The Two Tasks of the Christian Scholar: Redeeming the Soul, Redeeming the Mind

In 1980, Dr. Charles Malik gave a memorable and poignant address at the dedication of the Billy Graham Center on the campus of Wheaton College. He presented a challenge in two tasks: save the soul and save the mind. Malik believed that in order to evangelize the academic world, evangelism must learn to speak at an academic level. He called people to raise their level of thinking and sharpen their minds to this end. In this book several contributors seek to apply this message to our current context. It is a call to academics especially to integrate Christian faith with their disciplines and to be intellectual in their faith for the purpose of communicating at the level of their peers and students. “Readers will come away strengthened in their faith and in their ability to use the mind faithfully for the service of God. Read, ponder, and read again.” Mark A. Noll Francis A. McAnaney Professor of History, University of Notre Dame “This is a wake-up call that should be read by all Christians interested in the world of ideas and apprenticeship to the Lord Jesus.” J. P. Moreland Distinguished Professor of Philosophy, Talbot School of Theology, Biola University “Every Christian professor in every academic discipline should read every essay in this book.” James W. Sire Author of The Universe Next Door and Habits of the Mind “An excellent job of describing the current status and dreams of the Malik vision.” Henry F. Schaefer III Graham Perdue Professor of Chemistry, University of Georgia “This does justice to the dignity and brilliance of Malik and to the greatness of Jesus Christ as our world’s only hope.” Kelly Monroe Kullberg Author of Finding God at Harvard “An outstanding group of scholars offer stimulating insights and interesting nuances on the Two Tasks.” Stan W. Wallace National Director, InterVarsity’s Faculty Ministry “This generation must take Malik’s challenge seriously. Then we will fulfill Malik’s call and this volume’s challenge.” Daryl McCarthy President, International Institute for Christian Studies “Readers will be inspired to give their lives to integrating faithful Christian living and witness.” Gregory E. Ganssle Yale University, Rivendell Institute “Read this call for courage, and may God’s scholars take up the charge in our generation.” Lon Allison Director, Billy Graham Center; Associate Professor, Wheaton Graduate School