#774 Theological Method
March 13, 2022I was wondering if Dr. Craig was going to write a volume (or section) on theological method in his forthcoming series in philosophical-systematic theology? I ask because 1) there are so many issues to cover: philosophical issues in theology and science, theology and philosophy, philosophy of language, postmodern challenges to the discipline, and copious other issues in analytic epistemology (e.g. denials of correspondence theory, foundationalism, religious epistemology, etc)? and 2) Because most of these issues are outside of Dr. Craig's specializations, i.e. he isn't an epistemologist. It might be difficult for him to touch on all of the relevant philosophical issues that one encounters in the discipline of theological method, given that most of these are epistemological and he doesn't have a background in epistemology.
Thank you for your time.
Weston
United States
Dr. craig’s response
A
In a nutshell, Weston, you seem to be asking whether in my projected systematic philosophical theology (volume I of which has now been sent to the publisher for review) I’m going to be discussing issues which I am not competent to discuss!
The answer is that I shall, in fact, be discussing most of the issues you mention. Philosophical issues in theology and science will be taken up repeatedly as we consider theological doctrines (such as divine eternity) to which scientific evidence is relevant.
In my Prolegomenon to vol. I, I deal with the relation between philosophy and theology, especially the modernist claim that philosophy, in contrast to theology, is an inherently secular discipline in which divine revelation finds no place. I further examine what differentiation there might be between philosophy of religion and systematic theology, as well as the relation of these disciplines to other fields of theology such as biblical theology, historical theology, and apologetics. I also discuss issues in the philosophy of language, especially theories of reference and truth, and show how these impact certain theological doctrines like divine aseity. In the Prolegomenon I also have a section on both modernist and post-modernist challenges to objective truths about God such as Christian theology espouses. I defend the compatibility of a view of truth as correspondence and a deflationary theory of truth.
In my locus On Faith (De fide) I take up a range of issues in contemporary religious epistemology, including practical and epistemic justification, Reformed Epistemology, foundationalism, phenomenal conservatism, debunking arguments, the witness of the Holy Spirit and much more.
And I hope to do all this competently!
- William Lane Craig