Apologetics, Worldview

Reading For 4/1

Crucifixion with side panels of Saints Sebastian and Anthony. Isenheim altarpiece–closed. Image send to Robin Stolfi (Transaction : 632556596520625000) © Giraudon / Art Resource, NY / Art Resource

Our reading for this forum will be a chapter titled Worldview Thinking by the Christian Philosopher Ronald Nash. It comes from his book, Life’s Ultimate Questions: An Introduction to Philosophy.

We will discuss the chapter focusing on what a worldview is, why everyone has one, and how worldview thinking is a helpful tool for analyzing alternative views of reality.

Here are some helpful resources if you want to dig deeper:

Philosophy as Comprehensive Vision by philosopher Lewis Hahn (written for an audience of psychologists but has helpful insights on worldview thinking).

In Defense of Metaphysics by philosopher Brand Blanshard. A presentation and defense of metaphysics and worldview thinking.

From Gender Feminism to Catholicism by Kimberley Manning. Referenced by Nash as a change in worldview. Posted simply as an example.

Apologetics, Culture, Postmodernism

Readings for September 3

This month’s readings serve as an introduction to postmodernism and we will discuss some responses to it based on a classical and confessionally Christian worldview. Postmodernism’s Applied Turn comes from the book Cynical Theories by Pluckrose and Lindsay. Moreland’s chapter comes from the book Reasons for Faith and the Miller chapter is from the philosophy textbook called Questions That Matter. For our purposes, we will be most interested in the section on Postmodernism and Plantinga’s response at the end of the chapter.

Helen Pluckrose and James Lindsay, Postmodernism’s Applied Turn

J.P. Moreland, Postmodernism and Truth

Ed Miller Skepticism and Postmodernism

For further reading this article from The American Conservative is helpful: Deconstructing the Postmodern Thinkers