Abstract
There comes a point when serious students of theology realize that in order to think theologically, a good deal of philosophical knowledge is essential. Theology might be the queen of the sciences, but philosophy is very much her lady-in-waiting. Nancey Murphy’s volume provides an excellent resource for those students seeking to deepen their philosophical understanding in order to think better theologically. Murphy herself notes that ‘many students have little or no background in philosophy and face [the subject] with trepidation’ (p. 6). This book will help ease that trepidation.
Not only does this book benefit from being ‘intended primarily to address a Christian audience’ (p. 1), but students will find the substantial annotated further reading list (pp. 303–13) a great help in navigating what can at first be a confusing subject area. Several diagrams throughout the book also help unpack topics for those who favour visual aids to understanding. Murphy consistently signposts where the reader will go, and summarizes arguments frequently, following the advice of her late husband, which she relates at the end of the book: ‘tell ‘em what you’re going to tell ‘em, then tell ‘em, then tell ‘em what you’ve told ‘em’ (p. 301). This makes the book easy to read and potentially intimidating philosophical terrain easier to travel.
Murphy’s introduction comes in two sections. The first offers an overview of the history of reason (and the relation between faith and reason). It deviates from the straightforward historical approaches adopted by many textbooks, beginning with Plato, then Augustine, before returning to Aristotle. This may help students understand Augustine, but might overly divide Aristotle from his Platonic influence (Murphy notes that commentators themselves are divided over the extent of this influence). This section culminates in an account of Alasdair MacIntyre’s understanding of human reason, which Murphy describes as ‘something of a highpoint of the text’ (p. 12). MacIntyre’s ‘understanding of rationality … informs the rest of the book’ (p. 12) and is referred to throughout. More criticism of MacIntyre, highlighting potential weaknesses of self-referential tradition, would have been welcome to allow the student to think past MacIntyre where appropriate.
The second section surveys ‘crises in modern Christianity’. The advantage of this approach is that the first section gives the student a theoretical framework with which to navigate the various crises that Murphy explores. These include disputes over the nature of Scripture, problems in the relation between divine and regular action, the problem of evil, the relation to science, and the nature of humankind. One slight disadvantage is that the student is forced to look to find sections dealing with some of the more classical areas of debate, such as the various arguments for the existence of God, within each broader ‘crisis’ Murphy tackles.
This book offers a much-needed introduction to philosophy tailored especially to those students wishing to wrestle rationally with their faith, and for those serious about the task of theology. It will be useful for all students beginning that task.