Americans now believe that having equal rights in a political system also means that each person’s opinion about anything must be accepted as equal to anyone else’s. –Thomas Nichols, The Death of Expertise
Have you seen the meme of the nerdy looking dude saying “Akshually…”? It’s because we are all a little annoyed by a supposed expert entering into a conversation and saying, “well, akshually….” and then spitting some alternate facts. (There is a whole episode of The Office dedicated to this).
Here in Southwest MO, we have one of the best meteorologist in the nation. Doug Heady knows his stuff. He’s truly an expert. And yet it’s amusing to me that he’ll get slammed on social media by people who have only a very limited knowledge of the field. “Well akshually….”
This happens even more in church settings, because we have something called the priesthood of the believer. We believe that the Holy Spirit dwells within every believer and we have equal access to God, through Jesus Christ. Because of this, what Nichols mentions here runs rampant within the church.
A couple hundred years ago, John Newton mentioned this to a young John Ryland, Jr.
That sovereign power, which the Independents assume over their ministers, appears to me too great to be trusted in such hands. If a man ranks as member of a Church of Christ, however ignorant, illiterate and illiberal he may be, though he has seen and known nothing beyond the bounds of his parish, though his temper be sour, and his spirit obstinate as a mule, still he thinks himself both qualified and authorized to teach his pastor. Half a dozen persons of this description are sufficient to make a minister and a whole congregation uneasy through life. Whatever burden we are supposed to have in the Establishment, we are free from this. And I would be thankful for it. (Wise Counsel, 223)
Going back even further, Gregory of Nazianzus (329-390) cautioned against everybody “doing theology”. He was debating the Gnostics. These were the OG conspiracy theorist. They’d “well akshually…” those like Gregory who’d given themselves to years of theological study.
Not to every one, my friends, does it belong to philosophise about God–not to every one. The subject is not so cheaply acquired, nor is it for earth-bound minds. And I will add, not before every audience, nor at all times, nor on all points; but on certain occasions, and before certain persons, and within certain limits. (From Theological Orations, Book 1)
I’ll admit, I kind of bristle at what Gregory and Newton say here. And there is a bit of history that came after Gregory’s words which ought to give us some caution.
After Gregory
I’m not entirely blaming this on Gregory. His view was somewhat widespread, and at the time I believe it was entirely necessary. How do you reign in the “special knowledge” which the Gnostics claimed to have? These Early Church Fathers did what John the Apostle did in 1 John; they go back to the source. Who is connected to Jesus? Who is teaching that which is consistent with Christ? To sum, they appeal to expertise.
But there is a consequence to this as well. A few hundred years after Gregory we read this in the Decree of the Council of Toulouse (1229):
“We prohibit also that the laity should be permitted to have the books of the Old or New Testament; but we most strictly forbid their having any translation of these books.”
It could be argued that the Dark Ages comes from taking things like Gregory’s words to their logical extreme. Much corruption came from the people being ignorant and solely dependent upon “gate-keepers” to provide truth. This is why the religious establishment hated John Wycliffe and William Tyndale so much.
Even in 1536, after the Protestant Reformation, the Church of England forbade a common person owning or reading the Bible. This was to control learning. It was to legislate what Gregory spoke of 1,000 years prior.
Tyndale’s dying words were that he would “cause a boy who drives a plow to know more of the Scriptures than the pope.”
The Fruit of Tyndale
The vision which Tyndale had has won the day. Any “boy who drives the plow” is able to have all of the Scriptures and mounds of information at his fingertips. The pope has no more access to the Scriptures—or other knowledge—than you or I have.
There are many good things which have come from this. For one, I think of the #MeToo movement. Until social media, survivors had to go through gate-keepers to tell their story. Often, they were silenced at that step. There are good things that have comes from having access to both information and platform.
And it’s not lost on me that I’ll be able to hit “publish” and this piece will enter into the public space without a single gate-keeper telling me I can’t say this. The only regulation is whether or not my platform has enough reach to be heard. Or if I pay enough money to assist this in going “viral”.
But those benefits also become problematic. We end up with no guardrails. The “well akshually” nerd has just as much of a platform as someone who has given years to his/her craft. In fact, if he knows how to game the system well enough—his platform will be bigger.
There are two ways to become an expert today:
- 10,000 hours of hard work.
- A YouTube channel and a platform on which to share your “expertise”.
Most are opting for the second. We aren’t healthy. We are able to consume all of the knowledge we want. But consumption doesn’t make an expert. What is needed is deep attention and wisdom. We’re lacking in these areas.
Are we moving into a new Dark Ages, where we have all the information we need but no system by which to process it? We have access to any information we want but no ability to discern what is truly good or even what we need to advance as a society.
Conclusion
I don’t believe the path of Tyndale or Gregory is entirely the right one. Gregory dreamed of self-regulation. His words are a call for humility in learning. It’s also a call for leaders to disciple.
But humility and discipleship are hard practices. It’s far easier for leaders to control rather than disciple. And it’s a broad way to take short cuts and seat yourself in the position of honor. Why put in 10,000 hours when I can watch an hour of YouTube and become an “expert”?
While we are still broken people, living in a broken world we will take the easy path. But the way of Christ is one marked with humility and discipleship. It’s one where we learn to humbly limit ourselves. And it’s one where leaders open up access as they are in the process of discipleship. It’s where leaders are open to hear and listen and eventually share the platform.
I don’t know the answer, really. Nor, do I know the proper balance. But I do know that Gregory and Tyndale need one another.
And now, I’ll hit publish because we’re living in Tyndale’s world, for good or ill….
