Critical Thinking Applied in Worship and Christian Education

In the last thirty years, critical thinking has undergone a

major reintroduction throughout higher education and has become a
featured topic within the context of Christianity.4 It may appear
to be a new trend for some, but as history would have it,
critical thinking dates back to the fourth and fifth centuries.
Much, if not all, of the formation of critical thinking was
developed by Greek philosophers. For instance, Socrates famously
argued that [T]he unexamined life is not worth living.5 This
compulsion toward self-examination reflected a philosophical
framework that was ready to question the assumptions that
undergird ones life.
Exploring ones assumptions is a vital element to critical
thinking; these notions are the kinetic energy behind the words
and deeds of an individual towards others. However, one must keep
in mind that assumptions are typically wrong and can have
damaging effects. Building on the work of Socrates, Aristotle
then addressed the need for behavior based on high moral
standards and virtues, noting that this would stem out of the
process of learning and education. He maintained the profound
conviction that a state or a country was responsible for
educating its people.
The goal of such education should have a rational principle
that included action, aim, and the act of becoming a better
thinker. 7 This would serve to develop both quality individuals
and a stronger culture at large. Much of Aristotles thought
process would be disseminated during the culture of the medieval
period. During the thirteenth century, theologian and
philosopher, Thomas Aquinas set out on uncharted territory by
fusing together the disciplines of faith and reason that had been
cultivated by his extensive training is Paris.8 It has been said
the Dominican Monks most highlighted contribution to the
framework and movement of critical thinking is the Summa
Theologica.
In this work, Aquinas boldly voices why the work of
philosophy is significant to the process of general knowledge, as
well as to the Christian faith. In addition to learning how to
further proclaim their faith, some of his readers claim that they
attained basic critical thinking skills by simply reading and
studying the structure of the Summa Theologica. Within this
structure they identified the many skills he demonstrated, such
as asking questions, listing objections, and carefully replying
to those objections.9 Through building on Aristotles
philosophy, Aquinas helped his students to develop reasoning
skills that enabled them to think critically as they identified
and refuted false teachings against their faith. Aquinas
influence carries over to today as philosophers and theologians
invoke Aquinas work for apologetic purposes as they defend their
faith in Jesus Christ.
Numerous tributes to his teachings can be found in the
marketplace, local churches, the arts, classrooms, courtrooms and
in the science of faith at large. The sixteenth century English
philosopher Francis Bacon also contributed to the area of
critical thinking. His aim was to challenge people to base their
understanding of information on knowledge and truth, not on the
unquestioned instructions of others, but on the unbiased
surveillance of facts and nature.10 Bacon explains that when
people are left to rely on their own senses about a situation,
failure is impendent. Such thinking is often faulty. In an effort
to combat this defective approach of merely using the personal
attitudes and natural senses to resolve matters, Bacon appealed
to the educators of his time.
It was his hope that they would cultivate and teach their
students to impact the masses by embracing and embodying the
doctrine of a more pure reason, and the true helps of the
intellectual faculties, so as to raise and enlarge the powers of
the mind; and, as far as the condition as humanity allows, to fit
it to conquer the difficulties and obscurities of nature.11
Bacon is remembered for coining the famous phrase scientia
potenyia est, which is translated to mean knowledge is power.12
He sought to develop better thought processes, known as pure
reason, and these efforts would become the groundwork for the
great philosophers who came after him
In the seventeenth century, the French philosopher Rene
Descartes explained in his writings that he had come to recognize
that his conduct and life had become a mere representation of
others instructions that he valued. He proposed that people have
some sort of inbuilt personal compass that speaks to reason and
that guides them into an understanding of truth.14 Driven by the
emboldened thought that people should be able to tell the
difference between truth and error, Descartes expressed the idea
that individuals had the right to choose who or what would
instruct them in the discriminatory process of deciphering right
and wrong, truth and error. Furthermore, he encouraged people to
be careful in accepting words as truth when they personally knew
nothing about the matter or had not witnessed anything relating
to the issue. Still in the same vein, Descartes was adamant that
people should think critically about everything, without bias and
prejudice.15 It should also be noted that as the influence of
critical thinking gained the attention of English philosophers,
theologians also wrestled with it.
They challenged both the leadership and the lay people to
analyze and think critically about truth, behavior, and personal
preferences. Martin Luthers impact by way of the Protestant
Reformation during the sixteenth century will be elaborated upon
in a later chapter of this thesis. Luther clearly sought to help
the Church exercise critical thinking in an effort to empower the
minds of the people and to speak the truth to those in power. At
this point, the explosive story of critical thinking in the late
twentieth century must be told.
Many Christians balk at the mention of critical thinking.
They associate the phrase with skepticism and criticism of the
Bible and of religion in general; thus, they want nothing to do
with it. Critical thinking gets taught at colleges and places
where they use reason and logic to lure children away from the
faith their parents taught them. While university professors have
often stolen away children in the name of critical thinking,
the unbelieving skepticism promoted by these types does not
deserve the label: it is not critical in the least bit, at
least not in the biblical sense of the term.
 Thats right, I said the biblical sense of the word
critical. I say this because the Bible uses the word critical
in a very important way. The word critical merely comes from
the common Greek wordkrites, which means a judge, and appears
in many related forms (krima, krivo, krisis, and others). Perhaps
the closest sounding equivalent to our English
critical, kritikosmeaning able to judge (or discern)appears
only once in the New Testament but is attributed to the Word of
God: For the word of God is living and active and sharper than
any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul
and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge
[kritikos] the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Heb. 4:12).
This Bible surely does have something to say about critical
thinking, in fact, the Bible itself sets the ultimate standard
for godly critical thinking.
The Bible describes God Himself as the ultimate, fair,
righteous judge (Gen 18:25 [o krivov]; 1 Pet. 2:23; 2 Tim.
4:8; Heb. 9:27; 12:23), who will critically evaluate and
recompense all works (Eccl. 11:9;12:14; Rom. 2:6; 2 Tim. 4:1; 1
Pet. 1:17), even judging hidden things (1 Cor. 4:45; 2 Cor.
4:2), and who will preside at a final judgment (Ps. 1:5; John
5:29; Acts 10:42; 17:31; Rom. 2:16; 3:6; Heb. 10:30; 1 John
4:17).
We can say, even if just for instructional purposes, that
the Bible describes God as the ultimate, fair, righteous Critical
Thinker. We can maintain this as long as we divest the phrase
critical thinking of the humanistic, skeptical baggage normally
associated with it. If we instead accept Gods Word as
the standard of critical thinking, then we have a proper,
powerful, and challenging doctrine of critical thinking. This way
we can rescue godly judgment and discernment from the corrupt
minds and wills of the humanists.
Jesus Himself, the embodiment and exemplar of faithful human
thinking, engaged in faithful critical thinking (judgment)
obedient to the will of the Father: As I hear, I judge [krivo];
and My judgment [krisis] is just, because I do not seek My own
will, but the will of Him who sent Me (John 5:30). We should
not avoid critical thinking, but rather, as Jesus, engage
in faithful critical thinking in submission to our Father in
heaven. As He is a righteous judge, we also should strive to
discern, understand, and make decisions based on righteous
critical thinking. In fact, we must engage in critical thinking.
All decision making involves us in critical thinking; we cannot
avoid it. The question is not one of critical thinking versus not
critical thinking; the question is one of good critical thinking
(wisdom, discernment, judgment) versus poor critical thinking
(foolishness, sloth, rebellion).
The obligation to engage in judgment may sound foreign to
the Christian who has heard all alongjudge not, that ye be not
judged (Matt. 7:1). Truly, we should not pass judgment upon other
people in the sense that we point out their sins and mistakes
while ignoring our own, or hold them to superfluous religious
standards that the Bible does not call for (Rom. 2:1; 14:4; Col.
2:16; James 2:4; 4:11; 5:9). Yet this does not mean that we
should exercise no judgment at all. Jesus doescommand us to
engage in a critical-thinking type of judgment according to
righteousness: Do not judge [krinete] according to appearance,
but judge [krisin] with righteous judgment [krinete] (John 7:24).
In other words, work hard to conform your judgments (and life!)
to the standard of Gods law. This will infuse your thinking with
honesty and truth, according to the ninth commandment. Other
godly standards such as humility and mercy will dictate that you
practice criticism of your own positions first (and thus not so
quickly judge others, Matt. 7:1; James 1:19).
We should begin to train our children to think
critically according to biblical standards at a very young age.
Such training in wisdom and judgment should play a core role in
education. In fact, Solomons Proverbs aim at such training:
To know wisdom and instruction, To discern the sayings of
understanding, To receive instruction in wise behavior,
Righteousness, justice and equity; To give prudence to the
naive, To the youth knowledge and discretion, A wise man will
hear and increase in learning, And a man of understanding will
acquire wise counsel. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of
knowledge(Prov. 1:27).
This process of learning and training toward good judgment
requires an intimate relationship and strong passion for Gods
word:
My son, if you will receive my words And treasure my
commandments within you, Make your ear attentive to wisdom,
Incline your heart to understanding; For if you cry for
discernment, Lift your voice for understanding; If you seek her
as silver And search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you
will discern the fear of the Lord And discover the knowledge of
God. For the Lord gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge
and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He
is a shield to those who walk in integrity, Guarding the paths
of justice, And He preserves the way of His godly ones. Then you
will discern righteousness and justice And equity and every good
course (Prov. 2:19).
Parents and other adults who never had such an emphasis in
their education (including Sunday School!) should study and
exercise their critical thinking skills before God as well. The
process begins with a desire to apply Gods standards to every
area of life. Critical thinking is merely faithful thinking, and
we can all use more of it.
Gods Prosecuting Attorneys
Paul shunned worldly wisdom, and in place of it advocated
the standard of Gods wisdom. He called Christians in light of
this standard to critically examine all things:
Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom,
however, not of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are
passing away; but we speak Gods wisdom in a mystery, the hidden
wisdom, which God predestined before the ages to our glory. Now
we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit
who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to
us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by
human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining
spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. But a natural man does
not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are
foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they
are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises
[avakrinei: critically examines] all things, yet he himself is
appraised [anakrinetai] by no man (1 Cor. 2:67, 1215).
There that word krino (to judge) appears again, only in a
purposefully modified form: ana-krino, which essentially
describes the work of a cross-examiner in a courtroom. Christians
must critically examine all things by the standard of Gods word.
We must act as prosecuting attorneys, questioning and trying the
testimony of human society and exposing its fallacies. In doing
so, we witness and submit to both the sovereignty of God, and the
high standard to which Christ raises His people: For who has
known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct Him? But we
have the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16; see Is. 40:1314).
Christian books on philosophy and logic often refer to the
use of the word reason in Isaiah 1:18:Come now, and let us
reason together, Says the Lord, Though your sins are as
scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like
crimson, They will be like wool. The Hebrew here, however,
merely uses a special version of the standard word for judge,
or rebuke, and particularly applies to a courtroom setting. The
English translation reason today carries overtones of
individual scholarship or thinking, and these lead us away from
Isaiahs context of Gods lawsuit against Israel for breaking the
laws of His covenant (read Is. 1:117, and then read verses 18
20). For this reason, Isaiah evokes a courtroom scene as the Lord
essentially challenges Israel, let us debate our case in court.
Perhaps the NRSV (despite its many and great flaws) gets
closest: Come now, let us argue it out, says the LORD. God
engaged Israel in a debate through critical thinking that views
His word as the standard. Rebellious Israel would have been wise
to accept His gracious terms, for they could not have reasoned
successfully against Gods covenant terms. He issued the
challenge to jerk their thinking to reality, as if He said, Let
us dispute, in order To know if I do accuse you without
cause.[2] The only logical conclusion Israel could have reached
required repentance and obedience to His law on their part. Yet
God called them to draw this logical conclusion.
The Greek Old Testament uses a very strong and pointed word
to describe this reasoning inIsaiah 1:18: dielegchthomen, an
enhanced version of the word elengchi (reproof, or
conviction) which, as I discuss in another chapter, plays an
important role in the concepts of biblical truth and faithful
thought. This version means to refute utterly, as employed by
Plato (Gorgias, 457e), Aristotle, and others. In the context
of Isaiah 1:18 it clearly refers to the work of an expert
prosecuting attorney who will utterly refute his opponents (in
this case Israels) case. The same word only elsewhere appears in
the exact same scenario in the Greek Old Testament: Listen, you
mountains, to the indictment of the Lord, and you enduring
foundations of the earth, because the Lord has a case against
His people; even with Israel He will dispute [dielegchthesetai]
(Mic. 6:2). In each case, the Bible places reasoning within the
scene of Gods courtroom, and calls man to witness according to
the truth of God and by Gods standards. Yet note that it still
calls us to do so.
Conclusion
 So, rather than fear critical thinking, Christians should
seek to reclaim, reform, and embrace it. We must
exercise judgment in conforming our lives to Gods word;
we should seek to expand the area of that influence further into
our lives, and thus should embrace the idea of learning to
judge. This follows a scriptural ideal. The apostles, Jesus
promised, would sit upon thrones in judgment over Israel (Matt.
19:28; Luke 22:30). Paul argued that all Christians will sit in
judgment over theworld and even angels (1 Cor. 6:23), and should
therefore have the critical thinking skills to arbitrate each
others minor disputes (1 Cor. 6:46). Moses reminded the
Israelites that he taught them Gods law, and thus standards for
good judgment: I have taught you statutes and judgments just as
the Lord my God commanded me, that you should do thus in the
land where you are entering to possess it (Deut. 4:5, 14). We
should employ godly logic and reasoning and recapture business,
ethics, law, education, and everything else, destroying
speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the
knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the
obedience of Christ (2 Cor. 10:5).
True, sometimes seats of judgment and learning get overtaken
by wickedness and unbelief. Sometimes false witnesses make a
mockery of judgment (Prov. 19:28, KJV); sometimes wickedness
fills the seat of judgment (Eccl. 3:16, KJV), and yet this does
not mean reasoning, judgment, or critical thinking are wicked in
themselves. A wise man will continue to discern time and judgment
(Eccl. 8:5, KJV). Despite the failures (fallacies!) of mans
reasoning even in high places, God still expects us to pursue
truth through godly critical thinking. In fact, He empowers this
pursuit through the work of the Holy Spirit: He convinces the
world of sin, righteousness, and judgmentconcerning judgment,
because the ruler of this world has been judged (John 16:8, 11).
In this sense, critical thinking moves us to understand that God
has judged (condemned) the devil, and Christians must live in
light of the judgment thatas Christ said already when He walked
the earthNow judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this
world will be cast out (John 12:31).
Returning to a theme from an earlier chapter, logic simply
involves the organized study of discerning and telling the truth.
Added to the context of the biblical theme of godly wisdom and
judgment, logic becomes much more than simple truth-telling; it
becomes clear that logical thinking, to meet a biblical standard,
must adopt the larger scope of a consistently biblical worldview.
Logic becomes a way of thinking that reflects biblical law,
biblical purposes, biblical covenant life, and biblical theology.
When the Bible speaks of wisdom and judgment (and thuskrites) it
includes all of these things. Thus, only logic and reasoning that
remain faithful to the Bible properly deserve the label critical
thinking, because only reasoning that begins with God
constitutes good judgment.

Endnotes
Paul R. Gilchrist, yakah, Theological Wordbook of the Old
Testament, 2 vol, eds. R. Laird Harris, Gleason L. Archer,
Jr., and Bruce K. Waltke (Chicago: Moody Press, 1980) 1:377.
Westminster Seminary professor William Edgar notes something
similar in Isaiah 41:21, and also mentions the Hebrew behind
1:18, though he does not elaborate too much on either case.
See his Reasons of the Heart: Recovering Christian
Persuasion (Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed,
2003), 44, 123 (Chapter 4 note 1).

Geneva Bible note, Is. 1:18. See 1599 Geneva Bible (White Hall,
WV: Tolle Lege Press, 2006), 679.