While much time is spent on Theodore Roosevelt the out-of-doors-man and President, his fervent beliefs as a Christian are often overlooked. Much of what guided his views of manhood came from what he believed God-fearing Christian men were both called to be and, with the help of God, able to become.
- #TRThursday articles give us some manly insight and wisdom from Theodore Roosevelt every Thursday. Sometimes a quote, sometimes a snippet of his life...always manly! Read other TRThursday articles here. -
This #TRThursday comes from one of my favorite quotes of his:
“A thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth more than a college education.” – Theodore Roosevelt
“A thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth more than a college education.” – Theodore RooseveltThere are a lot of people who may say this was true in his day, but not ours. In Roosevelt’s time people were more biblically based in their beliefs, so, as a politician or even in the average working man’s career, one could relate to others better with a knowledge of the Bible, as many people did not have a college education.
I believe, however, that Roosevelt’s meaning was aimed at something greater. While a college may educate a man on philosophy and psychiatry, which provides insight into what we do, the relative goodness of it, and why we do it, the Bible educates a man in the realms as well, but speaks to the soul. It educates a man’s heart. As C.S. Lewis said, the Gospel is the missing page in the story of life.
Final Thoughts
We haven’t heard a prominent politician take this stance in a very long time. College, albeit important, has its limitations. If you want to find a good man, find one that knows the Scriptures. If you want to find a better man, find one that lives them out.