Mormon talks
the field of biblical studies inherently ungodly? I don't think so. While some lose faith through it, others emerge with their faith invigorated. If our minds are a gift from God - and I believe they are - then devoting ourselves over to Him should ideally involve our intellect as well as our heart. An unfortunate misconception exists in some circles that regards believers as simpletons, not smart enough to recognize it all as bunk. Sadly, however, we can contribute to this problem when we insist on teaching an infantilized faith that disregards science and secular learning. Too many reflective people come to recognize this infantilized faith as unreal, as untrue, and so they abandon it without ever knowing that more mature, substantive types of faith exist.
The response to this issue shouldn't be to double down and shun education. Rather, it should be embrace learning, to unite intellect with faith - or at least provide avenues to do so. Our secular world sorely needs more role models who have an informed, examined faith.
It seems to me that it is the church leaders who need to learn this. They are the ones always fighting it. They are the encouraging part in Mormonism to double down against learning something that doesn't jive with them....