Bartholomew and Goheen Christian philosophy - a short review

Christian Philosophy

A Systematic and Narrative Introduction

Craig G. Bartholomew and Michael W. Goheen

Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2013

A fuller review will be published in Koers.

Christian Philosophy, though self-contained, is the third of a trilogy of excellent books. The first The Drama of Scripture (2004) showed us our place in the biblical story, the second Living at the Crossroads (2008) (see my review here) provided a missional focus for a Christian worldview. Christian Philosophy provides a superb overview of philosophy from a distinctively Christian perspective, based on scripture and a Christian worldview.

What has been needed for a long time is a book accessible to Christian undergraduates that provides a navigation around the difficult terrain of philosophy; a book that takes both philosophy and the Christian faith seriously and addresses the concerns that Christian have with philosophy  This is that book.

This book should be compulsory reading for Christians at university whatever their discipline. Christian pastors owe it to those in their congregations who intend to go to university to make sure that they get a copy and inwardly digest it. I don’t apologise for being so effusive about this book - it is that good. 

Contents

Introduction

Part 1: Approaching Christian Philosophy

1. Why Philosophy?

2. Faith and Philosophy

Part 2: The Story of Western Philosophy

3. Ancient Pagan Philosophy: The Pre-Socratics to Socrates

4. The High Point of Greek Philosophy: Plato, Aristotle, and Their Legacy

5. Medieval Synthesis Philosophy: Augustine to Abelard

6. The Middle Ages: Aristotle Rediscovered

7. The Renaissance and Reformation

8. Early Modern Philosophy: Bacon to Leibniz

9. Modern Philosophy: Hume to Schleiermacher

10. Modern Philosophy: Romanticism to Gadamer

11. Postmodernism and Philosophy Today

Part 3: Christian Philosophy Today

12. Christian Philosophy Today

13. Reformed Epistemology

14. Reformed Epistemology Applied

15. Reformational Philosophy

Conclusion

Annotated Further Reading List

Index