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observed that the Rational temperament is most drawn to the area of theology and correct doctrine.
Bible study is enjoyed by this type, providing that it offers the opportunity to learn new things as
opposed to simply reviewing basic concepts. INTJs are often intrigued by the original translations
of Biblical texts, and may be interested in peeling apart the Greek or Hebrew roots of words. They
may even choose to study an ancient language. Oswald and Kroeger have suggested that Thinkers
are drawn to teaching. NTs are interested in finding the truth and value justice over mercy.
INTJ believers may find themselves somewhat at odds which church culture. Most religious
organizations are led by Extraverts, because being a pastor requires lot of people contact; Feelers,
because pastoral work is a helping profession; and Judgers, because Judgers run everything. 20 In
short, most pastoral staff is EFJ, and they naturally create an EFJ culture. 21 I fear this approach can
turn off INTJ churchgoers.
For example, is an INTJ likely to be enthusiastic when the EFJ pastor says cheerfully, “Okay,
everybody! Stand up and give your neighbor a hug!”? (Your only hope is to sit at the far end of the
pew, where your neighbors can’t reach you.) Or how about when the pastor suggests that members
of the congregation stand up if they want prayer? How many INTJs are going to want to stand up in
the middle of a crowded room to reveal that they need help with something? Only an EFJ could
think this was a desirable way to interact with others. INTJs do not deal with their problems by
asking loved ones for help (in fact, they hate asking for help, period); how much less a roomful of
strangers? Then too, EFJs express their emotions freely and loudly; this makes INTJs
uncomfortable. (What? Cry? In public?) The net result of this is to produce INTJs who have faith,
but prefer not to set foot in a church building.
Another result of EFJ leadership is that churches tend to emphasize the Feeling values of these
types (mercy, kindness), sometimes at the expense of the values of Rationals (justice, truth). I
suspect that this imbalance drives many Rationals away from the church and raises the levels of
atheism and agnosticism within the temperament beyond what they would already be.
Then too, an INTJ believer may embrace scientific views at odds with those of their religious
community. The evolution/creation debate has opened a rift between the scientific community and
the religious community that has not been so hotly contested since the days of Galileo and
Copernicus. Given that Rationals (including Christian Rationals) tend to be the temperament
responsible for these flair ups, it should be expected that NTs would favor the evolutionary
standpoint. And indeed, a survey of university students found that those with NT preferences
tended to prefer secular evolution rather than theistic evolution or creationism (read here). 22
Although the study contained only one INTJ (a secular evolutionist), the trends pointed towards the
fact that INTJs would be one of the types most likely accept evolution as a valid scientific theory. A
bent towards secular evolution would also be consistent with the type's tendency towards atheism.
Stress
INTJs tie with ENFPs as the type with the third lowest rate of heart disease/hypertension; in fact,
only 15.4% of INTJs reported experiencing these conditions. 23 (For comparison, ENTPs were the
20 Oswald & Kroeger, 1988
21 Oswald & Kroeger found that Rationals are actually overrepresented among pastors (SPs are the underrepresented
temperament) along fairly typical lines: ENTJs are the most likely NT type to lead a church, INTPs least likely.
ENTJs composed 7.3% of one clergy sample while INTPs composed 1.8% of said sample. Curiously, females
clergy tended to be more INP than males.
22 Embree, 2011
23 Myers, McCaulley, Quenk & Hammer, 1998