Excellence Quotes

“Genuine spirituality will result in academic excellence.”
― Andreas J. Kostenberger, Excellence: The Character of God and the Pursuit of Scholarly Virtue

“excellence does not fall into anyone’s lap; it is the result of sustained, deliberate effort.”
― Andreas J. Köstenberger, Excellence: The Character of God and the Pursuit of Scholarly Virtue

“In our scholarly work, we must never substitute pious posturing for actual research and engagement with the evidence. It is an ever-present temptation for Christian scholars engaged in a given debate to present themselves and their position as the “spiritual,” godly, or Christian interpretation or argument. This manner of framing an issue rarely focuses on the evidence itself and regularly serves to alienate the opposing side, whether nonconfessional or other Christian scholars. Such pious posturing also is guilty of committing the fallacy of engaging in an ad hominem argument. You attack the spirituality of your opponent in a given interchange and imply that anyone holding to such a position cannot be spiritual. Pious”
― Andreas J. Kostenberger, Excellence: The Character of God and the Pursuit of Scholarly Virtue

“In John A. D’Elia’s recent biography of George Ladd, he notes how, at the height of Ladd’s academic career, a harsh review of one of Ladd’s books by one of his peers completely devastated him, even to the point of alcoholism.”
― Andreas J. Kostenberger, Excellence: The Character of God and the Pursuit of Scholarly Virtue

“Academic and social approval is not worth the loss of integrity.”
― Andreas J. Kostenberger, Excellence: The Character of God and the Pursuit of Scholarly Virtue

“Biblical spirituality does not consist primarily of mystical, emotional experience, inward impressions and feelings, introspective meditation, or a monastic withdrawal from the world. The primary spiritual disciplines advocated by Scripture are prayer and the obedient study of God’s Word.”
― Andreas J. Kostenberger, Excellence: The Character of God and the Pursuit of Scholarly Virtue