244. Vern Poythress on Redeeming Philosophy

In this episode, we welcome back Dr. Vern Poythress to discuss his book Redeeming Philosophy: A God-Centered Approach to the Big Questions. Starting with the question of what is philosophy – and contrasting the commitment to “wisdom” we find contrasted between Athens and Jerusalem. Calling for a redemption of philosophy, we ask Dr. Poythress about what is a distinctively Christian approach to philosophy. Indeed, is the Bible able to truly teach man philosophy? Writing “Genesis 1-2 provides foundational instruction to guide human learning about the world,” the Bible gives man a programmatic perspective, much larger than a shallow reading may catch. Along those lines, the fall of man into sin in Genesis 3 provides a crucial perspective into the mind of man – and it’s tendency toward the lust for autonomy, which comes in many various philosophical forms. What is the Problem of “the One and the Many”, and why don’t the approaches of brilliant thinkers such as Thales, Plato and Aristotle struggle to account for the unity and the diversity of the cosmos? Indeed, how may the Trinity actually provide a basis for both the unity and diversity in a way that avoids reduction and illusion? Why should Christians avoid the false alternatives of Idealism and Empiricism, or Modernism and Postmodernism? Listen in, as Dr. Poythress takes us through this and more – including a response to, with philosophy in mind, the question of how Christ Jesus is the wisdom of God, even “the way, the Truth, and the life”.

Book: Redeeming Philosophy: A God-Centered Approach to the Big Questions

Other resources by Dr. Poythress:

- Redeeming Science: A God-Centered Approach (hear our previous interview here)

- The Mystery of the Trinity: A Trinitarian Approach to the Attributes of God

- Logic: A God-Centered Approach to the Foundation of Western Thought

- Biblical Typology: How the Old Testament Points to Christ, His Church, and the Consummation

- The Returning King: A Guide to the Book of Revelation

- Making Sense of Man: Using Biblical Perspectives to Develop a Theology of Humanity

- Mediator: A Biblical Theology

- Redeeming Mathematic: A God-Centered Approach

- Interpreting Eden: A Guide to Faithfully Reading and Understanding Genesis 1-3

- In the Beginning Was the Word: Language: A God-Centered Approach

Other resources:

The Defense of the Faith by Cornelius Van Til (also here)

The Doctrine of the Knowledge of God; The Doctrine of the Word of God by John Frame

Biblical Critical Theory by Christopher Watkin

Paul’s Two-Age Construction and Apologetics by William D. Dennison

From Darwin to Hitler; Darwinian Racism by Richard Weikart

From Every People and Nation: A Biblical Theology of Race by J. Daniel Hays (and here)

American Awakening by Joshua Mitchell

Check out our previous interviews about Colossians: here and here

Check out our previous interviews about Plato: here, here and here

Mind and Cosmos by Thomas Nagel

Galileo’s Daughter by Dava Sobel

Galileo Revisited by Dom Paschal Scotti

Infinitesimal by Amir Alexander

The Origin of Science and the Science of Its Origin; The Savior of Science by Stanley Jaki

The Territories of Science and Religion; The Bible, Protestantism, and the Rise of Natural Science; The Fall of Man and the Foundations of Science by Peter Harrison

Personal Knowledge by Michael Polanyi

Scourby: 1 Corinthians

Plato’s Euthyphro (and here, here)

LDS sources mentioned:

D&C 93; Abraham 3, 4

Founding Prophet/President Joseph Smith’s “King Follett Discourse”; “Sermon in the Grove” (also here, here, here – and here, here, here)

A Rational Theology; Joseph Smith as Scientist by Elder John A. Widtsoe

“Nature of Man” (July 3, 1859) by President/Prophet Brigham Young (also JD 7.277)

“Our Great Potential” (April 1977) by President Spencer W. Kimball