Authors: Diogenes Allen
and Eric O. Springsted
Year: 2007, Pages: 267,
ISBN: 9780664231804
The purpose of this
book, as is stated quite regularly by the author, is “to give a person the
philosophy needed to understand Christian theology better, for often the lack
of knowledge of some key philosophic term or concept impedes significant
understanding of a vital issue.” (Pg. 71, 78). Everyone needs to know some
philosophy in order to understand the major doctrines of Christianity or to
read a great theologian intelligently. This is how this classic guide to the
philosophical concepts that undergird Christian theology originates. Some might
contest the truth of this statement, however, once one has read this book, it
would be tough to, at the same time, preserve scholarly honesty and contest the
truth of this statement. I have read fairly a few primers to philosophy, but
this book is exceptional.
What many theology
students don’t recognize (possibly due to a gulf that was created between the fields
of philosophy and theology, particularly obvious in protestant theology) is
that all of the great theologians were influenced by the major philosophical views
of their day. The drive of this book is to elucidate those major philosophical point
of views so that the student of theology will be better able to comprehend the
claims of the theologians that they are studying. The author clarifies that he
selected the material that is used in this book founded on the philosophy for
the use of theologians.
He then seeks to
explain the philosophy in question. He concentrated primarily on three
important domains of theology: Theology proper, Christology and Anthropology
(Pg. 11).
As such, the author is undoubtedly
justified in devoting the first five chapters of this book to giving an
overview and explanation of the philosophical thoughts of Plato (and Platonism)
and of Aristotle (and Aristotelianism). The truth is that these two schools of
philosophical thought have been behind almost every single description of
Christian theology, in some way, starting with the early church, and continuing
through the many church divisions and up to modern Catholic, Protestant and
Orthodox thought.
An Outline of the Book:
In chapter 1 the author
elucidates Plato’s views regarding the existence, source and purpose of this
world. In chapter 2 the author analyzes at Plato’s views regarding the nature
and purpose of man, and the reality of an afterlife. In chapter 3 the author
reflects on the many diverse Neoplatonic schools of thought that influenced
early Christian thinkers (and, with almost no exceptions, every one of the
early church fathers). In chapter 4 the author provides a synopsis of the key views
of Aristotelian thought that were known to the early church fathers up to the start
of the medieval age.
In chapter 5 he reflects
on the impact of Aristotle on the formation of medieval theology and the growth
of scholasticism. In each of these chapters the author takes time to note some
of the major church theologians who were influenced by the thought of Plato and
Aristotle, and how it impacted their theology. The author devotes one chapter,
chapter 6, to the views of Thomas Aquinas (considering primarily his views
concerning Natural Theology), and presents the reactions of Karl Barth and A.
N. Whitehead to Aquinas.
In chapter 7 the author
explains some of the main shifts in philosophy and science that influenced the
shifts that occurred in theology around the same time. He concentrates
primarily on the impact of nominalism, humanism and the scientific revolution.
His comments on humanism are most interesting, and should temper some of the
false ideas that many people have concerning what humanism is. John Calvin, for
example, was technically a humanist. In chapter 8 the author considers the
effect of the debate between Rationalism and Empiricism, stimulated primarily
by the philosophical and theological musings of Rene Descartes, as well as the
effect of the Enlightenment attitude on theology.
In chapter 9 the author
gives an overview of the philosophy of Kant (as well as some of those who
influenced his thought), and how Kant’s philosophy affected, and continues to
affect, contemporary theology. Chapter 10 looks at Hegel, and chapter 11
considers the impact of Existentialism, phenomenology and Hermeneutical
philosophy on Theology. In chapter 11 the author looks at the influence of
Kierkegaard, Sartre, Heidegger, and Husserl on theology, and biblical
hermeneutics.
The final chapters
consider the effect of Post-modern thought on Christian theology. These
chapters emphasize the works of Foucault, Wittgenstein, Derrida, MacIntyre, and
Charles Taylor, and consider how these great thinkers have been creating waves
in Christian theology. The summary of this book, as stated before, is to offer
an overview of the main philosophical views that have affected the works of
Christian theologians. This book accomplishes this purpose wonderfully. A
historical fact that changed the face of philosophy and theology forever and
seriously influenced such thinkers as Hume, Kant, and the philosophers engaged
in the rationalist-empiricist debate.
Finally, it would be
great to see this book used as a textbook in a course on this subject in
theology programs. And of course, this will be a great resource for theologians
and students of theology, as well as Christian apologists.
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