Getting your head around philosophy
25 May 2009
You can’t engage with post-modernity without bumping into some french philosophers, who are de rigueur.
You’ll certainly look uncool if you don’t know some of them when it comes to emerging church conversations. Then there are some German philosophers, who because they are less cool, seem to get far less attention.
And already I have revealed just how little I know about philosophers. There is a part of my brain that when thinking gets too abstract, just time’s out and wants to lay down in a dark room. I need something concrete to latch onto, maybe it’s the church planter in me.
And in my PhD research, I bump into philosophy all the time. You can’t understand major christian doctrines and their location in our emerging culture without doing some philosophy.
So if like me you know the value of philosophy, but want to know what’s important for ‘theology’, rather than being sucked into the agenda of what’s important for ‘philosophy’, how do you navigate that? How do you learn the ‘philosophy’ you need for ‘theology’?
So as I try to make that navigation, with the abyss of post modern nihilism on one side, and the equally destructive certitude of naive realism on the other, I thought I’d share with you, the most helpful resources I have found.
And I hope you’ll share yours with me, here.
1. Philosophy: A very short introduction
This book by Edward doesn’t seek to summarise the philosophy you need for theology, but it does in only 118 pocket book size pages give you a whirlwind overview of philosophy, it’s nature and main thinkers and thoughts.
2. More very short introductions
In fact that last book, is part of a large series of further small books by Oxford University press.
Every-time I bump into some reading that references a philosopher, whose ideas I need to know about quickly, I turn to this series. The series has every key philosopher you might need, but it also has short overviews of most topics, and people for history, and other disciplines that you might find useful.
3. The Journey So Far
I’ve blogged about this book by Peter Hicks before.
Peter Hicks, has done most of the work for us in this book. If you want one book that traces world views/philosophies from the time of the bible until today, that’s comprehensive and yet very readable, this book is it.
Peter Hicks was a lecturer I had at seminary/university for my undergraduate theology. He was also a baptist minister/pastor, so his philosophy is well earthed in the real world of church life.
4. A Primer on Postmodernism
For a Christian understanding and orientation to postmodernism, this book by the late Stanley Grenz is a classic.
A conversation I had with with Stanley Grenz in the summer of 1999, spurred me to go back and do some more theology. I recommend this book so often to theology students.
5. The Oxford Companion to Philosophy
This is one of the largest and best reference books I have on philosophy. Over 1,000 pages to turn to when I need to locate a person, idea or concept.
6. 101 Key Terms in Philosophy and Their Importance For Theology
Now to the really good stuff. This book might not have the most snappy title, but it’s 100 pages, of concise reference, that locates philosophy directly to theology.
And one of it’s editors is James K Smith from Calvin, who I’d trust with my philosophical life, and I find myself turning to this very often for a quick reference.
7. Philosophy For Understanding Theology
Now for a book that directly addresses the topic of this post, what philosophy is key for theology?
I am currently reading some of this superb book each day in my quest for an understanding of the relationship philosophy to theology, and to ensure theology is continuing task.
Lastly here are two more recommendations, just for fun. At least as much fun as philosophy can be.
8. The Matrix and Philosophy
This book, taking it’s inspiration from the movie the matrix, use the ideas of the movie to group some hard core post-modern philosophical thinkers and discussions.
This book was so popular they made a sequel, but alas no trilogy unlike it’s muse.
9. The Slightest Philosophy
As a counter point to the last book, and if you sometimes think people into post-modern philosophy are full of themselves, are pretentious and on a head trip, you’ll love this book.
In the style of a lively conversation between a student, and a professor, it hits and opposes the roots of postmodern philosophy head on, and re-assures you that we can know things. I guess that makes them uncool, but it’s a good read.
Tagged: Books, Philosophy
6 comments
Trackback
Comment by Chad Lakies
3.43 pm on 25 May 2009
Jason,
Nice post on getting people familiar with philosophy. Here are three books that I’ve found helpful, in addition to your own list.
The first is really just supposed to be funny, but it does what you mentioned in the very first paragraph, talks about philosophy in a language that’s more concrete–through jokes. It’s called Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar. It covers the subject areas in philosophy (ethics, metaphysics, existentialism, etc). I always thought it would be great to use in teaching introductory philosophy to show the connection between philosophy and everyday life which is too often taken for granted.
You mentioned Jamie Smith’s book. Here’s another by him that I think is just a great entry into understanding the 3 french postmodern posterchildren – Derrida, Foucault, and Lyotard – and their bumpersticker sayings. Who’s Afraid of Postmodernism?.
Lastly, an older text that clearly connected philosophy with theology and is very readable. William Placher’s Unapologetic Theology.
Enjoy.
Comment by Jason Clark
7.24 am on 26 May 2009
great recommendations, thanks Chad.
Comment by Kyle Nolan
10.18 pm on 25 May 2009
I like the Church and Postmodern Culture Series a lot, although I don’t know if that’s where I should’ve started.
I was almost going to write a paper on the emerging church for a sociology class (which I ended up dropping) and picked up Smith’s book in the series, Who’s Afraid of Postmodernism?.
I thought it was kind of cool to pick up, anyways, since I live on the other side of town from Calvin. Caputo’s book was really good, too, and I’m working through Raschke’s right now.
Comment by Jason Clark
7.25 am on 26 May 2009
That’s a great blog, thanks for the reminder
Comment by Patrick O
4.38 pm on 28 May 2009
I’m a fan of the “Very Short Introduction” series of books. Not at all thorough, but a good way to get in touch with not only some of the more recent voices, but also a broad range of thought on all kinds of relevant, and less relevant, topics.
The Beauty of the Infinite was a horrible, awful reading experience for me, but having done a presentation on it was quite, quite helpful in getting a sense of French postmodern philosophers, and a particular way in dismissing them so as not to study them more (said a bit tongue in cheek, but only a bit).
My approach has been less to pour lots of time in reading people I have less appreciation for, and spend more time learning other, as I see it, more helpful texts. I think there’s a great and needed conversation on French philosophy, but I’m pretty ill suited to do that, and uninterested. Instead, I’d rather get a really solid knowledge on theologians and others who might not be as well known. Make up for gaps with obscure knowledge in other directions so as to turn conversations and sound uniquely brilliant!
In this approach, I’m a big fan of Nancey Murphy’s Anglo-American Postmodernity, and with her a definitely growing fan of Alisdair MacIntyre, who offers a pretty substantive alternative to Continental Postmodernism.
I’ll look a bit dim when it comes to some philosophy, but will make up for it in other directions. And these other directions I think will be a significantly better use of my time, as I get a strong suspicion that in 20-30 years the French philosophers just won’t be as big a deal as they are now.
Comment by John
11.23 am on 15 Jun 2009
In Truth and Reality both philosophy and so called theology are brain created language games, or if you like towers of babel/babble.
And the real subject and center-pole of all theology is the ego of the person who creates the theology–no exceptions.
All of it being, in effect, an intricate hedge of immunities protecting the creator (of the babble) from having to feel and thus pass through their fearful mortality.
Put in another way, theology has nothing whatsoever to do with Real God.
The best it can do is lead one to the point of positive dis-illusionment with ALL of the conventional “answers”, and thus to the holy jumping off place.
Comments are now closed.