Habits of the Mind: Intellectual life as a Christian calling

by James W. Sire

A 2001 Christianity Today Book of the Year! What is an intellectual? How can you learn to think well? What does it mean to love God with your mind? Can the intellectual life be a legitimate Christian calling? Is the intellectual life your calling? James Sire brings wit and wisdom to bear on these questions and their possible answers. And he offers an unusual "insider's view" of learning how to think well for the glory of God and for the sake of his kingdom. In Habits of the Mind Sire challenges you to avoid one of the greatest pitfalls of intellectual life--by resisting the temptation to separate being from knowing. He shows you how to cultivate intellectual virtues and disciplines--habits of mind--that will strengthen you in pursuit of your calling. And he offers assurance that intellectual life can be a true calling for Christians: because Jesus was the smartest man who ever lived, Sire argues, you can and should accept the challenge to think as well as you are able.

Genres: Philosophy, Christian, Theology, Christianity, Education, Christian Living, Religion

263 pages, Paperback

First published July 5, 2000

About the author

James W. Sire was a Christian author, speaker, and former editor for InterVarsity Press.

Sire was an officer in the Army, a college professor of English literature, philosophy and theology, the chief editor of InterVarsity Press, a lecturer at over two hundred universities around the world and the author of twenty books on literature, philosophy and the Christian faith. His book The Universe Next Door, published in 1976 has sold over 350,000 copies. He held a B.A. in chemistry and English from the University of Nebraska, an M.A. in English from Washington State and a Ph.D. in English from the University of Missouri.

Reviews

[Karen Glass · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I've read--a keeper. You've got to love a book that makes you think of David Hicks, Charlotte Mason, and Augustine, and reminds you why they are all on the same page. How thinking feels...Jesus is the smartest man who ever lived...and a crystal-clear reminder that thinking validates itself in *doing*. This is wonderful book that will justify the time you take to read it many times over.

[Sonny · Rating 4 out of 5]

― “It is man’s glory to be the only intellectual animal on earth. That imposes upon human beings the moral obligation to lead intellectual lives. The slothful are blind to the glory and neglectful of the obligation.”
― Mortimer Adler, Intellect: Mind over Matter

― “A Christian mind is not one that is filled with exclusively religious topics but one that is framed within a Christian worldview.”
― James Sire, Habits of the Mind

My interest in reading James Sire’s Habits of the Mind: Intellectual Life as a Christian Calling has much to do with what I have witnessed in American culture and especially within the church. Why are so many people, including many Christians, opposed to science and captivated by conspiracy theories? American culture seems to have recast the role of the intellect as a vice instead of a virtue, diminishing knowledge while glorifying the plain sense of the common person.

Anti-intellectualism within the church is especially troubling given that we are commanded to love the Lord our God with all our heart and soul and MIND (emphasis mine). The Bible does not encourage an anti-intellectual view. In my reading of Scripture, it seems that thorough reasoning that is disciplined, analytical, curious, and hungry for truth is indispensable to loving God. Scripture applauds education and knowledge (Proverbs 18:15) and commends those who seek wisdom (2 Chronicles 1:10–12). It encourages cautious skepticism (1 John 4:1), careful thought (John 7:24), and fact-checking (Acts 17:11).

― “Critical thinkers must be critical not only of the views of others, but of their own views as well.”
― James Sire, Habits of the Mind

A number of evangelical scholars have noted this trend toward anti-intellectualism in the church, including author and theologian Os Guinness:

― “Anti-intellectualism is a disposition to discount the importance of truth and the life of the mind. Living in a sensuous culture and an increasingly emotional democracy, American evangelicals in the last generation have simultaneously toned up their bodies and dumbed down their minds.”
― Os Guinness, Fit Bodies, Fat Minds

When self-serving desire begins to dominate, the author cautions that “the mind will not perceive the truth,” and “will succumb to falsehood masquerading as truth.” Entertaining false thoughts about anything will fail to bring us into fellowship with God. Christian philosopher John Henry Newman taught that “obedience to the light we possess is the way to gain more light.”

While I found some chapters worthy of five stars, other chapters hardly merited three stars. In the first four chapters, Sire is writing to those who want to develop a Christian intellectual life. But he defines an intellectual as someone who is capable of being published. While I desire to learn all that I can to be of greater use in the kingdom, I feel no calling to write or be published. Sire relies heavily upon John Henry Newman (Anglican minister who converted to Roman Catholicism) as a model in these chapters. I did not find these chapters particularly helpful.

However, beginning in Chapter 5, “Habits of the Mind,” Sire underscores the significance of reading widely and deeply as a cornerstone for cultivating the intellect.
He encourages reflective reading through a deliberate and thoughtful approach. He suggests strategies for engaging in reflective reading. Sire also emphasizes the importance of a diverse reading diet. This will broaden one's intellectual horizons and stimulate cognitive flexibility. This approach will also promote intellectual resilience by exposing one to different viewpoints and challenging one's preconceived notions.

In chapter 6, Sire stresses that the love of truth should be central to intellectual pursuit. The dedication to truth will spur the reader to discover important insights that might not be readily apparent. In the current culture, where there is an abundance of information but also an abundance of misinformation, the reader needs genuine wisdom to discern what is true and what is false. Sire emphasizes the importance of intellectual rigor by avoiding superficial answers and engaging deeply with difficult questions.

Scattered throughout the book are wonderful quotes from scholars past and present, such as the ones from Mortimer Adler and Os Guinness quoted above.

― “To think well is to serve God well.”
― James Sire, Habits of the Mind

― “We need to reclaim Christianity from the politicized moorings of a mindless caricature of faith that bears little resemblance to the Jesus of the Gospels.”
― Peter W. Marty, editor/publisher of the Century

[Reid Williamson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The conviction here is that every Christian is called to pursue the truth, which is what he calls the intellectual life and, in terms of virtue, speak the truth.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is possible to be an intellectual and a Christian. In fact, you can even enjoy it. Sire identifies what an intellectual is, how he goes about his work, and offers sage advice on how to grow in your thinking. I particularly enjoyed the chapter "Jesus the Reasoner"

[Shane Williamson · Rating 2 out of 5]

2023 reads: 25

Rating: 2.5 stars

In Habits of the Mind, James Sire attempts to “identify, describe and encourage those habits of the mind that are central to fulfilling our call to glorify God by thinking well.” (9) Sire’s project is conscious of “man” as both feeling and thought, flesh and spirit. As such, Sire makes arguments that are attuned to both head and heart. Habits of the Mind blends history, journalism, philosophy and biblical studies to account for Sire’s vision. The project is first given shape by reflecting on the intellectual life of John Henry Newman, followed by the moral and emotional shape of the intellect. Sire closes with more practical advice for how to cultivate one’s intellectual inner life.

Arguably Sire’s contribution is the plethora of voices that he brings to the table on the subject. A host of intellectuals, leaders, writers, philosophers, both ancient and modern, support his thesis that certain habits of the mind are central to fulfilling our call to glorify God with our thoughts. I was however largely disappointed and unaffected by the material of the book as a whole. I am not sure if it is my ignorance of history but what was said was not particularly new or insightful. Perhaps at the time of publication it was more ground-breaking. Additionally, the book mostly felt like a smorgasbord of block quotes that Sire fancied, who then added his own transitions and thoughts on. So yes, readers are introduced to a host of other authors but I am largely questioning what Sire’s thoughts actually are. Noticeably absent is the community (i.e. church) in his vision for the intellectual life.

The one chapter that stood out in its contribution was chapter eight: thinking by reading. Sire’s comments about meditation were particularly helpful as it reflected on more ancient practices regarding reading out loud. This is something I would like to implement in practice.

[Read for the Foundations for Theological Studies seminar at SBTS]

[Peter Krol · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had high expectations for this book. But, dare I say it? Sire was a bit too...intellectual. I believe one may have a better chance of winning an audience to a thesis when the content and vocabulary are more plain and understandable.

[Nicholas A. Gilbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first several chapters weren’t of much value in my opinion. I found the real meat of the book to be in chapters 4-8. If I was to reread this book, it would be for the thoughts provided in those such chapters. Those chapters I found to be the most applicable and foundational.

This book is definitely more towards the ones that wrestle with ideas and their applications (the which I would say is very important for those in the Ministry) rather than the necessity of thinking truthfully which covers everyone. Moreland’s book “Love Your God With All Your Mind” is fitting for the latter subject.

It was an interesting book but I wouldn’t recommend it to everyone since the intended audience is narrow.

[Claire Bowers-Dingus · Rating 5 out of 5]

To be a Christian should permeate everything else about us… this addressed the question, “How should one think as a Christian intellectual?” Even in our thought life, we should strive to glorify God. A few ideas that stood out to me: Life isn’t divided between the haves and have-nots, but between the superfluous and indispensable. Truth is not known, unless it is love. Jesus was the smartest man to ever live (a nod to Dallas Willard).

I loved all the authors he recited, including St. Francis, St. Augustine, Willard, Lewis, Foster, Julian of Norwich, and more.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a word: interesting. I mean. It's worth the read, but it's not necessary to read. I could sum it up real quick: Christians need to think, Christians need to read, and doing both glorified God.

Final score: 📚/10

[Jacob Schwander · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is profound.

“The best atmosphere for creative thought is expectant tension. You don't know. You want to know. You have some handle on how to know. You go for it. Desire fuels excitement.”

James W. Sire

[Morgana Santos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Um livro espetacular, desafiador e confrontador.

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

James Sire's Habits of the Mind was one of the books assigned while I was a student of the Summit Semester program in Pagosa Springs, CO. In the course of the program, we covered only the first two chapters, due to time constraints. The book has sat on my shelf ever since, until this semester.

Upon reading, I was amazed and excited to Sire quoting and referencing so many familiar names - George Marsden, Josef Pieper, Steven Garber, who I've read and appreciated since Semester, and many others who I've not yet been able to read, but intend to, such as Wendell Berry, Simone Veil, Karl Barth, Thomas Merton, and John Henry Newman, among others. It's the Blessed Newman who Sire holds up as a model of Christian intellectualism, and Sire spends two early chapters exploring his life and thought. Not having read Newman prior to this, I found him fascinating and insightful, though Sire's use of his quotes seemed just a bit excessive.

As another reviewer pointed out, Sire leaves out any reference to community, and, I think tellingly, dismisses Peter Berger's work on the sociology of knowledge off hand. Steven Garber, who I mentioned above, builds strongly on Berger's work in his own The Fabric of Faithfulness: Weaving Together Belief and Behavior, a book both Sire and myself highly recommend. This focus on the individual mind, alone, is the biggest critique I would offer of the book. Case in point: In Chapter 5, Sire writes:

"Indeed, public intellectuals are notorious for their failure to live up to their stated moral values. But at least they can think of themselves as worthy intellectuals. They do not have to bear the burden of doing in order to lay claim to knowing". (Habits, p. 105)

Sire's explanation of this is that these intellectuals do not really know what they claim, thus, they don't do it. But this seems both dismissive and overly simplistic. What about desires, affections, habits, environment? Each can play a role in how a person acts, and are often realized by the individual themselves. For a more complete picture, I would recommend Steven Garber's book The Fabric of Faithfulness: Weaving Together Belief and Behavior and James K.A. Smith's paradigm-shifting Cultural Liturgies series, beginning with Desiring the Kingdom: Worship, Worldview, and Cultural Formation.

On a more positive note, much of what Sire has to say about the intellectual disciplines themselves were worthwhile. In particular, I found Sire's section of Lectio Divina both particularly informative and helpful.

I thought Sire rested a bit heavily on quotes from other writers, particularly Newman and A.G. Sertillanges, to make his point. The book tends to feel like a collection of quotes, rather than an expression of Sire himself. The writing style also felt a bit disjointed. Though Sire wrote in everyday language, such as would be accessible to the general public, much of the quotes and material are in far more academic language, leading alternatively to Sire seeming overly simple, and the quotes seeming inaccessible and out of place. Also, on a design note, block quotes are frequently inserted into the text, often slicing paragraphs and sentences in two. This design faux pas severally disrupts the flow of reading, and often makes keeping track of what Sire's trying say difficult.

Another point of contention: In the last chapter, Sire names C.S. Lewis, George Marsden,
Nicholas Wolterstorff, and Alvin Plantinga as the only four examples of Christian intellectuals he sees as assuming a public role as Christian scholars. Frankly, this seems absurd to me. What about Dorothy Sayers, Owen Barfield, or Malcolm Muggeridge? What about Walker Percy or Karol Wojityla, better known as Pope John Paul II? How about Wendell Berry or T.S. Eliot? Each certainly fit Sire's own definition of an intellectual, and have had a significant impact both in and out of the church. I may be misunderstanding Sire, and I hope I am, but it does seem a huge oversight.

Though helpful in parts, and though I agree with much of what Sire says, I can't recommend Habits of the Mind. It's fairly derivative, borrowing heavily from other writers, by-and-large one-sided, and occasionally unclear. There's simply better books to read on this topic.

[Christaaay · Rating 3 out of 5]

About: What is it like to be an intellectual? How about a Christian intellectual? That’s the premise of this nonfiction read.

My Thoughts: The most useful thing for me about this book is that it describes the kind of person who will do well as an intellectual. (Or, if you’re a Christian, the person who is called by God to become an intellectual.) Sire marks the difference between having intelligence and being an intellectual. I’m kicking myself for not taking down that quote, but basically it means this: Being intelligent means seeking knowledge for what it can help you do; being an intellectual means examining ideas for the sake of the ideas themselves. Reading this, I knew immediately that I would fit better in the former camp—which is exactly what I picked up this book to discover. I prefer to read things that are of immediate use to me; I want to be intelligent in my field (which will hopefully be writing genre fiction, one day), but I’ll never be an intellectual.

I ended up skimming a lot, after the preface and first chapter (although I also enjoyed the chapter “how thinking feels”) because I found it was not relevant to my life after the above revelation. But other readers might find other chapters to be extremely relevant and helpful, such as the one about “Thinking by Reading.” As an English major, I already do that, but it was a nice refresher—especially the section about reading with an attention to the worldview of the author.

Other Ideas That Stood Out:

“All intellectuals are in love with ideas; not all intellectuals are in love with truth. Some whom I am willing to call intellectuals do not even believe there is a truth of any substantial kind." Basically, he says (and I agree) that Christian intellectuals should develop a love of truth, as our worldview clearly necessitates the existence of absolute truth.

I found his breakdown of the intellectual virtues stimulating. For example, he discusses courage at length, and here’s a quote I loved: “Courage is also needed if you discover something new or culturally different, something that proves odd to others but true to you. The problem is greater yet when what you come to think of as true is seen not just odd but ‘heretical’ within your own ‘cognitive community.’" He talks about how it can be difficult to lose friends, this way; but you find new ones!

Learning about Lectio Divinia was of major interest, to me, as well. It’s a multi-technique method of deep-soaking in the Bible that I had not come across before. I usually study the Bible, but Lectio Divinia is less about thinking and more about absorbing. He warns us not to do this with other books, as we must allow our “thinking to direct our reading,” in those cases. “We read not just to listen to what others say and to discern what others think; we read to learn the truth, do you know and participate in the reality God has created, not the reality only imagine by others." The Bible is the truth; other books are the human’s picture of the truth.

On that note, the section on “reading worldviewishly” is extremely helpful for anyone looking to pay attention to the way an author thinks.

I think I’ll end this review & summary with the happiest quote of the book, for book lovers worried about all those books they’ll never get to: “Ah! But there’s a heaven! Heaven will be a place that fulfills my longest longings. Either I will have time to read all the books that I have not read before or I will receive something even better.”

Overall: I probably won’t read anything else by this author because I’ve hardly broken the surface of the Christian intellectual scene and have a huge booklist as is; but this book told me exactly what I needed to know about myself, and for that I’m very grateful.

[Ralph · Rating 5 out of 5]

As others suggested, I did not find this quick read. After a couple of starts, I found it better to read a chapter at a time and hilight or underline as I went. I would place this book in the same category as Mortimer Adler's "How to Read a Book". Neither is easy, but both are good foundations for what comes next. In fact, I plan to use some of the techniques in Adler's book to better grasp this one and as I continue reading others by Sire and several listed in his bibliography.

[Audrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book for those who are considering scholarship or other intellectual pursuits as a Christian. Excellent, though sometimes difficult reading. The first few chapters about John Newman were less interesting to me than most of the rest of the book. At one point, I found myself in tears thinking about how the things he was discussing might apply to me. Not that I think everyone would be moved to tears! But it was definitely life-changing for me.

[DaFDC · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 STARS

About: What is it like to be an intellectual? How about a Christian intellectual? That’s the premise of this nonfiction read.

My Thoughts: The most useful thing for me about this book is that it describes the kind of person who will do well as an intellectual. (Or, if you’re a Christian, the person who is called by God to become an intellectual.) Sire marks the difference between having intelligence and being an intellectual. I’m kicking myself for not taking down that quote, but basically it means this: Being intelligent means seeking knowledge for what it can help you do; being an intellectual means examining ideas for the sake of the ideas themselves. Reading this, I knew immediately that I would fit better in the former camp—which is exactly what I picked up this book to discover. I prefer to read things that are of immediate use to me; I want to be intelligent in my field (which will hopefully be writing genre fiction, one day), but I’ll never be an intellectual.

I ended up skimming a lot, after the preface and first chapter (although I also enjoyed the chapter “how thinking feels”) because I found it was not relevant to my life after the above revelation. But other readers might find other chapters to be extremely relevant and helpful, such as the one about “Thinking by Reading.” As an English major, I already do that, but it was a nice refresher—especially the section about reading with an attention to the worldview of the author.

Other Ideas That Stood Out:

“All intellectuals are in love with ideas; not all intellectuals are in love with truth. Some whom I am willing to call intellectuals do not even believe there is a truth of any substantial kind.“ Basically, he says (and I agree) that Christian intellectuals should develop a love of truth, as our worldview clearly necessitates the existence of absolute truth.

I found his breakdown of the intellectual virtues stimulating. For example, he discusses courage at length, and here’s a quote I loved: “Courage is also needed if you discover something new or culturally different, something that proves odd to others but true to you. The problem is greater yet when what you come to think of as true is seen not just odd but ‘heretical’ within your own ‘cognitive community.’“ He talks about how it can be difficult to lose friends, this way; but you find new ones!

Learning about Lectio Divinia was of major interest, to me, as well. It’s a multi-technique method of deep-soaking in the Bible that I had not come across before. I usually study the Bible, but Lectio Divinia is less about thinking and more about absorbing. He warns us not to do this with other books, as we must allow our “thinking to direct our reading,” in those cases. “We read not just to listen to what others say and to discern what others think; we read to learn the truth, do you know and participate in the reality God has created, not the reality only imagine by others.“ The Bible is the truth; other books are the human’s picture of the truth.

On that note, the section on “reading worldviewishly” is extremely helpful for anyone looking to pay attention to the way an author thinks.

I think I’ll end this review & summary with the happiest quote of the book, for book lovers worried about all those books they’ll never get to: “Ah! But there’s a heaven! Heaven will be a place that fulfills my longest longings. Either I will have time to read all the books that I have not read before or I will receive something even better.”

Overall: I probably won’t read anything else by this author because I’ve hardly broken the surface of the Christian intellectual scene and have a huge booklist as is; but this book told me exactly what I needed to know about myself, and for that I’m very grateful.

[Mary Lou · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by: Mary Lou Codman-Wilson, PhD., Pastoral Psychology, Psychological Anthropology, Christian Education and Buddhism.

Review:
It has long been an intent of this reviewer to love God with all my mind as well as my heart, soul and strength. Having resonated with luminaries like Mark Noll in his The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind, I eagerly picked up James Sire’s classic Habits of the Mind. Intellectual Life as a Christian Calling. However, I must admit that Sire’s lengthy descriptions of John Henry Newman’s theology seemed dry and a bit pedantic. I discovered as I continued on in the book, though, that Sire had many very significant things to say about the intellectual life as a Christian calling. As an author, apologist and senior editor of InterVarsity Press for over 30 years he has applied his keen intellect to how good thinking can work into positive action for the sake of others. I give the book a 5 star rating, with the caveat that this book requires one’s total attention to each word and phrase and the exercise of one’s critical thinking capabilities throughout. It also requires the reader’s desire to grow and learn, developing the kind of mind Sire advocates. 5 stars

Excerpts
“I am most interested in encouraging Christians to think and read well. Christians, of all people, should reflect the mind of their Maker. Learning to read well is a step toward loving God with your mind. It is a leap toward thinking God’s thoughts after Him,” (p. 13).

“An intellectual is one who loves ideas, is dedicated to clarifying them, developing them, criticizing them, turning them over and over, seeing their implications, stacking them atop one another, arranging them, sitting silent while new ideas pop up and old ones seem to rearrange themselves, playing with them, punning with their terminology, laughing at them, watching them clash, picking up the pieces, starting over,. . .changing them, bringing them into contact with their counterparts in other systems of thought, inviting them to dine and have a ball but also suiting them for service in workaday life.” (pp. 27-28).

[Doing all to the glory of God] means “having a passion to be like Christ” (p. 90)…, a passion not only to know the truth but to do the truth: (p. 91) It means having one’s mind set on what the Spirit desires (Rom.8:5). It is “doing what one claims to know” (p.105). It is a “yearning for knowing more so that we can obey more” (p.113).

“To pay attention first to God in Christ; this is the first task of the Christian thinker. Too many of us are thinking these days as the world thinks because we do not begin our thinking by thinking about God. Only by paying attention to God will we experience the ecstasy that leads to wisdom,” (p.135).

“[Reading] ‘worldviewishly’ [means] reading books in terms of the worldview they primarily embody.. . .[This kind of reading] is a vicarious experiential participation in the world of the book and a standing over against the work and asking the critical questions that must be considered as a reader takes on the task of searching for the truth,” (p.166).

[Rohan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perfectly timed read alongside Dallas Willard (who Sire quotes a lot and admires) and they dovetail each other well.

I didn't read thoughtfully though, as I'm on holidays, but I did like his point that intellectual is nothing to be ashamed of but rather something even Jesus was, and we can be too to our ability, all for God's glory.

Love his quote of Baillie's prayer for reading: "Guide my mind to choose the right books and having chosen them to read them in the right way. When I read for profit grant that all I read may lead me nearer to thyself. When I read for recreation grant that what I read may not lead me away from the. Let all my reading refresh my mind that I made more eagerly seek after whatsoever. Things are pure and fair and true."

And his way of poetising Newman's dense prose was cool. And the final prayer of the book:
"let me use all things for one sole reason: to find my joy in giving you great glory".

[Jodi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I wish I had read this a long time ago. This book is such a great introduction into living an observed life and pursuing truth. Though it covers topics of philosophy and theology it is easy to read and it inspires the reader to pursue truth to the glory of God in the ways he or she is able.

In contrast to many modern authors, I found James Sire to be nuanced, humble, and thoughtful –all while conveying meaty ideas without a lot of fluff. I really appreciated his approach to this topic that is sorely missing in most Christian circles and would highly recommend this book to any Christian, regardless of whether or not they feel called to live intellectually.

Definitely going in my top-10-most-important-books-to-read list.

[Lachlan Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was going to be a very different book than it turned out to be. Both the back cover, the contents, and the introduction seemed to promise something and then it went in a different direction: much more philosophical.

What it turned out to be was not bad though. There were some great thoughts on how knowledge and wisdom must become action (for a Christian), not merely be known. This hearkens back to Jesus likening the "one who hears these saying of mine and does them" to a wide man building on the rock, vs the one who hears but does not do.

I didn't like how it celebrated a guy (Cardinal John Henry Newman) for becoming a Catholic by following his reasoning to it's conclusion. Maybe I misjudged the author on that.

[Joe Hull · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I read Aristotles Ethics two years ago, I spent a lot of time "christianizing" the concepts in it. All of the ideas that came from that thought process were in this book and more. It was incredible to read the author's much deeper and expanded analysis on the fulfillment that comes with pursuing holiness through an unequivocal passion for truth and practice of christian virtue.

That being said, the title was misleading as there wasnt really a focus on practical habits to develop and there was anything super new or groundbreaking.

[Brent Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok, someone help me here. The author really likes to quote a man named Sertillanges. If I want to avoid sounding like a rube how is this name properly pronounced?

A through provoking book, but then again reading Milne's Winnie the Pooh can be thought provoking.

My book club, The He-Mans Book Lovers Club, will be reading this book this month. We will probably discuss how to be a Christian Intellectual and why Dr. Sire quotes Camus' warning about bad ideas three times in the final chapter.

[Josiah Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ultimate goal of the Christian intellectual is to Glorify God(208). The reason is the intellectual's function is to search for truth and tell the truth. This all cumulates to Sire's main point which Karl Barth summarizes nicely, "God is glorious. He simply needs to show Himself as He is, He simply needs to reveal Himself. That is what he does in man, His creature, in whom He wants to be reflected." Thus, Sire gives the following definition of the Christian intellectual: A Christian intellectual is all of the above [description of an intellectual] to the glory of God.

[Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I had read this just before starting (rather than just after finishing) my graduate degree. If I had been able to understand this book back then, I think it would have had a radical impact on my work. Especially now, though, as I begin a career in teaching, this book has given me a fresh perspective on the purpose of education, and my upcoming role as a scholar and teacher. I hope to return to this book often in the future.

[Anderson Paz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Esse é um bom livro sobre a vida intelectual cristã. O intelectual cristão é uma pessoa comprometida com a verdade, a santidade e a glória de Deus. Os capítulos 05 a 09 são bem interessantes porque tratam do aspecto moral da vida intelectual, das virtudes intelectuais, das disciplinas do intelecto, do modo de leitura e da inteligência lógica de Jesus.
A principal falha desse livro é não abordar justamente os "hábitos da mente". Quase nada é dito sobre hábitos e seu poder formativo do pensar.

[Ci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sire has a mixture of scholar and conversational tone in this book. It is essentially a self-help styled book to examine and encourage the intellectual habit of mind in Christian life. The value of this book to this reader is the introduction to John Henry Newman's life and work.

(A quick read in the library.)

[Tanner Van Beek · Rating 5 out of 5]

1) If I know truth without acting on it, do I really know it?
2) Jesus is the smartest man to ever live. We get a glimpse of this in His dialogue in the Gospels.
3) Christians have a responsibility to write on non-Christian topics (history, literature, psychology, anthropology, biology, etc...) from a Christian worldview.

[Matt Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do not let the first few chapters fool you. Tis book is awesome! It is engaging and really poses the question if your are a Christian intellectual or just claim to be. All that head knowledge must be backed up by action. Sire shows how that action plays out!

[Melanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

He quotes Sertillanges so much, I think I'll just read Sertillanges. The title is misleading; there's not much in this book about habits. Also the layout is terrible -- quotations set apart right in the middle of every page. Very distracting.

[Steve Watson · Rating 2 out of 5]

The chapter on Jesus as reasoner was interesting, as is Sire's emphasis on humility and wisdom.