Hello everyone, I am posting today about a major conflict in my life that some of you might be able to relate to or at least offer advice for. I am in my last year of college as an undergraduate and am planning to go to seminary (not exactly sure where yet—maybe WTS PA, maybe Mid-America) for my masters and then hopefully PhD in theology and maybe later in philosophy. I love learning, I love being a student—I exclaim with Paul that “I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” I want to know God, and know what he has said to us in his Word. I want to be a (humble) scholar of the Word, of theology and philosophy. I think it is good in itself, glorifying to God in and of itself, simply to know things about him and his Word, would you agree? Obviously one of the main ways we serve God in knowing him is by witnessing and defending that knowledge, by teaching it to others, but I think it is biblical to say that knowing God and his Word is good and glorying in itself.

My dilemma, my struggle, right now, is basically this: What is the value of studying advanced theology and philosophy? Is it glorying to God to know the differences between suparlapsarianism and infralapsarianism? Is it glorying to God, moreover, to know the history of Arianism? What about knowing what Alvin Plantinga says about modal logic and the concept of necessity? Or Leibniz’s theory of knowledge? My point is, the more abstract the study, either theological or philosophical, becomes, the less it seems, or feels, to me, to glorify God in knowing about. I have been thinking a lot about Matthew 6, particularly Jesus’ discussion about storing up treasure in Heaven: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” When I read this, a number of resolutions from Jonathan Edwards comes to mind: “5. Resolved, never to lose one moment of time; but improve it the most profitable way I possibly can. 6. Resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live. 7. Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life. 17. Resolved, that I will live so as I shall wish I had done when I come to die.” What kind of treasure am I storing up in Heaven when I study such advanced, abstract theological and philosophical topics? Or when I spend a large part of my life studying such topics?!

Perhaps my current situation in life is making this conflict particularly tough: I am living in a very liberal and tolerant Christian fellowship, where I am laughed at for studying and reading, and where my studying and reading is often seen as a weakness as a Christian and as a member of the fellowship. Studying theology and philosophy is hard—intensely hard—and that can be very burdensome. It is a crushing feeling to spend a week reading a difficult text of theology or philosophy and, after finishing the laborious study, find that you have learn little to nothing, that it went over your head, so to speak. It is also equally as crushing to study a topic and a month or a year later remember little from that study. It is like being a snowball, rolling down a mountain and picking up snow, but loosing quite a bit of snow in the process as well. Another problematic area for me is Heaven itself: as I understand it, we will know much more, and much more clearly, than we do now, when we are in Heaven. So is the study of advanced theology and philosophy really worth it when, in Heaven, we will know it all (or whatever is true and of value) anyway, regardless of our study here on earth? Sometimes I even get saddened at the thought that there will be no library, even no Bible in Heaven, because it makes up such a major part of my life, until I remind myself that that’s not the point at all.

But this all makes the problem of whether or not such advanced study is valuable, glorying to God, and storing up a treasure in Heaven, even more difficult. Is it all really worth it? Is it valuable? Is a life spent with a large amount of time in study glorying to God and worthy of the short time on earth? These are questions that have been plaguing me as I wade through my studying in advanced theology and philosophy and prepare for many more years of such learning. I would appreciate any advice or thoughts or prayers or book recommendations you can offer.

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Patrick Arnold
Covenant OPC, Brighton, MI
MA student in philosophy at the University of Michigan

Get Counsel from your Pastor. Go to Mid America.... Get your studies done. There are benefits you know not of. Make sure you do it under the care of your Presbytery. Pretty opinionated, aint I?

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R. Martin Snyder
1689er
Harmony Baptist Church (Member)
PuritanCovenanter MSN Blog
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"Our object should not be to have scripture on our side but to be on the side of scripture; and however dear any sentiment may have become by being long entertained, so soon as it is seen to be contrary to the Bible, we must be prepared to abandon it without hesitation."
William Symington

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Having similiar interests in studying and at heart being very practical in my thinking. "Why do I need to know this?" I would have to say, all that studying and hard work builds character. The thinking and agonizing through difficult and sometimes ridiculous theological suppositions, which seem to have to value whatsoever, in the long run teach you how to think. I can't tell you how many times all that studying helped me explain to someone, in a way they could understand, something difficult, because I spent hours studying and thinking on these seemingly ridiculous theological suppositions. Things you read and thought you forgot will come to you when you need it, in conversations with people. In the long run you may not need to know why it is infra as opposed to supra or how angels being elect proves that God elected prior to a fall and held some up and let others fall. But thinking through these issues helps you grow and understand your own faith better and in the process explain it to others in a way that they can understand but do not care about infra or supra or whatever.
Just follow your interests and study it until you know it like the back of your hand. In the long run it will pay off. Just don't let all that knowledge go to your head and get arrogant. I have seen plenty of people who have gotten this way and even though they know alot, no one cares, because no one can stand them.
I hope this makes sense.

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Erick Bohndorf, Covenant Baptist Church, KS
http://qayaqtraveler.blogspot.com/
The question for us today is, will we be like the majority of Israel and continue to look in fear at the giants in the land and urge our fellow Christians to be "realistic," or will we be like Joshua and Caleb and faithfully follow our king, trusting to fulfill every one of his promises completely?

Here's my two cents:

I'm a first year seminary student myself, and I know the struggle you're facing. I've felt it many times, because I've really considered going on to Ph.D. work or other advanced degrees. For me personally, here's what I'm doing. Not that this is what you should do, because I'm all about missions too, and that may not be where the Lord has led you. But I'm not coming back to seminary next year. I'm going overseas for a year or two first, and then coming back to finish my degree. Why? Because I don't want my knowledge to be all academic. I want to go and experience some hardship, see the missio dei in action, and then come back with that perspective. I think it will help me to put everything in focus and show me how much I do need my studies to further equip me. (As a side note, I'm also doing this b/c I'm very young and don't need to rush my seminary degree).

So that's my story. But here a couple of quick thoughts in general:

1) Theology/Academic degrees, and so on should be done in the service of the church. I would say that if you go on to get a Ph.D. in theology simply because you like study, but don't do that with the good of the church in mind, then that would be pointless. But the church does need well-trained men to defend the truth. Whether that means you teach Sunday school and write books, or pastor, or teach in a seminary, only God knows. But don't think of your studies as merely academic. And along with that, during your studies, be involved in the church. Put stuff into practice. If you avoid getting involved in your church because you have too much study, then perhaps there are some mixed up priorities (I say this because that is what I did in college, and I regret it).

2) Along with the above, there are some things more vital than others. So I would say focus your studies on things that really will assist the church. Some things probably really aren't all that relevant. But Arianism--JW's still use some of that stuff, so stuff like that is good to know about.

Anyway, garbled and random thoughts from me, but it's where I am at right now. And though I can't give many answers, know that I'm right there struggling through that with you.

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Joel S.
St. Paul's Presbyterian Church (Orlando, FL)
M.Div. Student, RTS Orlando, Oviedo, FL

for you guys. I have no advice to give.

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~Keon Garraway~ Brooklyn, NY Member of Franklin Square OPC

Love for God demonstrated by the love for our children in giving them a God centered education is the only hope for our country. by David Morrow
Pslam 71:20 [Thou], which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.

Yes, it is important.

That is why the Church of Scotland used to have an office called "Doctor of the Church". If you study to the glory of God then your studies will be used in ways you do not now anticipate.

The idea that all things (incuding education) must be done with some "usefull" purpose in mind is not a biblical concept (IMHO). It is a post-enlightenment capitalist idea. Nothing agains capitalism or being enlightened (or being 'post') I just mmean to point out that the frame of reference you are using (or paradigm) is neither biblical nor historical.

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Kevin Rogers
Sovereign Community Church, PCA
Moncton NB

Studying advanced theology and philosophy helps one to develop his logical thinking skills and his writing skills. One can use this knowledge to see the implications of different theological or philosophical beliefs. One could do apologetics.

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Curt Hayashida
member, Community Bible Church (Non-denominational)
Vallejo, CA

I am also approaching the end of my undergraduate studies and making plans for graduate school in the humanities. My question would be: if studying theology and philosophy is not important, what is? Computer programming? Being an airline pilot? a janitor? What does it mean for work to be "valuable"?

When I first became a Christian I thought that 99% of Christians were wasting their lives and not glorifying God because they weren't missionaries. But there are literally thousands of occupations in this world that are not related to pastoral ministry or evangelism, which makes for quite a slippery slope if we begin to say that something like philosophy is merely "storing up treasure in heaven"! The world existed before the Fall and I think sometimes people forget that. What I mean is, it should be obvious that every occupation is not "redemptive" or "missional" or "humanitarian." You'll have plenty of opportunities to build relationships, share your faith, provide intellectual ammunition for the Church, etc., but the substance of a career does not need to be baptized in religion to be valid. Pursuing it and doing it well while being thankful to God for His provision are all the justification you need.

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DAVIDIVS DOCTVS VTRIVSQVE LINGVAE
Husband of Emilia
Member: First Reformed Presbyterian Church of Durham (RPCNA) - Durham, NC
Currently in the process of transferring membership to an as-yet-undecided church in Chapel Hill
Student: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, German Literature and Classics

Postgraduate study is not all about learning knowledge about "what does this mean" or "what does that mean." It teaches you how to research, it teaches you how to think and it teaches you how to write. These are valuable assets in every area of life. Someone may never come to you and ask what the difference is between suparlapsarianism and infralapsarianism, but they may come and ask another question and to answer it you will need all your research and analytical skills you gained through your Phd. It is not so much about what you learn but rather that you learn how to learn. Your create a framework which you can use for the rest of your life.

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Fraser,
Trinity Reformed Baptist Church
Hamilton, New Zealand.