Habits of the Mind
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.
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Customer Reviews
Rated 5 starsEndure the first two chapters -- it gets better.
To my mind, such as it is, Sire's Habits of the Mind begins rather feebly -- the author relates personal experiences of coming of age in a salt-of-the-earth and decidedly "anti-intellectual" home environment. He describes his college-aged self as an "intellectual wannabe". I nearly dismissed the book after the first few paragraphs, but, entirely based on my high opinion of the author's The Universe Next Door, I pressed on...
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Rated 5 starsHabit Forming Reading
Of all "Christian World View" books published in the last twenty years, this reigns supreme. Though certainly never intended to be practical or prescriptive, Sire provides the greatest service to 'Intellectual Wannabes' by discussing exactly what it means to be a Christian intellectual. His own history provides an able model for aspiring thinkers. However, the real inspiration lies in holding up Jesus as the ultimate thinker...
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Rated 5 starsExcellent treatment of a neglected topic. Read and grow.
Few contemporary evangelical writers have so profitably and profoundly explored the meaning and implications of the Christian worldview and mind as James Sire. Now his wise, well-informed, and witty book puts us even further in his debt. The chapter, "Jesus, the Reasoner," is worth the price of the book. It demonstrates that Jesus prized and exemplified the life of the mind.Be sure to read Dr. Sire's other books on related...
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Rated 5 starsGreat for the college student.
This is an excellent, and well written book on the exercising of the mind as a Christian, and the need for it. This is a welcome look at Intellectual Christianity, both the benefits and the dangers, especially for a college student like myself.
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