Glauben statt Grübeln. Zum Anti-Intellektualismus der Pastoralbriefe

The author of the Pastoral Epistles warns polemically against the teachings of heter- odox Christians, but does not really engage with them theologically at a profound level. This makes it very difficult to reconstruct their precise profile. This article at- tempts, building upon recent research on the topic of »intellectualism in Late Antiquity«, to provide a new approach in which it inquires into the sociological profile bo- th of the author of the Pastoral Epistles with his addressees, and of the heterodox Christians. It then becomes clear – on the basis of the evaluations which the author adopts through such terms as »controversy«, »questions« and »reason« – that he is characterised by a kind of »anti-intellectualism«, conjoined with a simple faith measured by statements of faith. In the author's defence against the so-called opponents, he takes issue in particular with the manner in which they »do theology«. It appears that the opponents, with the »intellectualism« attributed to them, have sought a more progressive access to faith by comparison with the ways in which tradition had previously been treated.