R.B. Jamieson > Quotes

“Therefore, contemplation beholds the Truth as an end in itself, needing no further justification, such as “practical” benefits (though there are such benefits). God uses contemplation to purge us of idolatry. This idolatry includes an idolatrous utilitarian rationality, according to which anything, even God, is interesting to us only insofar as we can “get” something more important out of it. In this respect, beholding Christ’s glory in faith is supremely “useless.” But uselessness is not the same as worthlessness, because God is the fountain of all goodness, truth, and beauty. Beholding God is infinitely worthwhile because he is infinitely delightful. There is nothing more true, more interesting, or more worthy of our attention than God.”
― R.B. Jamieson, Biblical Reasoning: Christological and Trinitarian Rules for Exegesis

“Therefore, contemplation beholds the Truth as an end in itself, needing no further justification, such as “practical” benefits (though there are such benefits). God uses contemplation to purge us of idolatry. This idolatry includes an idolatrous utilitarian rationality, according to which anything, even God, is interesting to us only insofar as we can “get” something more important out of it. In this respect, beholding Christ’s glory in faith is supremely “useless.” But uselessness is not the same as worthlessness, because God is the fountain of all goodness, truth, and beauty.”
― R.B. Jamieson, Biblical Reasoning: Christological and Trinitarian Rules for Exegesis