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What does it mean to follow Jesus when discipleship is often understood through knowledge, comprehension, and the ability to articulate faith? Drawing on Matthew’s call and his experience as the father of a son with Down syndrome, Andrew Barron challenges these assumptions. Andrew explores how people with intellectual disabilities can be recognized not simply as recipients of ministry but as full participants and teachers in the church. He invites us to see discipleship as rooted in embodied faith, dependence, grace, and belonging rather than intellectual ability.

Theology can lead us toward two opposite dangers: anti-intellectualism and intellectual pride. This essay explores how learning can deepen our faith without becoming an end in itself, arguing that knowledge is a tool for loving God, serving the church, and becoming more like Christ.