To think, or not to think, that is the question.
It seems like a real divide; the biblical interpretation that comes out in sermons is so intellectual and dry. I wish there were more “touchy- feely” sermons. But then again, in the women’s bible study that I participate in, the ladies who know a lot about the bible are anti intellectual as if it is wrong to study the bible and wrong to study theology. They think you shouldn’t read bible commentaries for instance, but just read the words of the bible without any interpretive aids.
There is a misperception that bible study/theological study equals bible bashing, bible hating. I suggested that actually people study the bible and what the church has discovered and maintained throughout the centuries because they love the bible and love God.
I’m not sure why people are anti intellectual in Malaysia. But in America we have an anti intellectual heritage because once we were a country with a huge frontier. Our pioneers were very religious, often migrating to the US for religious reasons. But there were no universities around and therefore few educated pastors. Churches didn’t equate learning with religion.
When I do bible study, or any study, I do read what the books have to say, but then I take a walk or something and see if the Holy Spirit will help me understand- he speaks my language, or at least I think he does, so I understand him better than a textbook. But I wouldn’t throw away my textbooks.