Best Christian Philosophy Books

[Joseph Scibbe]

(I put this here because I am looking for good Christian philosophy books but if the mods want to move it to the book section that is fine)

What are the best available books on philosophy from a Christian perspective?

 

[Marrow Man]

Ronald Nash's Life's Ultimate Questions is pretty decent.

 

[Reformed Thomist]

As is R.C. Sproul's The Consequences of Ideas.

Of course, if you really want something to sink your teeth into, there's always F.C. (Frederick Charles) Copleston's 11-volume A History of Philosophy. Copleston was a Roman Catholic -- a Jesuit priest, no less -- but a strong Thomist theologically (much closer to the Reformed position as regards soteriology than, say, Arminianism) and philosophically, and a scholar of the first order.

I would also take a look at the works of the late Étienne Gilson, another Thomistic historian of philosophy extraordinaire. Sproul is a big fan.

 

[Jesus is my friend]

I would like to recommend Gordon Clark I am currently reading and listening to his fine book "God and Evil:The Problem Solved" From what little I know of Christian Philosophy Clark is the "go to man"

http://www.trinitylectures.org/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=gordon+clark&x=0&y=0

 

["William The Baptist"]

As is R.C. Sproul's The Consequences of Ideas.

I am currently listening to his series of lectures on this:

Ligonier Ministries - SermonAudio.com

 

[cih1355]

I would recommend The Love of Wisdom: A Christian Introduction to Philosophy by Steven Cowan & James Spiegel. The book covers logic, epistemology, philosophy of science, metaphysics, human nature, philosophy of religion, ethics, political philosophy, and aesthetics.

 

[Ask Mr. Religion]

Ronald Nash's Life's Ultimate Questions is pretty decent.

Yup!

AMR

 

[MICWARFIELD]

The One And The Many - by RJ Rushdoony

You dont have to be a Christian Reconstructionist to appreciate this book.

 

[Philip]

Warranted Christian Belief by Alvin Plantinga is excellent.

I would also recommend Newbigin's Proper Confidence (though he's not an inerrantist).

Of course if you're looking for classics, there's always Anselm (Monologion, Proslogion, and On Freedom of the Will).

 

[FenderPriest]

I'm kinda surprised nobody's listed this, but it is really helpful: Reasons for Faith: Philosophy in the Service of Theology by K. Scott Oliphint. I haven't ready the others above, but I've certainly heard of them. Dr. Oliphint does some really helpful in this book to present a distinctly Christian understanding of philosophy. Really good stuff here.

 

[Theogenes]

I would like to recommend Gordon Clark I am currently reading and listening to his fine book "God and Evil:The Problem Solved" From what little I know of Christian Philosophy Clark is the "go to man"

Trinity Foundation Online Store - Search Results

I agree!

 

[FenderPriest]

I'm not so sure Clark is "the go to man" when it comes to Christian philosophy. I feel a warning is due when it comes to Clark's philosophy and logic. Scott Opiphint makes the following observation:

Gordon Clark, in a biting critique of the entirety of history orthodox Christology, both Catholic and Protestant, and in order to make Christology fit his logic, argued that Christ is indeed two persons. Given his awkward definition of a person, however, (viz. a collection of propositions), any definition including the word person cannot in this case be taken seriously. See Gordon Haddon Clark, The Incarnation (Jefferson, MD: The Trinity Foundation, 1988).

From Reasons for Faith, p. 287, n.13

A Christian philosopher who works his doctrine in such a way to fit his philosophical and logical constructs to justify heresy is, at least in my opinion, to be taken with extreme caution.

 

[Philip]

I'm not so sure Clark is "the go to man" when it comes to Christian philosophy. I feel a warning is due when it comes to Clark's philosophy and logic. Scott Opiphint makes the following observation:

Gordon Clark, in a biting critique of the entirety of history orthodox Christology, both Catholic and Protestant, and in order to make Christology fit his logic, argued that Christ is indeed two persons. Given his awkward definition of a person, however, (viz. a collection of propositions), any definition including the word person cannot in this case be taken seriously. See Gordon Haddon Clark, The Incarnation (Jefferson, MD: The Trinity Foundation, 1988).

From Reasons for Faith, p. 287, n.13

A Christian philosopher who works his doctrine in such a way to fit his philosophical and logical constructs to justify heresy is, at least in my opinion, to be taken with extreme caution.

This isn't the only problem with Clark/Scripturalism. God and Evil: the Problem Solved more or less says that God is the author of evil.

 

[MarieP]

The One And The Many - by RJ Rushdoony

You dont have to be a Christian Reconstructionist to appreciate this book.

This is off-topic (I'm pretty sure, that is), but each time I see your avatar, I think, "Second Commandment Violation!"

 

[elnwood]

For a book on the history of philosophy, Colin Brown's work "Philosophy and the Christian Faith" is outstanding.

 

[MICWARFIELD]

The One And The Many - by RJ Rushdoony

You dont have to be a Christian Reconstructionist to appreciate this book.

This is off-topic (I'm pretty sure, that is), but each time I see your avatar, I think, "Second Commandment Violation!"

Lol!

 

[CharlieJ]

A more general work that carries that C.S. Lewis-esque British charm and incisive wit is Henri Blamires' The Christian Mind. It's a small book, and the smooth prose tugs you to keep reading.

 

[BobVigneault]

I recommend Nash. Here is a link to his courses on Biblical Training. Listen to his History of Philosophy and then his Christian Apologetics. I love his humor and I sure miss him.

Dr. Ron Nash | BiblicalTraining.org

 

[T.A.G.]

I would first suggest youtubing Greg Bahnsen and watching his problems with unbelieving worldviews

Intro
Philosophical Foundation for a Christian Worldview by Craig and Moreland is a very good introduction and is what I would suggest to any Christian who is interested in learning philosophy and apologetics
The God who is there and Is not Silent-Schaeffer

201
Warranted Christian Belief by Alvin Plantinga

Advanced
Naturalism Defeated-Plantinga
The Emergent Self-Hasker
World Without Design- Rea
Natural Theology- Craig and Moreland
Nash is a little outdated and not a lot of depth in my opinion

 

[Philip]

The God who is there and Is not Silent-Schaeffer

Some words of caution with Schaeffer: he is very good on big picture analysis, but very unfair to individual thinkers. For example, his reading of Kierkegaard is horribly wrong (and ignores his context). And then he basically attributes the views of Paul Tillich to Karl Barth. That's not to say that Schaeffer isn't helpful or useful on a lot of points, but just to say that one has to read him carefully and take his analysis of individual thinkers with a grain of salt.

 

[cih1355]

The God who is there and Is not Silent-Schaeffer

Some words of caution with Schaeffer: he is very good on big picture analysis, but very unfair to individual thinkers. For example, his reading of Kierkegaard is horribly wrong (and ignores his context). And then he basically attributes the views of Paul Tillich to Karl Barth. That's not to say that Schaeffer isn't helpful or useful on a lot of points, but just to say that one has to read him carefully and take his analysis of individual thinkers with a grain of salt.

Schaeffer claimed in one of this books that Aquinas believed that the human will is fallen, but not the human intellect. This would suggest that Aquinas believed that man can find some truth about God independently from the Scriptures. Is this an accurate representation of what Aquinas believed?

 

[Philip]

Schaeffer claimed in one of this books that Aquinas believed that the human will is fallen, but not the human intellect. This would suggest that Aquinas believed that man can find some truth about God independently from the Scriptures. Is this an accurate representation of what Aquinas believed?

It's fair (I've heard Thomists claim as much). I would say that in theory it is possible for one to find the truth about God through nature, but in practice it never happens apart from an extraordinary grace.