Intellectual Humility and the Reading of Scripture

Abstract

This chapter examines the place of intellectual humility within the lives of Christian communities as they read and yield to the teaching of Scripture. The discussion acknowledges that intellectual humility must be set deliberately against the intellectual arrogance that comes naturally to us, and recognizes that Christian communities collectively, and individuals within them, can often evince a vicious arrogance that needs to be challenged. This acknowledgement arises from the recognition that the Christian community itself is the object of divine critique in Scripture. The chapter considers two themes, in particular, that are consistently at the heart of the critiques that the New Testament writers bring to their reading communities: syncretism and legalism. These words designate persistent ways of thinking about God and his word that the community must abandon as they yield their minds in service. The chapter will also consider the particular need for intellectual humility within Christian leadership.