Intellectual, Yet Idiot

In his new book Understanding Trump, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich talks about a group of people in government, journalism, and academia that he says are hurting the country. Borrowing a phrase from author Nassim Taleb, Gingrich derides the “intellectual yet idiots,” or the IYIs. Idiot is admittedly a harsh term, but it may serve as a wakeup call.

The IYIs are people who are intellectual—they are great at taking tests and writing essays that professors love—but they are idiots at the same time in that they have never actually done any of the things they write papers about. Gingrich uses the illustration of a flat tire, saying they could write beautiful reports on how to change a flat, but if the flat were on their own car, they would have to call AAA to come to their aid. These IYIs are writing and reporting on new regulations and policy that will effect business, but they have never run or worked in business themselves, making them the least qualified to create policy. Sitting around discussing things is pointless; they need to have some skin in the game.

My fear is that the Speaker was unknowingly describing people in the church. There are people who can sit around discussing and debating the finer points of theology, yet they never go out and do anything; they can explain salvation in great detail, but they have never led an unsaved person to the Lord.

When I was in college I remember other Bible majors engaging in hours-long debates, quoting tons of Scripture to support their Calvinist or Armenian beliefs. They would argue about who initiates salvation, but not compelling others to be saved. They would debate pre- or mid-tribulation views of the rapture, but they wouldn’t put down their Starbucks and warn an unbeliever that a rapture is coming.

Being intellectual is half the battle. We need to “be ready at all times to give an answer to every man that asks the reason of the hope that lies” within us (1 Peter 3:15); but that is only half the battle. All that knowledge is worthless if we don’t do anything with it. Let’s get some skin in the game and look for someone today with whom we can share the good news of Jesus Christ. Let’s be biblically intellectual, but not idiots.