The Foundation of Wisdom

THE FOUNDATION OF WISDOM

It is a regularly observed phenomenon that many otherwise brilliant people appear utterly bereft of wisdom or judgment in the vital affairs of cultural and political life. In response to such imprudence and recklessness, this short work is an effort to articulate a foundation for a distinctly Christian view of politics. In order to do that, and to solve the paradox of cultural and political folly amongst much of the intelligentsia, it is first critical to realize that all cultural and political thought inescapably rests on a given foundation – one religious worldview or another is the frequently unacknowledged basis of all forms of political philosophy. Ultimately, from the scriptural standpoint, either Christ and His Wordrevelation provides that foundation, or the thinking of elites and their revolutionary ideals will assume the role of biblical authority. In the older testament, the great Hebrew thinker, politician and teacher, King Solomon, gives us the key to understanding why being intellectually gifted is no guarantee of true insight, wisdom or sound judgment: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline … for the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding” (Prov. 1:7, 2:6). If the true foundation of wisdom is missing, if the principal part of knowledge is neglected, then any knowledge structure built upon it is inherently unstable. It may appear elegant and wellproportioned, but when the winds of the real world blow against it, it will be found wanting.