Philosophy and the Christian: The Quest for Wisdom in the Light of Christ

Tertullian famously asked, “What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?” Since the first century, Christians have hotly debated the relationship between faith and reason, between Scripture and natural revelation, and between Christian doctrine and non-Christian philosophy. Too often, though, the history of this conflict has been misrepresented and misunderstood. Thus, before we seek to answer these questions for our own time, we must first come to grips with the answers of the past. What did “philosophy” mean for our spiritual forefathers? When Christian teachers raised warnings in the past about its dangers, what precisely did they have in mind? And most importantly, where does this leave the church today? This volume surveys how Christians have navigated this treacherous-but unavoidable-territory throughout the history of the Christian church. By careful attention to and critical reflection upon their examples, the Church today can be equipped with the discernment needed to continue the search for wisdom in a world groaning for the full unveiling of the light of Christ.

530 pages.

“Philosophy and the Christian is a valuable collection of essays arguing, largely from a Calvinist Reformed standpoint, that the Christian believer must not view philosophical disciplines as enemies of the faith, but as areas requiring serious theological interaction. The breadth of content is especially impressive (even Renaissance thinker John Colet of Seebohm’s Oxford Reformers receives attention)…..In an era when anti-intellectualism is rife in so many religious circles, the treatments offered in this volume are a welcome addition to contemporary Christian thought…..If you perhaps believe that philosophy is an obscure activity limited to esoteric intellectuals, you badly need to read this book!” – John Warwick Montgomery, Ph.D., D.Théol,, LL.D. Emeritus Professor of Law and Humanities, University of Bedfordshire, England (UK)

“These passionately written, highly lucid essays build a much needed Protestant bridge between theology and philosophy, joining together the voices of Dante’s virtuous pagans with those of the scriptures, the early church fathers and the Protestant reformers. In clarifying and championing the role that classical humanism and natural law played in the writings of the reformers, they initiate a vital dialogue that I hope will continue for many years to come.” – Louis Markos, Professor in English and Scholar in Residence, Houston Baptist University

“Does Protestantism have anything to offer to philosophy? The contributors to this volume answer with a resounding yes as they examine a variety of topics, from natural theology to the relationship between science and Scripture. Theirs is an encouraging response in an age in which many Protestants have rejected philosophy out of hand. The authors here encourage believers to reconsider the meaning and role of philosophy for the Christian. The result is a valuable and thought-provoking book that invites the reader to share in that sense of wonder about God’s world that is at the root of all true philosophy.” – Keith Mathison, Professor of Systematic Theology, Reformation Bible College