A thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth more than a college

Hear the words of Theodore Roosevelt, the Rough Rider, the president, the man of action and vision, who declared: “A thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth more than a college education.” This is no mere proverb of piety, but a declaration born from the heart of a man who valued both learning and virtue. Roosevelt, though himself a graduate of Harvard, understood that knowledge alone, divorced from moral foundation, is incomplete. For what good is it to train the mind if the heart remains unformed, and what value is wisdom if it is not tempered by righteousness?

The Bible, for Roosevelt, was not merely a book of religion, but a wellspring of principles that shaped conscience, justice, and strength of character. Its stories, laws, and teachings carried the moral compass of Western civilization. In its verses were courage for the weary, justice for the oppressed, and humility for the proud. A man who drank deeply of its truths, Roosevelt believed, was better equipped to face the storms of life than one who had only been furnished with academic facts.

Consider the meaning of his words: a college education can sharpen reason, expand horizons, and prepare one for worldly professions. Yet it often speaks only to the intellect, leaving untouched the deeper questions of right and wrong, duty and destiny. The Bible, in contrast, speaks directly to the soul. It teaches compassion, perseverance, faith, humility, and courage—the very virtues without which intellect can become a tool of destruction rather than creation. Thus, Roosevelt placed higher worth on moral formation than on intellectual polish.

History gives testimony to this truth. Abraham Lincoln, who never attended college, was shaped profoundly by the Bible. Its cadences flowed through his speeches, its principles guided his decisions, and its vision of justice inspired him to strike at the chains of slavery. He lacked formal education, but his thorough knowledge of scripture gave him the wisdom and resolve to preserve the Union and proclaim liberty to the oppressed. Here is living proof that the Bible’s lessons can surpass the halls of universities in forming greatness.

Yet Roosevelt’s words are not a dismissal of learning, but a call to balance. He himself was a man of books, science, and exploration. He did not scorn education, but he knew that without virtue, education can produce clever scoundrels, while with virtue, even a man of modest schooling can become a giant of justice. The Bible, to him, was the foundation upon which all other knowledge must stand. Without it, education risks becoming empty brilliance; with it, education finds its higher purpose.

The wisdom of this saying is deeply practical. The world has seen scholars who advanced knowledge yet lacked morality, and their learning brought devastation—whether in corrupt rulers, greedy financiers, or scientists who used their brilliance for destruction. On the other hand, it has seen humble souls, trained by scripture, whose wisdom brought healing, compassion, and strength far beyond their formal schooling. Roosevelt’s declaration points us toward the enduring truth: the shaping of the soul matters more than the sharpening of the mind.

Therefore, O listener, take this lesson into your life. Do not despise education, but do not exalt it above all. Seek always the wisdom that forms character, the truths that shape justice, the virtues that endure when all else fades. If you study, let your study be guided by a moral compass. If you learn, let your learning be tethered to truth. Read, reflect, and live by the principles that lift humanity from darkness to light.

For as Theodore Roosevelt declared, a man or woman who possesses a thorough knowledge of the Bible—its vision of righteousness, its call to mercy, its command to love—is richer than one with a thousand diplomas but no compass for the soul. Knowledge builds the house, but virtue makes it a dwelling of peace. Education opens doors, but faith and character show which ones to walk through. Choose both, but remember always which is greater.