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Mind Your Faith: A Student's Guide to Thinking and Living Well
The university world can be a confusing place, filled with many competing worldviews and perspectives. Beliefs and values are challenged at every turn. But Christians need not slip into the morass of easy relativism. David Horner restores sanity to the collegiate experience with this guide to thinking and flourishing as a Christian. Carefully exploring how ideas work, he gives you essential tools for thinking contextually, thinking logically and thinking worldviewishly. Here Horner meets you where faith and reason intersect and explores how to handle doubts, with an eye toward not just thinking clearly but also living faithfully. This is the book every college freshman needs to read. Don't leave home without it.
- GenresChristian Living
272 pages, Paperback
First published August 5, 2011
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44 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 18, 2024
this man doesn't know how to use the oxford comma but the content was good
November 20, 2012
Ideas have consequences. The Holocaust began as an idea, argues David Horner. Thinking well and loving God with our minds is thus an essential calling for Christians. Horner dedicates this book to helping university students, especially undergraduate first years, grasp what it takes to think and live well in their university years and beyond.
He begins with our minds. He talks about what we mean when we talk about something being true, how to think about the distinction between belief and knowledge (often deprecating of belief), finding common ground with those we disagree with and then thinking logically and worldviewishly as we seek to think critically about the ideas we encounter.
He goes on to talk about faith and the relationship of faith and reason and that these can be friends and not enemies--that all reason entails faith and the best faith is reasonable faith. His chapter on doubts and objections is especially helpful in recognizing that doubt can be a healthy part of believing, particularly as we work through doubts in community and doubt our doubts as well as our beliefs.
Finally, the concludes with the matter of character. The good life is not just avoiding the wrong, but actually having an alternative vision of a life well-lived that is more compelling. His last chapter reflects on the moral community of Le Chambon which rescued over 6,000 Jewish refugees from the Holocaust--simply because this tightly knit religious community of the Huguenots was practiced as a community in doing the right thing.
This is a great book to give a believing student headed to college. It is also a wonderful resource for a Christian at any age who is beginning to realize that ideas have consequences and is looking for a roadmap to begin thinking with the mind of Christ.
He begins with our minds. He talks about what we mean when we talk about something being true, how to think about the distinction between belief and knowledge (often deprecating of belief), finding common ground with those we disagree with and then thinking logically and worldviewishly as we seek to think critically about the ideas we encounter.
He goes on to talk about faith and the relationship of faith and reason and that these can be friends and not enemies--that all reason entails faith and the best faith is reasonable faith. His chapter on doubts and objections is especially helpful in recognizing that doubt can be a healthy part of believing, particularly as we work through doubts in community and doubt our doubts as well as our beliefs.
Finally, the concludes with the matter of character. The good life is not just avoiding the wrong, but actually having an alternative vision of a life well-lived that is more compelling. His last chapter reflects on the moral community of Le Chambon which rescued over 6,000 Jewish refugees from the Holocaust--simply because this tightly knit religious community of the Huguenots was practiced as a community in doing the right thing.
This is a great book to give a believing student headed to college. It is also a wonderful resource for a Christian at any age who is beginning to realize that ideas have consequences and is looking for a roadmap to begin thinking with the mind of Christ.
October 18, 2021
In June of this year, I held May Grace Precede's first ‘Mentalmorphosis’ seminar where we hosted a group of young, Christian, current, or soon-to-be college freshmen with the aim of encouraging sound thinking, especially about existential and moral matters. Though the event was a success, there was a felt need to provide additional resources that adequately encompass and expand upon the principles taught at an appropriate reading level. Our search led us to ‘Mind your Faith: A student’s guide to thinking and living well’ by David A. Horner and what a find it was!
“Ideas have consequences: what we believe will determine how we behave, and ultimately who we become”. This is true for individuals, for families, for institutions, and for cultures”.
“Yes, it is possible to have knowledge of true doctrine without personal commitment. But it is also possible to be passionately committed to what is false, to be devoted to a destructive fantasy…what we believe matters.”
The author endeavors to show how one’s mind relates to character development and behavior through faith. In doing so, he explores a range of topics including the relation between reality, truth, and belief; basic epistemology; logical and contextual thinking; worldviews and ‘true’ tolerance; and the connection between faith and reason. These abstract concepts are communicated with clarity and concision and presented within an overarching Biblical and apologetic framework.
Dr. Horner is resolute that, “Thinking, believing, and living well demand a fully rational faith and a fully faithful reason.” Additionally, he takes the position that propositional knowledge, though necessary, is subservient to the ultimate goal of personal knowledge, specifically of God. I share in both of his convictions.
None of the topics; however, are discussed sufficiently to grant the reader a level of mastery in understanding and so the book is introductory at best. Nevertheless, its strength is found in the lucidity and precision with which the author displays the practical interrelatedness between philosophy and the Christian faith to a late, adolescent audience.
In short, Dr. Horner does what he sets out to do quite well. This book will be a part of our ministry for some time to come as we recommend it to all Christian high-school graduates of sufficient (intellectual) maturity. We do so with the hope of developing a more contemplative and caring, Christ-exalting, Christian community in the future.
Note. Original review posted at Maygp.org
“Ideas have consequences: what we believe will determine how we behave, and ultimately who we become”. This is true for individuals, for families, for institutions, and for cultures”.
“Yes, it is possible to have knowledge of true doctrine without personal commitment. But it is also possible to be passionately committed to what is false, to be devoted to a destructive fantasy…what we believe matters.”
The author endeavors to show how one’s mind relates to character development and behavior through faith. In doing so, he explores a range of topics including the relation between reality, truth, and belief; basic epistemology; logical and contextual thinking; worldviews and ‘true’ tolerance; and the connection between faith and reason. These abstract concepts are communicated with clarity and concision and presented within an overarching Biblical and apologetic framework.
Dr. Horner is resolute that, “Thinking, believing, and living well demand a fully rational faith and a fully faithful reason.” Additionally, he takes the position that propositional knowledge, though necessary, is subservient to the ultimate goal of personal knowledge, specifically of God. I share in both of his convictions.
None of the topics; however, are discussed sufficiently to grant the reader a level of mastery in understanding and so the book is introductory at best. Nevertheless, its strength is found in the lucidity and precision with which the author displays the practical interrelatedness between philosophy and the Christian faith to a late, adolescent audience.
In short, Dr. Horner does what he sets out to do quite well. This book will be a part of our ministry for some time to come as we recommend it to all Christian high-school graduates of sufficient (intellectual) maturity. We do so with the hope of developing a more contemplative and caring, Christ-exalting, Christian community in the future.
Note. Original review posted at Maygp.org
April 17, 2018
“For a follower of Jesus the pursuit of a university education should be seen as a positive, exciting endeavor, not something to be endured or escaped. It is to be loved rather than feared.”
Another addition to my faith in higher education library is Mind Your Faith by David Horner. A Christian university professor educated in the secular environment, Horner clearly sees how many universities have given up on teaching meaning and spirituality and how many Christians – who attend faith-based or secular universities – decide to separate their faith and intellect during college.
Faith and reason are not meant to be disconnected; reason does not undermine faith and faith does not abolish reason. We are meant to use our God-given minds to support our faith and worship our Lord.
Horner frequently discusses the prophet Daniel a great example of man who faced many challenges at “Babylon University” yet met every temptation with a strong faith and educated mind. Additionally, Horner walks us through a course in philosophy, assisting the reader in debunking commonly held perspectives such as relativism.
Though I was not amazed by the book, I think Mind Your Faith is a respectable book about the role of mind and faith. Education should be of utmost importance to a follower of Christ, because Christ made it all. I especially enjoyed his constant commendations to community. “Communities are made of relationships that gives us models, hold us accountable, encourage us, comfort us and provide us opportunities for ministry.”
Another addition to my faith in higher education library is Mind Your Faith by David Horner. A Christian university professor educated in the secular environment, Horner clearly sees how many universities have given up on teaching meaning and spirituality and how many Christians – who attend faith-based or secular universities – decide to separate their faith and intellect during college.
Faith and reason are not meant to be disconnected; reason does not undermine faith and faith does not abolish reason. We are meant to use our God-given minds to support our faith and worship our Lord.
Horner frequently discusses the prophet Daniel a great example of man who faced many challenges at “Babylon University” yet met every temptation with a strong faith and educated mind. Additionally, Horner walks us through a course in philosophy, assisting the reader in debunking commonly held perspectives such as relativism.
Though I was not amazed by the book, I think Mind Your Faith is a respectable book about the role of mind and faith. Education should be of utmost importance to a follower of Christ, because Christ made it all. I especially enjoyed his constant commendations to community. “Communities are made of relationships that gives us models, hold us accountable, encourage us, comfort us and provide us opportunities for ministry.”
August 11, 2021
Edifying and helpful especially for college students. We tend to lose our minds easily when entering a secular environment, so what should be done so our faith continues to stand strong and firm? This book was beneficial in this area. Great book!
November 10, 2024
Also read for class. Liked this one better than the other one.
February 23, 2012
Great stuff, though I think Horner aimed a little high with this one. I know this would have been an intimidating read and largely over my head when I was starting college. Perhaps that says more of me than David's book, though.
November 1, 2014
A book for the young Christian who is eager to learn how to think well. Ideas are clearly and fully articulated. The mind-faith-character paradigm may not be new, but it is much needed in a Christian culture that tends to be wary of the mind.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews