Elder Bruce C. Hafen, of the First Quorum of the Seventy, told faculty and students Christ is the resolution for disciple scholars who face tension between faith and reason.

During the second annual Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship lecture Friday, Elder Hafen discussed what it means to use both the mind and the heart in disciple scholarship. He detailed three levels of disciple scholarship.

In level one, members often choose either faith or reason to guide them. Elder Hafen said this was dangerous and cited two examples where this led members he knew to apostasy.

"We can go off the deep end at either the left or the right side of the spectrum," Elder Hafen said.

Disciples should learn to use faith and reason in their scholarship and lives, Elder Hafen said. He quoted scriptures such as Proverbs that counsel to "lean not unto thine own understanding," and others that counsel individuals "to study it out in their minds."

"Both principles are true," Elder Hafen said. "Both are anchored in our doctrine."

This balance is the second level of disciple scholarship, Elder Hafen said. In order to help others see the need for both principles, he thought of an example of someone who lived this way.

"I offered them Elder Neal A. Maxwell, whose head and heart worked so well together," Elder Hafen said.

However, as he came to learn more about Elder Maxwell and wrote his biography, Elder Hafen learned of a third level of disciple scholarship.

"A balanced approach simply won't be enough," he said.

Continuing from Elder Maxwell's life, Elder Hafen said that the third level of disciple scholarship comes through sanctifying experiences or what Elder Maxwell called "divine tutorials" which often go beyond reason or logic. Elder Maxwell's battle with leukemia was this type of tutorial, he said.

"Elder Maxwell viewed this experience as a gift, not an achievement," Elder Hafen said.

Through sanctifying trials, a disciple comes to suffer and partially understand Christ's suffering, Elder Hafen said. This sanctification leads the disciple to find the true solution between reason and faith. Then Elder Hafen presented a painting of apostles Peter and John running to Christ's tomb.

"No one had ever risen from the dead before," he said. "What were they running to see?"

He said the painting displayed the ultimate tension between reason and faith.

"He who was risen is the ultimate resolution," Elder Hafen said.