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Philosophy: A Christian perspective : an introductory essay
Very Good Soft cover InterVarsity Press. Very Good. Soft cover. 1975.
- GenresPhilosophy
54 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1975
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September 6, 2024
AN EVANGELICAL PHILOSOPHER LOOKS AT PHILOSOPHY IN A "POSTIIVE" SENSE
Arthur Frank Holmes (1924-2011) was Professor of Philosophy at Wheaton College until his retirement in 1994; he wrote many other books such as 'Ethics: Approaching Moral Decisions,' 'The Idea of a Christian College,' 'Building the Christian Academy,' 'Contours of a World View,' etc.
He wrote in the Introduction to this 1975 booklet, "The twentieth-century Christian ... is compelled to develop for himself a working relationship between Christianity and philosophy that will discredit neither Christianity nor philosophy. Basic to this task is an understanding of the nature of the two enterprises involved. All too often the repudiation of philosophy ... stems from a failure to appreciate what philosophers are actually trying to do... The present book, then, is an attempt to introduce and in a limited way to explore the relation of reason and revelation by trying to understand the nature of philosophy and of Christianity respectively." (Pg. 8)
He points out, "Error is error and nonsense is nonsense in every realm of thought. Problems there may be in understanding the relation of history to faith, and unresolved paradoxes that attest the finiteness of human understanding; but irreconcilable paradoxes there cannot be if they attest the inconsistency of God or the irrationality of his universe. If God cannot contradict himself, neither can general revelation contradict special revelation, neither can scientific truth contradict biblical truth, and neither can valid philosophical reasoning contradict valid theological reasoning.
"Just as careful logic cannot allow contradictory truths without forfeiting the laws of thought, so a consistent theism cannot allow contradictory truths without forfeiting the veracity of God. Rather, when problems arise, the data are incomplete or misunderstood, or else the reasoning processes are fallacious or inconclusive." (Pg. 24)
He suggests, "we elicit the following principles: 1. In the final analysis the minds of men molded by pagan thought-patterns are won, not by philosophical argument or rhetorical device, but by the power of God's Word and the work of the Holy Spirit. 2. Since a pagan philosophy can distort one's understanding of reality and of life, a Christian philosophy becomes necessary in order to work out clearly and systematically the philosophical implications of the Christian revelation. 3. One means available to the Christian thinker is that analogy that exists between Christian beliefs and ideas current in the culture. This involves using the philosophical concepts and methods and language of the day." (Pg. 34)
He concludes, "the challenge that faces the Christian in philosophy can best be seen in the light of the past. He must scrutinize accepted conceptual models, their presuppositions and their implications, and develop one which can bring Christian perspectives to bear constructively in current philosophical discussion. He can thereby contribute both to apologetics and to theology and culture generally, for the models we have noted in philosophy have been at work there too. But he will need rigorous preparation, a broad grasp of the history of thought, disciplined work, and a mind devoted to the service of God in our day." (Pg. 50)
There isn't a whole lot of evangelical literature that takes a "positive" approach to philosophy; Holmes' booklet is all the more valuable for that reason.
Arthur Frank Holmes (1924-2011) was Professor of Philosophy at Wheaton College until his retirement in 1994; he wrote many other books such as 'Ethics: Approaching Moral Decisions,' 'The Idea of a Christian College,' 'Building the Christian Academy,' 'Contours of a World View,' etc.
He wrote in the Introduction to this 1975 booklet, "The twentieth-century Christian ... is compelled to develop for himself a working relationship between Christianity and philosophy that will discredit neither Christianity nor philosophy. Basic to this task is an understanding of the nature of the two enterprises involved. All too often the repudiation of philosophy ... stems from a failure to appreciate what philosophers are actually trying to do... The present book, then, is an attempt to introduce and in a limited way to explore the relation of reason and revelation by trying to understand the nature of philosophy and of Christianity respectively." (Pg. 8)
He points out, "Error is error and nonsense is nonsense in every realm of thought. Problems there may be in understanding the relation of history to faith, and unresolved paradoxes that attest the finiteness of human understanding; but irreconcilable paradoxes there cannot be if they attest the inconsistency of God or the irrationality of his universe. If God cannot contradict himself, neither can general revelation contradict special revelation, neither can scientific truth contradict biblical truth, and neither can valid philosophical reasoning contradict valid theological reasoning.
"Just as careful logic cannot allow contradictory truths without forfeiting the laws of thought, so a consistent theism cannot allow contradictory truths without forfeiting the veracity of God. Rather, when problems arise, the data are incomplete or misunderstood, or else the reasoning processes are fallacious or inconclusive." (Pg. 24)
He suggests, "we elicit the following principles: 1. In the final analysis the minds of men molded by pagan thought-patterns are won, not by philosophical argument or rhetorical device, but by the power of God's Word and the work of the Holy Spirit. 2. Since a pagan philosophy can distort one's understanding of reality and of life, a Christian philosophy becomes necessary in order to work out clearly and systematically the philosophical implications of the Christian revelation. 3. One means available to the Christian thinker is that analogy that exists between Christian beliefs and ideas current in the culture. This involves using the philosophical concepts and methods and language of the day." (Pg. 34)
He concludes, "the challenge that faces the Christian in philosophy can best be seen in the light of the past. He must scrutinize accepted conceptual models, their presuppositions and their implications, and develop one which can bring Christian perspectives to bear constructively in current philosophical discussion. He can thereby contribute both to apologetics and to theology and culture generally, for the models we have noted in philosophy have been at work there too. But he will need rigorous preparation, a broad grasp of the history of thought, disciplined work, and a mind devoted to the service of God in our day." (Pg. 50)
There isn't a whole lot of evangelical literature that takes a "positive" approach to philosophy; Holmes' booklet is all the more valuable for that reason.
Displaying 1 of 1 review