Christian Philosophy and Christ Crucified

Abstract

What is distinctive about Christian philosophy? The history of Christian philosophy does not offer a consensus answer, and much of this history fails to offer a definite answer. One result is a widespread lack of understanding of what this Christian discipline consists of. In this chapter, Paul K. Moser contends that genuine Christian philosophy is Christ-shaped in putting the person of the crucified Christ at its center. Moser draws from the personalism of the apostle Paul regarding divine wisdom to clarify what is distinctive in Christian philosophy. He characterizes the relevant evidence for God in Christ crucified as scandalous power in its being contrary to human expectations. He also finds that the evidence is fragmentary relative to an adequate “worldview,” because it fails to answer many pressing questions, including many questions about unjust suffering. Moser names “resurrectionitis” as part of the problem: that is, an emphasis on the divine power of resurrection to the relative neglect of Christ crucified.