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The Good, the True, The Beautiful
08.22.2008 by Chad McIntosh
Church leaders seem obsessed with or pressured into convincing their listeners that what is taught is “relevant”. No sermon or lesson is complete unless it’s tied off with some desperate pitch on “practical application,” which as a result often seems forced or cheap.
Whatever happened to seeking knowledge for its own sake? Isn’t seeking knowledge and wisdom for its own at the very foundation of what it means to be a person of virtue, by cultivating a rich internal life? Isn’t that the beginning of the path to the good, the true, and the beautiful?
August 22nd, 2008 at 7:37 pm
Chad,
Knowledge applied is wisdom, something we are called to. While practical application may be something that sounds tacked on that’s a problem with how a sermon is designed rather than a problem with the concept.
August 23rd, 2008 at 1:23 am
I see what you are saying… But I am trying to figure out how I can use this in my life… :)
August 23rd, 2008 at 12:24 pm
It’s more than just a methodological problem–It’s definitely conceptual as well.
Some knowledge is just good for it’s own sake, which I take to mean it doesn’t necessarily have to be externally applied in order to count towards wisdom.
August 27th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
If you are applying your knowledge then you have an experience that gives it a deeper meaning.
I’ve heard a lot of people talk about knowledge that they have gained from the Bible, but it’s the ones that live it that make a difference.
You don’t read about Jesus giving the crown to the person who knows the most.
August 27th, 2008 at 6:18 pm
Amy, Amen and amen.
August 28th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
After a bit of contemplation on the matter, I would argue that knowledge is inherently applied. Every bit of knowledge we gain is in someway applied in that it changes the way we think about the world, ourselves, God, or something else. While it may not immediately manifest as a change of behavior it does change our view.
August 28th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
My point exactly.
September 1st, 2008 at 7:57 pm
It seems to run counter to your point, in which you argue against application.
September 1st, 2008 at 11:58 pm
Not at all. Like I said, “Some knowledge is just good for it’s own sake, which I take to mean it doesn’t necessarily have to be externally applied in order to count towards wisdom. Indeed, the point of my post was precicely that application is not just external.
This was also missed by Amy, who actually supported my point but probably thought was refuting it.