Misusing Brain Science in Spiritual Formation
Few Christians, I think, would categorically reject every discovery or insight emerging from the field of neuroscience. God made every part of us, including our brains, and when we learn more about the ways those brains work, we grow in the knowledge of both ourselves and our Maker.
The problem comes, of course, when a reductive understanding of the brain crowds out all the immaterial (and supernatural) forces that might shape our lives, thoughts, and spiritual apprehensions.
In his book Have We Lost Our Minds?: Neuroscience, Neurotheology, the Soul, and Human Flourishing, Stan Wallace, who leads an academic ministry called Global Scholars, asks whether certain Christians have gone too far in allowing brain science to displace traditional avenues of growing in Christlikeness. In particular, he critiques the thought of Christian psychiatrist Curt Thompson and spiritual-formation expert Jim Wilder.
Sharon Dirckx—a Christian apologist, brain-imaging PhD holder, and author of Am I Just My Brain?—reviewed the book for CT.
“Wallace,” she argues, “is well placed to write this book, having completed doctoral studies in philosophy alongside a ministry degree. He deftly navigates both the technical arguments and their application in daily life. He makes clear at the beginning that his aim is not to cast doubt on neuroscience itself. We all benefit from the valuable insights into brain function and human behavior this discipline affords us. In fact, some neuroscientists, such as Andrew Newberg, define neurotheology much more neutrally as ‘an interdisciplinary field that combines neuroscience and theology’ and ‘explores the relationship between the brain and religious experiences.’
“Have We Lost Our Minds? does not critique that kind of neurotheology. Instead, the book responds to a bolder variant that sees neuroscience as the new road to spiritual maturity and human flourishing. This kind of thinking sees biblical references to mind and soul as referring to the brain, even to the point of applying them to Christ himself. For instance, in Anatomy of the Soul, Thompson suggests that ‘Jesus’ mind … reflects the most integrated prefrontal cortex of any human of any time.’ Taken to its logical conclusions, Wallace argues, this thinking is not only false but also potentially capable of leading Christians astray.
“In contrast, Wallace argues that a proper understanding of human nature, spiritual formation, and human flourishing ought to come from the combined insights of theology and philosophy, as well as from neuroscience. If humans are made in the image of an immaterial God, then there must be an immaterial dimension to our human makeup, which Wallace—in alignment with J. P. Moreland, Dallas Willard, and others—describes as a soul.”
Timeless and Timely Thoughts on Vocation
Words like job, vocation, and calling often get used interchangeably, especially in elite social circles where professional titles and achievements lie at the core of one’s identity and self-worth.
One virtue of Karen Swallow Prior’s latest book, You Have a Calling: Finding Your Vocation in the True, Good, and Beautiful, is the care with which she defines and differentiates between the various terms in play, helping us see the full range of roles—inside and outside of traditional workplaces—that God intends his people to fill.
Missy Wallace, a corporate consultant who has spearheaded faith-and-work programs for different Christian organizations, reviewed the book for CT.
“Prior covers many angles of vocation and calling in this short book, which could be devoured in one or two sittings but is better savored slowly with a journal in hand. Her decades as a literature professor, along with a lifelong appetite for reading, are evident in her elegant, layered style. She weaves together voices from across the centuries—sacred and secular—pulling from poetry, literature, memoir, philosophy, business psychology, and Scripture. The result is a work that feels both timeless and timely.
“In her early chapters, Prior explains why the conversation about calling is both ancient and urgent. Rather than offering groundbreaking ideas, she recovers and simplifies truths as old as dust. She clarifies the differences between paid work and unpaid work, between career and vocation, illustrating the nuanced interplay among all of them. Occasionally, this interweaving of the vocabulary gets confusing, but in the end, readers will come away with a clear understanding of each concept.
“For me, the book’s most meaningful theme is confronting modern cultural narratives about work—especially in the West—and offering a Christ-centered alternative. Prior broadens our existing definitions of calling and work, bringing in theological insights that challenge prevailing notions of how and why we labor. She covers the history of how work has been understood across time.
“Perhaps most importantly, Prior reminds us that our vocations are fundamentally about who we are, not which tasks we perform. Early in the book, she powerfully affirms that ‘the first calling of every human being’ is ‘to bear witness to the God who created the world.’ Elsewhere she writes, ‘Most of our first vocations, in fact, aren’t related to work or career at all.’ Our identities as parents, children, siblings, and image-bearers of God all take precedence over any titles and roles in the workplace.”
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in the magazine
As developments in artificial intelligence change daily, we’re increasingly asking what makes humanity different from the machines we use. In this issue, Emily Belz introduces us to tech workers on the frontlines of AI development, Harvest Prude explains how algorithms affect Christian courtship, and Miroslav Volf writes on the transhumanist question. Several writers call our attention to the gifts of being human: Haejin and Makoto Fujimura point us to beauty and justice, Kelly Kapic reminds us God’s highest purpose isn’t efficiency, and Jen Pollock Michel writes on the effects of Alzheimer’s . We bring together futurists, theologians, artists, practitioners, and professors to consider how technology shapes us even as we use it.
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