--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sadly enough, there is a kind of an…" description: "\"Sadly enough, there is a kind of an anti-intellectualism among many Christians: spirituality is falsely pitted against intellectual comprehension as th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6b/francis-schaeffer-2607_answers_sadly-enough-there-is-a-kind-of-an-anti_340404.jpg" --- # Sadly enough, there is a kind of an anti-intellectualism… ![“Sadly enough, there is a kind of an anti-intellectualism among many Christians: spirituality is falsely pitted against intellectual comprehension as though they stood in a dichotomy. Such anti-intellectualism cuts away at the very heart of the Christian message. Of course, there is a false…” quote by Francis Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6b/francis-schaeffer-2607_answers_sadly-enough-there-is-a-kind-of-an-anti_340404.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6b/francis-schaeffer-2607_answers_sadly-enough-there-is-a-kind-of-an-anti_340404.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6b/francis-schaeffer-2607_answers_sadly-enough-there-is-a-kind-of-an-anti_340404.jpg) > “Sadly enough, there is a kind of an anti-intellectualism among many Christians: spirituality is falsely pitted against intellectual comprehension as though they stood in a dichotomy. Such anti-intellectualism cuts away at the very heart of the Christian message. Of course, there is a false intellectualism which does destroy the work of the Holy Spirit. But it does not arise when men wrestle honestly with honest questions and then see that the Bible has the answers. This does not oppose true spirituality.” [Francis Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-schaeffer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote argues that true spirituality and intellectual inquiry are compatible, and that anti‑intellectualism harms Christian faith. **In simple terms:** Spirituality and intellect can coexist; anti‑intellectualism harms faith. Key Takeaway Embrace thoughtful questioning within faith. Themes faith intellectualism spirituality Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - church study groups - academic seminars - personal study Key Concepts theology philosophy critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - How can believers balance faith with critical inquiry? - What role does honest questioning play in spiritual growth? A Different Perspective It may overlook historical tensions between doctrine and reason. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Dichotomy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dichotomy/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Holy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holy/) [Holy spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holy-spirit/) [Honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest/) [Intellectual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellectual/) [Intellectualism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellectualism/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Messages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/messages/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) ## Related quotes > [The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/the-strain-of-anti-intellectualism-has-been-a-constant-thread-winding/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [Anti-intellectualism is a disposition to discount the importance of truth and the life of the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/os-guinness/anti-intellectualism-is-a-disposition-to-discount-the-importance-of/) [Os Guinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/os-guinness/) > [The opposition to teaching evolution is, of course, almost always given a religious reason. That may usually be its real basis, but I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gaylord-simpson/the-opposition-to-teaching-evolution-is-of-course-almost-always-given/) [George Gaylord Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gaylord-simpson/) > [I am also greatly indebted to Bergson, William James, and John Dewey. One of my preoccupations has been to rescue their type of thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/i-am-also-greatly-indebted-to-bergson-william-james-and-john-dewey/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [There is a need for expertise, for real expertise. I'm not doing much to help that cause, but I think we can find the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hodgman/there-is-a-need-for-expertise-for-real-expertise-i-m-not-doing-much/) [John Hodgman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hodgman/) > [Why get excited over this latest episode in the long, sad history of American anti-intellectualism? Let me suggest that, as patriotic Americans, we should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/why-get-excited-over-this-latest-episode-in-the-long-sad-history-of/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/there-is-a-cult-of-ignorance-in-the-united-states-and-there-has/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [There's a lot of anti-intellectualism in Britain. And the writer's views on this or that are really of less importance, as they see it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/there-s-a-lot-of-anti-intellectualism-in-britain-and-the-writer-s/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [ When I wrote that \[Donald\] Trump piece, I had this uncomfortable experience of sensing a lot of things that were nascent, that I couldn't… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/when-i-wrote-that-donald-trump-piece-i-had-this-uncomfortable/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [Anti-intellectualism has long been the anti-Semitism of the businessman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/anti-intellectualism-has-long-been-the-anti-semitism-of-the/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Anti-intellectualism has spawned an irrelevant gospel. Today, we share the gospel primarily as a means of addressing felt needs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-p-moreland/anti-intellectualism-has-spawned-an-irrelevant-gospel-today-we-share/) [J.P. Moreland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-p-moreland/) > [The displacement of the idea that facts and evidence matter by the idea that everything boils down to subjective interests and perspectives is -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-laudan/the-displacement-of-the-idea-that-facts-and-evidence-matter-by-the/) Larry Laudan > [I asked many friends if Australian anti-intellectualism was still a living force and they all told me it was. If you are above average…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/i-asked-many-friends-if-australian-anti-intellectualism-was-still-a/) [George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/) > [I'm going to insist that we've got decent funding, enough teachers, and computers in the classroom, but unless you turn off the television set…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-m-going-to-insist-that-we-ve-got-decent-funding-enough-teachers-and/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I'm tired of ignorance held up as inspiration, where vicious anti-intellectualism is considered a positive trait, and where uninformed opinion is displayed as fact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-plait/i-m-tired-of-ignorance-held-up-as-inspiration-where-vicious-anti/) [Phil Plait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-plait/) ## More by Francis Schaeffer > [Jesus taught that the mark of the Christian is the observable love shown among all true believers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-schaeffer/jesus-taught-that-the-mark-of-the-christian-is-the-observable-love/) [Francis Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-schaeffer/) > [As evangelical Christians we have tended to relegate art to the very fringe of life. 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It is not just an idea, it is a reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-schaeffer/to-die-is-to-be-with-the-lord-it-is-not-just-an-idea-it-is-a-reality/) [Francis Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-schaeffer/) > [The purpose of apologetics is not just to win an argument or a discussion, but that people with whom we are in contact may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-schaeffer/the-purpose-of-apologetics-is-not-just-to-win-an-argument-or-a/) [Francis Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-schaeffer/) > [If the church is what it should be, young people will be there. But they will not just 'be there' - they will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-schaeffer/if-the-church-is-what-it-should-be-young-people-will-be-there-but/) [Francis Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-schaeffer/) > [With the Fall all became abnormal. 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