QUOTE (Dorothy Sayers) – July 15
July 15, 2014
“Why do you want a letter from me? Why don’t you take the trouble to find out for yourselves what Christianity is? You take time to learn technical terms about electricity. Why don’t you do as much for theology? Why do you never read the great writings on the subject, but take your information from the secular ‘experts’ who have picked it up as inaccurately as you? Why don’t you learn the facts in this field as honestly as your own field? Why do you accept mildewed old heresies as the language of the church, when any handbook on church history will tell you where they came from?
Why do you balk at the doctrine of the Trinity – God the three in One – yet meekly acquiesce when Einstein tells you E=mc2? What makes you suppose that the expression “God ordains” is narrow and bigoted, while your own expression, “Science demands” is taken as an objective statement of fact?
You would be ashamed to know as little about internal combustion as you know about Christian beliefs. I admit, you can practice Christianity without knowing much theology, just as you can drive a car without knowing much about internal combustion. But when something breaks down in the car, you go humbly to the man who understands the works; whereas if something goes wrong with religion, you merely throw the works away and tell the theologian he is a liar. Why do you want a letter from me telling you about God? You will never bother to check on it or find out whether I’m giving you personal opinions or Christian doctrines. Don’t bother. Go away and do some work and let me get on with mine.”
~ Dorothy L. Sayers
In honor of Dorothy Sayers, an English crime writer, poet, playwright, essayist, translator and Christian, who was baptized on this day in 1893.
Resources:
Today in Christian History
Goodreads > Dorothy L. Sayers Quotes
A DEVOTED LIFE 
Reblogged this on quirkywritingcorner and commented:
I realize this is not Friday, but I love what Ms. Sayers has to say.
Love Dorothy Sayers. I read Mind of the Maker a couple months ago and it BLEW MY MIND.
AMEN, sister! Such good common sense for those honest enough to receive it. Thank you, JD. I hadn’t seen this letter (?)/essay (?) before.
“Firecracker” is right. I love it — not every point she assumes or doesn’t assume, but overall, she is on target. Christians should be devoted to their faith, their theology, their ancient texts. For a more contemporary scholar-teacher who has a similar, ardent zeal for educated pursuit of faith, try Gary Collier at http://www.coffeewithpaul.com/, his blog http://biblestudytips.org/blog/, or Greg Fay at http://inkblotitis.wordpress.com/. I know both these men and their hearts, but I have no financial interest, so this is not a commercial per se. 🙂
Wow now that was a hard hitting statement.
Wow…what a “firecracker”! Hope he took her advice and cracked open a few books from the earliest of times of Christian writings down to the times in which she wrote. That should have kept him busy for awhile!
Man, she was spot-on with that. Could’ve been written this morning for our time. Still relevant.