Quite often I hear people, even Christian scholars, say “This is academic, not spiritual.” This underlines the dichotomy that these scholars and non-scholars hold between academic work and spirituality. Consequently, there are many theological discourses from Christian scholars that are not even remotely biblical. Contrary to this anti-Christian position, I argue that unless academic work is considered as a means of building a closer relationship with God, Christian academics stand the chance of secularizing their academic writings and damaging their spiritual lives. This blog outlines three reasons why one has to balance their academic life with their spiritual life.
- Head knowledge must bear practical and ethical fruit
James’s rebuke to his audience for claiming to have faith and yet not practicalizing the faith they profess (2:15–19) underlines that the Christian religion is a practical religion, involving what one does. However, what one does is determined by who one is. Therefore, the believer’s relationship with God not only defines who they are but also informs what they do. If so, then one cannot cheat in an exam and yet, justify this evil by saying “this is academic life, not a spiritual affair.” Similarly, one cannot plagiarize and yet claim to be a Christian academic. One’s faith must permeate all aspects of life.
Academic life is not just a way of life; it has an impact on the student (scholar) involved. One’s experience with God can be enhanced by making Christian spirituality permeate every facet of academic work. God is the source of true knowledge. Hence, he must be consulted in the academic journey, else one is bound to acquire false knowledge that will eventually ruin their lives. The student should consult God, who is the Father, to direct every aspect of their academic work.
- Academic work devoid of Christian spirituality is fruitless.
Academic work is a means by which God reveals himself to people and helps them to become fruitful in their faith. It is, therefore, necessary to gear academic work toward spiritual fruitfulness. Academic work, in this sense, needs to be holistic—involving body, mind, heart and soul. Balancing spirituality with academics enables one to experience the total transformation that motivates one to serve God and humanity.
One’s fruitfulness in the academic enterprise does not only depend on serious studies but also on one’s commitment to spiritual things. Here, fruitfulness or success should not considered primarily in terms of being first in an exam or publishing many papers. For the Christian, success also includes spiritual buoyancy and service to God and humankind. Thus, one’s fruitfulness in academia has to do with the impact of one’s education on the community. The spiritual intellectual is committed to serving the community, even if such service is not lucrative. This is one of the key features that distinguishes Christian scholars from secular ones. The motivation for applying the knowledge gained is the desire to address the needs of the community.
- Christian academics cannot be the salt and light (Matt 5:13–14) without a strong spiritual life.
A Christian academic who fails to demonstrate their saltiness and light are no different from secular academics. Being the light and salt of the world, means among other things, that Christians must be role models in every aspect of life, of which academic life is not exempted. Christian academics are expected to provide patterns for other to follow and this requires improving their spiritual life.
Shining as light and preserving as salt requires establishing relationship with others and affecting their lives positively. In this respect, the Christian academic needs to establish and maintain relationship with other Christians. Just as one needs a companion to be able to journey deep into the forest, so the Christian academic needs faithful companions to journey far into the academic world. More importantly, such relationship will give the Christian academic the opportunity to affect the lives of those they journey with. This way, one’s academic life acquires a missional dimension. In this regard also, the academic must build a healthy relationship with their families and ensure that their families are affected positively by their spirituality.
Conclusion
The foregoing points to the fact that an academic journey devoid of spiritual considerations is fruitless and has no eternal benefit. This fact has ramifications, some of which are outlined below. Firstly, education philosophy must be rooted in biblical principles. Even though the Bible cannot be the textbook for every course in our education system, it is important to ensure that policies guiding education are not contradictory to the teachings of Scripture. The first conclusion leads to the second, namely, Christians need to be active participants in the formulation of policies in their society, especially those affecting education. Finally, even though academic work is a spiritual exercise it must not compromise the rigor and critical analysis required in this endeavour.
Short Bio: Dr. Isaac Boaheng holds a PhD in Theology from the University of the Free State, South Africa. Boaheng also holds a masters degree in Theology from the South African theological Seminary and a Master of Divinity degree from Trinity Theological Smeinary, Ghana. He is a part-time lecturer at the South African Theological Seminar and a Bible Translator with the Bible Society of Ghana. Boaheng has over ninety publications in Systematic Theology, Ethics, Biblical Studies, Translation Studies, African Christianity, Linguistics, Pentecostalism and Christian Mission, among others (see https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Isaac-Boaheng). He is an ordained minister of the Methodist Church Ghana serving the Nkwabeng Circuit of the Sunyani diocese. Boaheng lives in Ghana with his wife, Gloria, and five children, Christian, Benedict, Julia, Kalix and Myjiloy.
