Abstract
Many Christians are wary of open-mindedness. It suggests to them a kind of wishywashy relativism or uncritical acceptance of others’ beliefs. Indeed, the prevailing attitude toward open-mindedness, at least within large segments of the Christian community, is captured by the cynical but familiar adage: “Don’t be so open-minded that your brains fall out.”
The present paper is an exploration and partial defense of open-mindedness undertaken from a Christian standpoint. The defense is partial in that I am interested in defending a fairly specific conception of this trait. This leaves open the possibility that there are other personal qualities that can reasonably be described as “open-mindedness” but that I have no interest in defending.
The present paper is an exploration and partial defense of open-mindedness undertaken from a Christian standpoint. The defense is partial in that I am interested in defending a fairly specific conception of this trait. This leaves open the possibility that there are other personal qualities that can reasonably be described as “open-mindedness” but that I have no interest in defending.
| Original language | American English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Open-Mindedness as a Christian Virtue? |
| Publisher | W.B. Eerdmans Pub |
| Pages | 1-31 |
| Number of pages | 31 |
| State | Published - 2012 |
Keywords
- theological virtues
- christianity
Disciplines
- Christianity
- Philosophy