More than mere intellectualism

[Descartes] claims, at the beginning of the Meditations, that he was now in a position to achieve certain knowledge because he had no practical issues to deal with and was “troubled by no passions.” When this kind of intellectualism is applied to the religious life, the result is that the Christian life is confused with objective knowledge of the truths of Christianity. However, Christianity is not merely knowing a set of propositions, or even believing propositions in a purely intellectual way. The biblical concept of faith or belief (pistis) is not mere intellectual assent, but includes trust and a willingness to commit one’s whole life to the truth of what is believed.—Evans, A History of Western Philosophy, 498