Course · PHI 310

Philosophy of Christian Thought

A survey of major Christian philosophers — Plantinga, C.S. Lewis, Geisler, and Schaeffer — with emphasis on Schaeffer's body of work.

Credits
3 Credits
Level
Undergraduate
Format
Lecture + discussion
Typical Terms
Spring

Course Description

PHI 310 surveys the philosophy of Christian thought through four influential twentieth-century voices: Alvin Plantinga, C.S. Lewis, Norman Geisler, and Francis Schaeffer. The course pays particular attention to Schaeffer's writings, treating his cultural and apologetic project as a sustained example of Christian philosophy doing real public work.

Across the four thinkers, students engage the major questions Christian philosophy keeps returning to: the rationality of belief in God, the relationship between faith and reason, the coherence of Christian truth claims, and the church's intellectual engagement with the surrounding culture. PHI 310 closes out the philosophical side of the BA's Theology Concentration core, pairing with BIB 326 Historical Theology to give students both the long historical conversation and a focused look at four of the most important modern voices in it.

Prerequisites

  • None

Corequisites

  • None

Learning Outcomes

1

Engage Plantinga's Project

Work through Alvin Plantinga's contributions to Christian philosophy, especially on the rationality of belief in God.

2

Read C.S. Lewis Philosophically

Study Lewis as a philosopher of Christian thought, not just as a popularizer of theology.

3

Examine Geisler's Apologetics

Engage Norman Geisler's systematic approach to defending Christian truth claims.

4

Trace Schaeffer's Cultural Project

Work through Francis Schaeffer's body of work as Christian philosophy doing public work.

5

Connect Philosophy to Theology

Apply philosophical reasoning to theological questions facing the contemporary church.

Biblical Worldview Connection

A Biblical Worldview takes Christian thinking seriously enough to engage it philosophically — examining the rationality of belief, the coherence of doctrine, and the church's responsibility to engage culture with intellectual care. PHI 310 brings four modern voices into that conversation and asks students to think alongside them rather than just learn about them.

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PHI 310 brings Christian philosophy into focus through four influential voices. Explore the programs that include it.