize the mystery for what it is. Only then can we hope to understand the mystery, embrace it, and find peace with it.

The intellectual pursuit of the good, in reading, in art, in work, in relationships, is the gloriously insatiable desire for more of God.—M. A. Milton

I received instruction in the art of nurturing a Christian intellectual life from my professor at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California (1977). Dr. Zef Nekaij discerned my need for a structured approach to reading, retention, interaction, and the extraction of truth from significant works. He introduced me to the methodologies articulated in The Intellectual Life (1928) by A.G. Sertillanges, O.P. (1863-1948). Reflecting on my academic journey, I contemplated the guidance to offer someone eager to delve deeper into the Word of God. I share my insights, hopeful they may aid others in their spiritual growth in Christ Jesus, our Lord.

Zef Nekaj (1919-2003) was a public intellectual known for his work in letters, linguistics, and Christian critique of Communism. He was imprisoned by Enver Hoxha but later earned advanced degrees from UC Berkeley. He trained generations of Cold War operatives at the Defense Language Institute (including the author). He is regarded as a model Christian intellectual: the life of the mind in the service of God and Man.

No scripture should be studied in isolation. It represents God’s progressively revealed truth, shepherded by the Holy Spirit and verified by Jesus Christ, who died, resurrected, and ascended to heaven. The teachings of our living Savior in the Scriptures are the manifestations of the Logos. The Holy Spirit acknowledges His influence in the Word, harmonizing His divine intentions with ours. Thus, engaging with the scriptures is a divine gift—a bridge between the supernatural and the tangible realms.

Reading has the potential to become an act of worship. — M. A. Milton

A poignant memory surfaces when I ponder my interactions with Scripture. I once queried Dr. Laird Harris on the spiritual merit of the Apocrypha compared to the canonical 66 books. His reply, reminiscent of Jesus’ pedagogy, was an assignment: read the Gospel of John and two Apocryphal selections. The distinction became clear post-reading: the Gospel of John resonated with the Holy Spirit’s presence, while the Apocrypha provided enlightenment sans the Spirit. In essence, the Gospel of John embodies the Spirit-infused Word of God, while other writings, though illuminative, lack the Holy Spirit’s signature. This revelation mirrors Jesus’ words: “The wind blows where it wishes,” and emphasizes the anointing we possess:

“But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him” (1 John 2:27 NKJV).

The Apostles and Church Fathers, for instance, interpreted Genesis 1 through the lenses of Matthew 1 and John 3. The omnipotent creativity of God, which crafted the cosmos, also steered the genealogy leading to Jesus Christ, legally adopted by His earthly father, Joseph. This divine craftsmanship resonates with our spiritual rebirth through repentance and faith in Christ.

“Always seek connections, understand the preconditions; let coordinated understanding, not fragments, anchor in your memory” (Sertillanges, 178).

A profound observation posits that every domain harbors pivotal ideas that illuminate the whole. Some of these ideas also guide life, and their reverence lights the inner sanctum of our hearts.

At the core of these insights lies a divine thread woven by God even before the world’s inception: His sacred promise to accomplish for us what we cannot achieve independently. God’s love serves as the linchpin that interlinks Scriptures and subordinate truths. Once more, I quote Hans Urs von Balthazar, “Only love is credible.” No greater sentiment of mortal man has been clothed in so few words. This idea rings true for hermeneutics, evangelism, and preaching, as much as it does for marriage, other human relationships, commerce, literature, or science. The love of God pulsating in the world, unseen but not undiscerned, gives meaning to consciousness. And conscience, the mind, delights in His love. The intellectual pursuit of the good, in reading, in art, in work, in relationships, is the gloriously insatiable desire for more of God. In the end, it is a life worth living.

Reference

Hans Urs von Balthasar. Love Alone Is Credible. United States: Ignatius Press, 2012.

_______. Prayer. United States: Ignatius Press, 1986.

A. G. Sertillanges, The Intellectual Life: Its Spirit, Conditions, Methods. Washington DC: Catholic University Press, 1946.

Francis A. Schaeffer. How Should We Then Live? The Rise and Decline of Western Thought and Culture. United States: Crossway, 2022.