Centuries ago, serious religious study was extraordinarily demanding and rigorous; in contrast, anyone could declare himself a scientist and go in the business of, say, alchemy. These days, it’s the reverse. A Ph.D. in chemistry is a rigorous degree, while a preacher can explain the Bible on television without mastering Hebrew or Greek—or even showing interest in the nuances of the original texts.
It’s sad when a NY Times liberal, the kind who admits to going to cocktail parties with other New York liberals—apparently on purpose, catches Christians in their own inexcusable failure to obey the words of Solomon when they had the opportunity.