--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: R.C. Sproul has written that \"we live in…" description: "\"“R.C. Sproul has written that \"we live in what may be the most anti-intellectual period in the history of Western civilization.\" As far as my fundament..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7be/john-piper-255_fundamentalism_r-c-sproul-has-written-that-we-live-in-w_1007238.png" --- # R.C. Sproul has written that "we live in what may be the… ![“R.C. Sproul has written that "we live in what may be the most anti-intellectual period in the history of Western civilization." As far as my fundamentalist upbringing goes, Noll says that for the kind of thinking that embraces society, the arts, the human person, and nature—"for that kind of…” quote by John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7be/john-piper-255_fundamentalism_r-c-sproul-has-written-that-we-live-in-w_1007238.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7be/john-piper-255_fundamentalism_r-c-sproul-has-written-that-we-live-in-w_1007238.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7be/john-piper-255_fundamentalism_r-c-sproul-has-written-that-we-live-in-w_1007238.png) > ““R.C. Sproul has written that "we live in what may be the most anti-intellectual period in the history of Western civilization." As far as my fundamentalist upbringing goes, Noll says that for the kind of thinking that embraces society, the arts, the human person, and nature—"for that kind of thinking the habits of mind fundamentalism encouraged can only be called disaster.”” [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Fundamentalist thinking can suppress critical inquiry, leading to cultural and intellectual decline. **In simple terms:** Rigid dogma harms intellectual growth. Key Takeaway Encourage open, critical thinking. Themes faith education culture Mood serious challenging Type theological sociological When to use this quote - church teachings - academic curricula - public discourse - media analysis Key Concepts fundamentalism anti‑intellectualism critical thinking societal health Questions to Reflect On - What benefits arise from questioning beliefs? - How can faith coexist with critical inquiry? A Different Perspective Some view tradition as protective; change can be resisted. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fundamentalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fundamentalism/) [Fundamentalist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fundamentalist/) [Habits of mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits-of-mind/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Western civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/western-civilization/) ## Related quotes > [It is all too easy to mistake passion that can change its mind for fundamentalism, which never will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/it-is-all-too-easy-to-mistake-passion-that-can-change-its-mind-for/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [I derided Christians as anti-intellectual bigots who were too weak to face the reality that there is no rhyme or reason to the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-powers/i-derided-christians-as-anti-intellectual-bigots-who-were-too-weak-to/) [Kirsten Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-powers/) > [We believe in cures; we're a quick-fix country, and we drive forward, and we eat up what we have extremely fast in terms of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-means/we-believe-in-cures-we-re-a-quick-fix-country-and-we-drive-forward/) [David Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-means/) > [There's the anti-intellectual movement in society and I don't blame them entirely for feeling that way because we all know people, I have many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/there-s-the-anti-intellectual-movement-in-society-and-i-don-t-blame/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Science, at bottom, is really anti-intellectual. It always distrusts pure reason, and demands the production of objective fact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/science-at-bottom-is-really-anti-intellectual-it-always-distrusts/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think, if you can only talk about your stuff in a jargonistic way, you're not as smart as you think. You're alienating people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-lopatin/i-think-if-you-can-only-talk-about-your-stuff-in-a-jargonistic-way/) [Daniel Lopatin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-lopatin/) > [I was anti-intellectual to the nth. Basically I liked to dance and paint, and that was about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-mitchell/i-was-anti-intellectual-to-the-nth-basically-i-liked-to-dance-and/) [Joni Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-mitchell/) > [“And I wonder, therefore, how James Atlas can have been so indulgent in his recent essay ‘The Changing World of New York Intellectuals.’ This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/and-i-wonder-therefore-how-james-atlas-can-have-been-so-indulgent-in/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [There are many non-intellectual countries; Australia is one of the few anti-intellectual ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/there-are-many-non-intellectual-countries-australia-is-one-of-the-few/) [George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/) > [The species of anti-Enlightenment religion we find among evangelical protestants is far more impoverished, anti-intellectual and downright wretched.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-w-wood/the-species-of-anti-enlightenment-religion-we-find-among-evangelical/) [Allen W. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-w-wood/) > [I'm not interested in the fact that a writer may label himself as being intellectual or anti-intellectual. l'm really interested in the stuff he's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/i-m-not-interested-in-the-fact-that-a-writer-may-label-himself-as/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [“Anti-intellectual resentment is common in all of American life and it has many diverse expressions. Refusing to draft college players might have been one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lewis/anti-intellectual-resentment-is-common-in-all-of-american-life-and-it/) [Michael Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lewis/) > [We live in what may be the most anti-intellectual period in the history of Western civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/we-live-in-what-may-be-the-most-anti-intellectual-period-in-the/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [Americans are genuinely and profoundly anti-intellectual. They are especially so in their pleasure-seeking, which is epically banal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ball/americans-are-genuinely-and-profoundly-anti-intellectual-they-are/) [Jesse Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ball/) > [It only takes a day to change someone from an anti-intellectual to an intellectual by persuading him that he might be one!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-land/it-only-takes-a-day-to-change-someone-from-an-anti-intellectual-to-an/) [Edwin Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-land/) ## More by John Piper > [“Even in the miserable guilt we feel over our beastlike insensitivity, the glory of God shines. If God were not gloriously desirable, why would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/even-in-the-miserable-guilt-we-feel-over-our-beastlike-insensitivity/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [The absence of God in most spheres of life is perceived to be normal, and even Christians feel it as normal - which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/the-absence-of-god-in-most-spheres-of-life-is-perceived-to-be-normal/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [“The Spirit inspired the Word and therefore He goes where the Word goes. The more of God's Word you know and love, the more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/the-spirit-inspired-the-word-and-therefore-he-goes-where-the-word/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [Do you feel loved by God because you believe he makes much of you, or because you believe he frees you and empowers you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/do-you-feel-loved-by-god-because-you-believe-he-makes-much-of-you-or/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [“Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn't. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/worship-is-missions-exists-because-worship-doesn-t-worship-is/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [What is sin? It is the glory of God not honored. The holiness of God not reverenced. The greatness of God not admired. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/what-is-sin-it-is-the-glory-of-god-not-honored-the-holiness-of-god/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [Love is doing what will enthrall the beloved with the greatest and longest joy. What will enthrall the beloved this way is the glory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/love-is-doing-what-will-enthrall-the-beloved-with-the-greatest-and/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [“If you hold a grudge, you doubt the Judge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/if-you-hold-a-grudge-you-doubt-the-judge/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [Evangelicals are distraught over the state of America because they have not been taught that we're aliens here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/evangelicals-are-distraught-over-the-state-of-america-because-they/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [“Worship is the highest moral act a human can perform, so the only basis and motivation for it that many people can conceive is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/worship-is-the-highest-moral-act-a-human-can-perform-so-the-only/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [Do you love the cross because it makes much of you? Or do you love it because it enables you to enjoy and eternity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/do-you-love-the-cross-because-it-makes-much-of-you-or-do-you-love-it/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [“job 14:1 man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of troubles "If that isn't your experience now it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/job-14-1-man-who-is-born-of-a-woman-is-few-of-days-and-full-of/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [“Not to aim to show God is not to love, bc God is what we need the most deeply. And to have all else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/not-to-aim-to-show-god-is-not-to-love-bc-god-is-what-we-need-the-most/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [God has given us prayer as a wartime walkie-talkie so that we can call headquarters for everything we need as the kingdom of Christ…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/god-has-given-us-prayer-as-a-wartime-walkie-talkie-so-that-we-can/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [Ignatius, when he heard the clock strike, would say, "Now I have another hour to answer for." (Eph. 5:16)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/ignatius-when-he-heard-the-clock-strike-would-say-now-i-have-another/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) [Explore all 803 John Piper quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) ## More Fundamentalism quotes > [I am a woman, and as such, I experience the ever-increasing restrictions on our liberty in our country through the development of Islamic fundamentalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marine-le-pen/i-am-a-woman-and-as-such-i-experience-the-ever-increasing/) [Marine Le Pen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marine-le-pen/) > [“Despite the fact that, the idea of religion has been filled by the human society with all sorts of garbage, and thus been made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/despite-the-fact-that-the-idea-of-religion-has-been-filled-by-the/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [Christianity isn't the only group that has fundamentalists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/christianity-isn-t-the-only-group-that-has-fundamentalists/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [Islamic fundamentalism is attacking us at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marine-le-pen/islamic-fundamentalism-is-attacking-us-at-home/) [Marine Le Pen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marine-le-pen/) > [We have to review our foreign policy and stop rolling out the red carpet for countries we know to be funding fundamentalism: countries like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marine-le-pen/we-have-to-review-our-foreign-policy-and-stop-rolling-out-the-red/) [Marine Le Pen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marine-le-pen/) > [Critics of the war plans (including myself) have pointed to the disastrous political results that must be expected: Iraq would break into three parts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uri-avnery/critics-of-the-war-plans-including-myself-have-pointed-to-the/) [Uri Avnery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uri-avnery/) > [“When a person irrationally and quite pathologically sticks to the creeds of his scriptures too much, it can turn even a great human being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/when-a-person-irrationally-and-quite-pathologically-sticks-to-the/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [Fundamentalists are panicked by the apparent disintegration of the family, the disappearance of certainty and the decay of morality. Fear leads them to ask,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-hardin/fundamentalists-are-panicked-by-the-apparent-disintegration-of-the/) [Garrett Hardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-hardin/) > [Fundamentalists believe that we don't believe in anything. In their view of the world, they are in possession of absolute certainties, while we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/fundamentalists-believe-that-we-don-t-believe-in-anything-in-their/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [In turbulent times, in times of great change, people head for the two extremes: fundamentalism and personal, spiritual experience...With no membership lists or even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-naisbitt/in-turbulent-times-in-times-of-great-change-people-head-for-the-two/) [John Naisbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-naisbitt/) > [“Pilgrim's Regress (Sonnet 2324) Mirage mistaken as message, when ethnic cleansing feels enlightened, Sinai becomes septic, Bethlehem becomes Bedlam. Dogma decreed as divine, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/pilgrim-s-regress-sonnet-2324-mirage-mistaken-as-message-when-ethnic/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [I don't think that fundamentalism has anything to do with Jesus Christ. They call themselves Christians, but if that's Christian, count me out. Fundamentalism…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/i-don-t-think-that-fundamentalism-has-anything-to-do-with-jesus/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [But it is no good using the tongs of reason to pull the Fundamentalists' chestnuts out of the fire of contradiction. Their real troubles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-hardin/but-it-is-no-good-using-the-tongs-of-reason-to-pull-the/) [Garrett Hardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-hardin/) > [I think in times of fear and hysteria in a culture, gender experimentation as it pertains to men has to go underground because it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupaul/i-think-in-times-of-fear-and-hysteria-in-a-culture-gender/) [RuPaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupaul/) > [I have no religious belief myself, but I don't think we should fight about it. In particular, I think that we should not rubbish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/i-have-no-religious-belief-myself-but-i-don-t-think-we-should-fight/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) [Browse all 437 Fundamentalism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fundamentalism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“R.C. 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