Open-mindedness

Certain words encapsulate the zeitgeist of a culture. Recently, Kevin DeYoung has done a nice job of unpacking two of these words, dialogue and inclusion. Here is another: open-mindedness. This word, particularly with regard to spiritual matters, expresses one of our culture's great virtues. If by open-mindedness one means a willingness to listen to those with whom we disagree or to thoughtfully engage with ideas at variance with our own, then I'm on board; open-mindedness is a fine thing. But typically when the term open-mindedness is tossed around it refers to a perennial suspension of judgment or an unwillingness to reach a conclusion or closure. The open-minded spiritual person is always searching, never finding. To have found, after all, implies in some sense a closure of the mind; options have been eliminated through some sort of sifting process which means our mind has narrowed, or closed.

Regarding this term, G.K. Chesterton offers a punchy comparison, saying, 'an open-mind is like an open mouth. It's only good if it chomps down on something solid.'

(Does anyone know where this quote can be found? Thankfully, my mind clamped, or closed, on the quote, and I am reciting it from memory which means it is probably not exact.)