What Is the Current Status of the Renaissance of Christian Philosophy?

In January of 2019, Dr. Craig was invited to sit down with Erik Thoennes of Grace Evangelical Free Church in La Mirada, California for a casual conversation. This candid interview is full of stories, insights, and commentary, including an engaging question and answer session at the end. In this short clip, Dr. Craig responds to a question regarding the importance, influence, and rise of Christian philosophy.

For the entirety of the discussion and Q&A time watch here:

We welcome your comments in the Reasonable Faith forums:

[XYisnotXX]

To the man himself Dr. William Lane Craig, thankyou for all and everything. As long as there are people like you our faith will never be in vain and Christianity will never fail. Greetings from Ireland. I am devastated I missed you when you were here in 2017, I wasnt aware of you being here at the time.

[MLeoM]

I agree with the first thanking before the question, I totally feel the

[rickintexas]

It is a good time to be a Christian. We have people like Dr. Craig, and many others to thank for this.

[matthewbateman]

I don't deny that this is true - because Christianity is indeed reasonable..
Scarily, though, what I have found is that our target audience of secularly minded atheists and agnostics is simply increasingly hostile toward reason. I feel like so many Christians (and other theists) employed philosophy to connect in a different, sensible way with non-Christians, and subtly in response, reason is being abandoned to this hyper-individualized, 'define my own reality' sort of subjectivism.

[godzillader]

This greatly encourages me to further my studies in apologetics and the performance arts. God has called me to do both, and this video has greatly encouraged me in the direction God has set before me. Thank you Dr. Craig, God bless you!

[julienandre]

There were quite a few Christian philosophers/theologians in the UK in the mid 20th century.

[clarkharney]

My Master’s degree is in history so I plan to teach history, because in relation to time and knowledge; the past is all we know. My first undergraduate degree was in Bible & Theology, with a minor in General Ministry. My second undergraduate degree is in Analytical Philosophy, with a minor in Analytical Psychology. Eventually after my M.A. Thesis, acceptance to a community college, and first year of teaching history at college, I plan to take direction, inspiration, & guidance from faculty before starting on doctoral research in order to teach History and Philosophy of Science at College or University level in order to inform how science began, how it had developed, how it has transformed society, & molded minds. I want to teach students how they can love & appreciate their past and how the key individuals, forces of war, social-behavior, economical aspects, religious, & philosophical proponents in history over time has helped shape us into who and what we are today. I want to train students to propagate the moral claims of the West & increase their knowledge of ancient to modern science influences & frameworks in order to inspire our future teachers and leaders. In the personal respective world-views, commutative scientific research, new discovery, new creative ways of thinking, & increased innovation in student’s respective fields I hope to be an encouragement and aid in helping students grow in both knowledge and truth.

[fesimco]

"Recent 'pew' studies" I see what you did there. :P

[mmaphilosophytheologyscien]

We need Christians who double major in science, and something else like theology or philosophy. We need more scientists, and apparently we’re doing much better in philosophy departments

[KPGill-ylge]

What if, instead of trying to argue people into faith, Evangelicals used philosophy to "reach out" to themselves and save themselves from lives that seem to most thoughtful people to be emotionally superficial, morally and politically corrupt, and all-around unappealing?

[bumblyjack]

Christian philosophers should consider taking aim at pantheism. Many of the arguments against atheism are effective there, too.

[pamarks]

I used to agree with this, now I see through it. There will never be a renaissance of Christian Philosophy until Christian Philosophers start concerning themselves primarily with justice and beauty, and analytic arguments through that concern. NOT the other way 'round. This supposed renaissance comes while 'Christian' Philosophers are largely right wing. It's a sham--merely a renaissance in arguments for theism.

[TheMirabillis]

The only people that Christian Philosophy and Christian Apologetics can be a benefit to are the Elect or chosen people of God.

Molinism ( which William Lane Craig adheres to ) is the same as Calvinism, in that, God has unconditionally chosen to create the Elect and the Non Elect. Ultimately, no one has any say in who goes to Heaven and who goes to Hell except God.

Christian Philosophy and Christian Apologetics is just preaching to the choir as it can only be of benefit to them.

[eltonron]

There will be no real renaissance, without ejecting Sunday keeping for the Sabbath, eliminating graven images, and public prayer.

[LordOfThePancakes]

Lol God isn’t real, it’s literally a character from European mythology about an evil sorcerer, who talks to snakes & turtles, summons giant armies of crickets to attack the townspeople’s crops, casts spells of evil spirits who feast on the souls of the 1st born, and has an undead zombie apprentice who rose from the grave & rides a donkey into town to declare his glory😂🤣🤣🤣

[melvinhathorn]

Your support of trump has driven me away from the church. You have sold out to Putin!