Thoughtful Reflections on Faith and Life
One of the most influential philosophers of the 19th century (although not during his lifetime) was Friedrich Nietzsche. I have read a number of his books, and while he has an interesting style, I struggled to get his full meaning. What I have found helpful is reading Nietzsche: Philosopher, Antichrist by Walter Kaufmann. I felt … Read More “Nietzsche: Philosopher, Psychologist, Antichrist – Review” »
In this episode, I have a conversation with Jason Crowder. Jason describes himself as “an academic, an author, a Christian Hedonist, a husband, a mentor, a philosopher, a philosophical theologian, and a theologian.” He is the author of Philosophy, Who Needs It? In this interview, we discuss the role of philosophy for the Christian. Despite what some … Read More “Philosophy: Who Needs It?” »
Part of my personal research is about deepening my understanding of philosophy. I do this by reading books on philosophy in general, books by some of the most prominent philosophers and books that tell the story of these philosophers. I have just finished reading Examined Lives: From Socrates to Nietzsche by James Miller. Half the … Read More “Examined Lives: From Socrates to Nietzsche – Review” »
One of the most influential stories by any philosopher is Plato’s allegory of the cave. Anyone interested in philosophy, must know this story. I found a nicely animated version of the allegory that is worth watching. I also found some articles on Plato and Christianity that some people might find interesting. Platonism’s Influence on Christian … Read More “Plato’s Allegory of the Cave” »
I believe that some knowledge of philosophy is important for everyone. It is especially important for those interested in apologetics. That is not to say you have to be a philosopher to be an apologists, but the more you know about the basic concepts, the better. I recently read a nice little introduction to philosophy … Read More “Ultimate Questions: Thinking About Philosophy – Review” »
One of my current areas of study is in philosophy. I’m strong in biblical studies but never have had the chance to formally study philosophy. So I have been picking up books on philosophy to rectify this deficit. One of those books is The Great Philosophers: From Socrates to Turing. (Amazon affiliate link) Each chapter … Read More “The Great Philosophers: From Socrates to Turing” »
I remember during my undergraduate degree, having only recently become a Christian, a friend of mine telling me if I took a philosophy course, I would be convinced there was no God. I never did take that philosophy course (although I have read widely in philosophy), but not out of fear of losing faith. There are … Read More “Why Christians Should Not Be Afraid of Philosophy” »
I recently wrote a blog post about why it is good for Christians to read the Jewish philosopher Philo. Having said that, I must also acknowledge that Philo is not the easiest person to read. Between his allegorical interpretations, Platonic and Stoic leanings and our own ignorance of hellenistic Judaism, we need to work hard … Read More “Philo of Alexandria” »
I just finished reading C.D. Yonge’s translation of The Works of Philo. I have been interested in Philo for some time and have even taken a course on Philo in the religious studies department at McMaster University. For those who do not know much about Philo, he was an Alexandrian Jew who lived from 25 … Read More “The Works of Philo” »
Normative ethics is comprised of three systems: consequentialism, deontology and virtue ethics. While virtue ethics goes back to Aristotle or earlier, it is only more recently that virtue ethics has begun to compete more actively with consequentialism and deontology as a viable system of ethical thought. What is virtue ethics? In its simplest form, it … Read More “What is Virtue Ethics?” »
I was recently challenged by someone about including a post about Bible teaching in the subject of apologetics. The purpose of this post is not to argue with the individual but to interact with the idea. I actually think that it is worth reflecting on the relationship between Bible teaching and apologetics and I appreciate … Read More “Is Bible Teaching a Part of Apologetics?” »
Would you like to be active as an apologist? Great! So what do you need to know to be an apologist? The common sense answer would be that an apologist needs to know about apologetics. However, apologetics is more of an attitude than a body of knowledge. If you look at the topics being taught … Read More “Skills for the Apologist” »
Not only is Plato important for understanding philosophy, he is also important for understanding Christianity. Not that Christianity is based on Platonism but it has been affected by it, both in unorthodox ways through the Gnostics and orthodox ways through Augustine. Unless you have the time to study philosophy, you need some sort of quick … Read More “Plato” »
It can be argued that Plato is the most important philosopher in all of human history. While he is well studied, he is not necessarily well understood. Obviously a reading of his major works is a necessary first step. At some point, however, it is helpful to go to scholars to go deeper in the … Read More “Cambridge Companion to Plato” »
I have an interest in autism and an interest in philosophy. It is not too often that those interests overlap. I came across this article by Nomy Arpaly. In this article he looks at moral virtue as described by Aristotle and how that applies to people with autism. If you enjoy these types of philosophical questions, … Read More “Autism and Moral Virtue” »
It is important for Christians to understand our Jewish heritage. It is equally important for us to understand our Greek heritage. There is a reason why the New Testament was written in Greek. Even Judaism was greatly influenced by Greek culture (the word synagogue is Greek!). John Mark Reynolds does an excellent job of presenting … Read More “When Athens Met Jerusalem” »
I just finished reading an excellent book: Dallas Willard’s Knowing Christ Today. Willard is an incredible writer and thinker. He brings philosophy, theology and biblical studies to bear on relevant issues and leaves the reader desiring to learn more. This book was particularly good. The basic idea of the book is that Christianity should be … Read More “Knowing Christ Today” »
