In chapter 2 of The Outrageous Idea of Christian Scholarship, George Marsden examines three “arguments for silence” common in the university for why Christians should keep their faith out of their academic work:
- The argument of “science vs. religion”
- The argument of multiculturalism and diversity
- The separation of church and state
In case, Marsden summarizes the basic argument, then provides counter-arguments in favor of Christian scholars being open about their faith.
I’ll summarize chapter 2 below, but here are a few questions.
Are there other “arguments for silence” that Marsden overlooks?
Do you find Marsden’s counter-arguments convincing? How might one counter his counter-arguments?
More practically, do Marsden’s counter-arguments “work”? Have you seen Christian scholars win over opponents and open doors for the presentation of Christian scholarship?
Leave your thoughts about these questions – or about anything else related to this chapter – in the comments. My chapter 2 summary is after the jump. [Read more…] about Outrageous Idea 2: Arguments for Silence