What is Christian philosophy?
The word philosophy means “love of wisdom.” Philosophy involves a study of the fundamentals of reality and knowledge through the use of logic and reason. Philosophers examine how a person knows what they know or why they believe what they believe. One might refer to philosophy as “thinking about thinking.”
Philosophy is often misclassified as an independent field of study from disciplines such as science, religion, or medicine. In reality, philosophy underlies all reality and creates the much-needed framework for gaining knowledge on any topic. Christian philosophy uses Christian theology to explain the nature of reality. Christian philosophers understand God as the ultimate source of knowledge.
Awareness of a person’s underlying philosophy is important for effectively engaging the culture with the Christian worldview. For example, an atheist’s philosophical understanding of how knowledge develops is much different than that of a Christian. This difference can make effective conversation difficult. Philosophy helps us define the actual language of a debate and creates the parameters for fruitful discussions. When we recognize all people have an underlying philosophy, we discover how to communicate the truth of the Christian message with people from various beliefs and worldviews.