DESCRIPTION:

Socrates' dictum, the unexamined life is not worth living, seems to have a modern corollary in the claim that the unexamined faith is not worth believing. But what does it mean to submit faith to rational scrutiny? This course will explore philosophical options for understanding the nature of belief and the relation of religious belief to human reason. After an historical survey of the topic, the bulk of the course will be devoted to twentieth-century thinkers on the subject of faith and reason.

Historically Christian believers have taken diverse positions regarding the relationship of faith and reason. Augustine said "I believe in order that I may understand." Tertullian, another church father, is reported as having said "I believer because it is absurd." This course is designed to help ministers in today's world respond with wisdom to the entire spectrum of positions represented by contemporary believers in order to better serve as catalysts in helping us all "grow up in all aspects into Him" (Eph 4:15).

Lectures, discussion, some small-group work. The class will meet twice weekly for four-hour sessions for five weeks (July 24-August 25).

Clark, James Kelly. Return to Reason: A Critique of Enlightenment Evidentialism and a Defense of Reason and Belief in God. Eerdmans, 1990. Chs. 3-4 (pp. 97-158).

Lyotard, Jean-François. The Postmodern Condition: A Report on Knowledge. University of Minnesota Press, 1984. (Pp. 3-82.)

Placher, William. History of Christian Theology. Westminster John Knox Press, 1983. (159pp.)

Thiel, John E. Nonfoundationalism. Fortress Press, 1994. (108 pp.)

Wainwright, William J. Reason and the Heart: A Prolegomenon to a Critique of Passional Reason. Cornell University Press, 1995. (155 pp.)

Photocopied Course Reader including:

Holmer, Paul L. "Learning to Theologise." In Wittgenstein : Attention to Particulars : Essays in Honour of Rush Rhees (1905- 89), edited by D. Z. Phillips, 194-200. St. Martin's Press and Suhrkamp, 1989.

MacIntyre, Alasdair. "Epistemological Crises, Dramatic Narrative, and the Philosophy of Science." In Paradigms and Revolutions, edited by Gary Gutting, 55-74. University of Notre Dame Press, 1980.

Phillips, D. Z. "Religious Beliefs and Language Games" and "Religion in Wittgenstein's Mirror." In Wittgenstein and Religion, edited by D. Z. Phillips, 56-78, 237-255. St. Martin's Press, 1993.

Rhees, Rush. "Mescaline, Mysticism, and Religious Experience." In Rush Rhees on Philosophy and Religion, edited by D. Z. Phillips, 334-344. Cambridge University Press, 1997.

Sennett, James F., ed. The Analytic Theist: An Alvin Plantinga Reader. Eerdmans, 1998. Chs. 5-7. (102-210)

Shults, F. LeRon. The Postfoundationalist Task of Theology: Wolfhart Pannenberg and the New Theological Rationality. Eerdmans, 1999. Chs. 2-3. (25-164)

It is strongly recommended that students have completed 48 quarter hours before enrolling in this course. (Not recommended for students having difficulty with English.).

Meets M. Div. core requirement in Philosophical Theology (PHIL).