So today I am thinking about foundations. The Bible has a lot to say about foundations. Paul said he preferred to preach in places that had not yet heard the gospel so that he would not have to build on another man’s foundation. Then he instructed the Corinthians to be careful how they built on his foundation so that their work would be shown to be of high quality when it was tested by fire.
One of my fondest memories of college is my Introduction to Philosophy class. I relished reading those thinkers who had gone before me and having the chance to discuss their thoughts guided by a professor who took pleasure in introducing them to his student’s young minds. Sadly, I have forgotten much of what I read and when I try to read them now, I find they are too difficult for the dull instrument my mind has become.
I am trying to keep my mind keen however. One thing that I enjoy that helps me with this is the Mars Hill Audio Series. It is a monthly audio magazine that features current writers discussing how Christianity relates to various topics like music, economics, etc. However, as I listen and they bring up philosophers like Locke and Aquinas (both of whom I read in college), I have no idea what they are alluding to. They talk about it as if saying “this is very much like Locke” is like saying, “you know, it’s like the color brown” and the listener should automatically have a much broader understanding of the topic at hand. It always leaves me confused and feeling a little bit stupid but at the same time, I feel informed, encouraged, and inspired by the discussions.
In order to overcome this deficit in my ability to reason properly, I think I would like to audit that Philosophy class at Oklahoma Christian. I’m sure that it would be very different than it was 25 years ago. That would probably be an education in itself. But I think it would be a good way to reintroduce myself to the thinkers who have laid the rich foundation that we benefit from today.
I wonder how much of the economic and moral morass that our nation finds itself in would have been averted by an understanding of our philosophical foundations. Our founding fathers did not come to the conclusions that the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Declaration of Independence are based upon in a vacuum. Most of them had been well trained in philosophy and theology. This foundation enabled them to think clearly about the very serious repercussions of their actions. How many of our current politicians have this foundation and what difference would it make if they did? For that matter, how many of our preachers know the foundations of their philosophies and theologies? Are we building on sand or on the rock?
