Praise for Philosophy for Believers
Here is a book that belongs on the shelf of anyone who wishes to explore the subject of religious faith seriously. With great thoroughness and impressive precision, Dr. Vick examines the philosophical foundations of belief. This work is a marvelous corrective to those who see faith as antithetical to human reason. I commend it as a resource to those who work in the area of the church’s educational ministry with either adolescents or adults. It provides the kind of resource the church needs at the local level and serves as a wonderfully practical guide for those who teach both inquirers and those who want to move deeper into an understanding of faith. My kudos to Dr. Vick for yet another commendable work in a most distingushed career!
Rev. Dr. Robert R. LaRochelle
Pastor, Second Congregational Church, Manchester, CT
Author of Crossing the Street, So Much Older Then … and Part-Time Pastor, Full-Time Church
In this book readers will not find a parade of what philosophers think about God, or an argument for beliefs that are philosophically sound. Rather, they are invited to go through the paces required to assess any belief in terms of its relations with its sources, with knowledge and with truth. This is a clear and helpful introduction to becoming an intelligent believer. Even if the main concern is to help those who believe in God, the book provides to all those who believe something about anything equal opportunities for enlightenment. As a tutor for believers who wish to enhance their understanding of how their faith stands under scrutiny, Philosophy for Believers is a unique resource. It is a serious book for serious readers.
Herold Weiss, Ph.D.
Author of Creation in Scripture, Finding My Way in Christianity and many other books
Professor Emeritus of New Testament
St. Mary’s College, Notre Dame
There is a certain amount of frustration I have with Edward Vick. As with most useful things you find later in life, either yours or theirs, the discovery becomes frustrating when you know your own development would have benefited from having them in your life earlier. With each book by Vick, my intellectual appreciation for him and his own intellect has grown. This book is no different. While it may not be for the casual reader, Vick writes to deeply motivated thinkers, who seek out the great questions, and provides a path for them to travel – to do philosophy as believers. Vick stands on the shoulders of the great philosophers of the past – and gives us something of a view of the future. He is methodical, patterned, and intentional. Each word, sentence, and passage is carefully chosen to deliver to the reader, to the novice philosopher holding the book, a careful and essential understanding of just what value philosophy holds for the believer.
Joel Watts
UnsettledChristianity.com
Author of Mimetic Criticism and the Gospel of Mark and
editor of From Fear to Faith
PHILOSOPHY FOR BELIEVERS
Every one of us has many and varied beliefs
Edward W. H. Vick
Energion Publications
Gonzalez, Florida
2013
Copyright © 2013, Edward W. H. Vick
Unless otherwise marked, all scriptures are translated by the author.
Scriptures marked A. V. are from the King James Version also known as the Authorised Version.
Scriptures marked RSV are taken from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Cover Design: Henry Neufeld
Aer.io: 978-1-63199-660-3
Kobo: 978-1-63199-661-0
Print:
ISBN10: 1-938434-54-4
ISBN13: 978-1-938434-54-9
Library of Congress Control Number: 2013942940
Energion Publications
P. O. Box 841
Gonzalez, FL 32560
850-525-3916
energionpubs.com
Preface
We are all believers. Every one of us has many and varied beliefs. We seldom think about this most interesting fact, concerned as we are with what we are, at the moment, believing. You, the reader, could very easily provide many examples. Pick up any book or newspaper. There you will have myriad opportunities to address the question, ‘Can I believe that?’ You will often find yourself saying, ‘But that I can’t believe!’ When you find examples of what you can believe, you will, given a little thought, realise that you have a further belief: namely , ‘I believe that what I believe is reasonable.’ Or contrariwise, ‘I believe that what I cannot believe is either unreasonable or not established.’ So what do we believe about what we believe and about the act of believing? That is our fascinating and intricate question.
This book is intended to be an introduction to themes that concern anyone who thinks about belief, any kind of belief but in particular Christian belief. In the first instance that will be those who hold some such beliefs. But these are not the only ones who are interested in the philosophical issues which the existence of a theistic faith raises. Indeed it is often the non-believers who have the edge over the frequenters of the pew, when it comes to more consistent and prolonged thinking. This writing is for them too.
Simply let’s say it is an introduction to some themes that interested persons will face and hopefully will find profitable to consider seriously. Observations that apply generally to belief will also apply to religious belief. So the writing is of general interest in elucidating those widely applicable general philosophical principles, and illustrating them in different ways. The term ‘believer’ has both general and specific meaning. All are believers. Some are religious believers.
The aim of the book is to state clearly some of the basic issues. If the writer achieves clarity of presentation, that does not mean that the themes will simply roll off the page into the mind of the reader. At certain points, real effort will be needed. A paragraph well understood is therefore better than a chapter skimmed and forgotten. A point well digested is progress and leads to further progress.
With each chapter, we try to provide incentives to exercise the grey cells. We do this by suggesting questions for reflection, discussion and for exercise with the pen. Write something and then hold it up for scrutiny! With some of the early chapters, we provide extensive vocabulary to suggest how the process of understanding might begin: by mastering the terms. At any rate, we shall hope that that is the way the process will also end. But we are always in media res. It is well to remember that and keep moving forward.
1 INTRODUCTION
Examining Beliefs
Discussing Issues
Why Be Interested in Philosophy
Understanding Faith
Argument and Proof
Where Are You?
1 Introduction:
Preliminary, Why Philosophy?
We all have many and varied beliefs. You are an individual and you think about a whole range of interesting subjects some of which are not of particular concern to other people. Your range of interest is both wider and narrower than that of other people.
As you persist you will find that much serious, productive and illuminating work has been done by philosophers in their thinking about subjects central and related to your beliefs. This is the case, even if they are not thinking specifically of particular kinds of