I believe that philosophy is integral to the Christian life. The way we think about things is important in understanding who we are and Who God is. For centuries philosophy and logic were part of the curriculum for every child, but this sadly was phased out over the last 100 years. Because of this, most do not know anything about philosophy, and why it is important to our lives.
Below I have listed 5 books which could help you study philosophy from a Christian worldview. I have included two books which are more worldview than philosophy. That being said, the two areas of study are so close, I think these books can be in the same list.
To note, some of these books I have not read in over a decade. Also, some authors I will list, while their books are excellent, I would not agree with everything they currently say or support. But I assume this is true of every book.
If you ever read one of those “choose your own adventure” books as a child, you will find this book enjoyable. This book doesn’t as much teach you about philosophy or worldview, but shows you what your philosophy and worldview is. It asks you questions, and then depending on how you answer it, it shows you what your philosophy is. It is an excellent short tool.
Doug takes you through this short, but enjoyable book through the philosophies of 7 of the great philosophers of history. From Socrates, to Augustine, to Pascal to Kierkkegaard Groothuis looks at the famous saying of each of these philosophers which was the foundation to their philosophies. He then talks about how they do or do not fit within the Christian worldview. I would consider this a medium weight book for anyone who is just starting their journey with philosophy.
This book is the book that impacted me in a great way. Since then I have become friends with Glenn, who has guest blogged for me, and done video interviews with me. This book takes you from the Roman Empire to the American experiment and looks at why different groups thought different ways, because of the philosophies they had. This is a medium size book, and I would say it is very digestible to the new philosopher.
This book is more an overview at worldview than philosophy. He looks at the history of worldview. He talks about how we know what is real, how worldviews are formed, and how they work in our public and private lives. This is a small to medium book which is medium in weight intellectually.
I would call Nash’s book a textbook on Christian philosophy. It is longer at about 350 pages, but is laid out very well. It is of medium weight in depth, but the way it is produced, if you take your time, you will have a solid basic understanding of philosophy.
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