The Essentials of Christian Thought: Seeing Reality through the Biblical Story

by Roger E. Olson

Or at least, such an outlook should unite Christians of all theological and church backgrounds. However, alternate visions of reality often infect and corrupt Christians' thinking.

In The Essentials of Christian Thought, eminent theologian and church historian Roger Olson outlines the basic perspective on the world that all Christians, regardless of the place and time in which they are born, have historically held. This underlying metaphysic accords with all orthodox theologies, whether Calvinist or Arminian, Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, or Protestant, but it separates Christianity from other religious and secular perspectives. It is, quite simply, the essential requirement of a Christian view of the world.

Bold and incisive, The Essentials of Christian Thought will prompt thoughtful readers and students to more consciously appropriate the core of their faith, guarding against ideas that subtly but necessarily invite compromise.

Genres: Theology, Christian, Philosophy, Christianity, History, Religion

252 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 14, 2017

About the author

Roger E. Olson (PhD, Rice University) is professor of theology at George W. Truett Theological Seminary, Baylor University. He is a prolific author whose volumes include The Story of Christian Theology and The Mosaic of Christian Belief. He is also coauthor of 20th-Century Theology. Olsen identifies as an Arminian and a Baptist.

Reviews

[Laurie]

-The point is to emphasize that ultimate reality is a personal God who acts, shows, and speaks.

-essentials of Christian thought refers to bedrock Christianity in terms of worldview, life and world perspective, the Bible’s implicit understanding of the nature and meaning of life and reality, and basic Christian philosophy—that which lies underneath and undergirds as a foundation the truths explicitly revealed in the Bible and tenaciously held by Christians for two thousand years. It is what every Christian should think about the reality behind everyday appearances, but many don’t. Why don’t they? Again, because they have been confused by the plethora of competing visions of reality in culture.

-cultural pluralism and a cultural emphasis on tolerance that often implies relativism seduces many Christians to create their own syncretistic blends of life and world philosophies—answers to life’s ultimate questions. Out of this set of problems arises a situation where Christians increasingly need guidance back to a basic biblical-Christian view of reality-behind-appearances.

-From a biblical-Christian perspective the reason why it is right to treat persons as ends in themselves and never as means to an end (in other words, not to manipulate and oppress them to enhance one’s own happiness) is because they are created in the image and likeness of ultimate reality—the personal Creator God of the universe.

-The thesis there will be that in this postmodern age every philosophy is rooted in some story and tradition based on it, and that for the Christian “the Bible absorbs the world”—the biblical story, narrative, is the lens through which the Christian sees reality as God’s good creation (for example).

-coming to see reality as, coming to hold a certain blik or world perspective, is never just a matter of evidence or reason; it usually happens in a kind of “Aha!” moment that Ramsey referred to as “the penny dropping.” Suddenly a person sees the drawing as a duck and not as a rabbit. Both ways of seeing it are plausible. People who look at it are looking at the same thing even if, as often happens, they interpret it, see it as, entirely different. It is not permitted, in post-Wittgensteinian philosophy, to say that only one way of seeing it as is meaningful or valid. Both are. And yet, one must not say two people who see it as something different are both right. That is the error of relativism which Wittgenstein never intended even if some of his radical interpreters (and many lazy postmoderns!) took him to that extreme.

[Paul Bruggink · Rating 4 out of 5]

Roger Olson describes this book as a guide to deeper thinking about God and the universe, including our own existence, and to avoiding syncretism. It is for ordinary Christians untutored in philosophy or theology. It does not presuppose previous training in philosophy or theology. “This is not a book of Christian apologetics; its purpose and goal is only to explicate biblical-Christian philosophy which . . . will often turn out to be contrary to Greek metaphysics.” (p. 23)

This book is an attempt to discern and explain the definite but sometimes hidden metaphysic of the Bible. “The hiddenness of certain truths within the Bible is not intentional; it is due to the fact that God and his human authors simply told a story; they did not deliver a book of philosophy or theology.” (p. 11) “The concern of this book is not doctrine per se. The concern is to explore and explain basic Christian metaphysics, the biblical perspective on reality.” (p. 224)

On each topic (ultimate reality, God, and the world ), Olson discusses the biblical-Christian perspective and alternative perspectives: monism, emanationism, dualism, naturalism, and panentheism. He argues that the biblical-Christian view best fits reality.

Throughout his book Olson references the works of French Catholic philosopher and theologian Claude Tresmontant and Americam Protestant scholar Edmond La Beaume Cherbonnier, as well as Swiss Protestant theologian Emil Brunner. Olson, like them, believes that just as theologians can construct a systematic theology from the collection of stories that is the Bible, philosophers can construct a biblical-Christian worldview. Both Tresmontant and Cherbonnier argued very cogently that the biblical philosophy is holistic, not requiring supplementation by extrabiblical philosophies (which is not to say that those are all untrue in every aspect), and that the biblical philosophy is fundamentally contrary to Greek philosophies.

Olson discusses six areas in which Greek-inspired metaphysical philosophies fall short of biblical Christian thinking about reality.

First, in the biblical ultimate reality, God is conceived as a being who is voluntarily related and influenced by his creation, and yet the Bible maintains a clear distinction between God and creation, whereas Greek-inspired philosophies always tend to both blur the distinction between ultimate reality and non-ultimate reality and depict ultimate reality as unrelated and uninfluenced by finite beings.

Second, biblical philosophy portrays creatures’ knowledge of God as received through communication from God or his agents, thereby making human knowledge of God dependent on God, whereas in Greek philosophies, rational contemplation is capable of achieving positive knowledge of ultimate reality; such knowledge is never made dependent on revelation.

Third, in biblical reality, salvation is not simply an unveiling of identity but a restoring of relationship, not through reason or mystical contemplation as in Greek philosophy but through grace and faith.

Fourth, whereas Greek philosophy tends to emphasize individuality in relating to the infinite, in the biblical worldview, no person is an island and God—ultimate reality—makes covenants with people, and people relate to God in and through relationships with each other.

Fifth, biblical metaphysics is a metaphysics of love, not union. It requires relationship and not identity, whereas Greek philosophy views love as union, even identity, rather than personal relationship.

Sixth, whereas Greek philosophy elevates rational knowing as primary, biblical philosophy emphasizes the heart and the will in relationship with ultimate reality and the good. “Knowing” with the mind is not primary; what is primary is the orientation of the heart, the will of the knower.

The book includes an appendix which discusses a model for faith-learning integration that is primarily intended for faculty and staff at Christian colleges and universities.

Olson’s book has no bibliography or index, but is fortunately blessed with footnotes instead of cursed with endnotes.

I recommend this book to any Christian who wants to better understand the philosophical foundation of biblical Christianity.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book. Clear thinking found here. One reviewer characterized it as an attempt to push post-liberal theology. I disagree. The author is not attempting to push any particular theological stance but brings a meaningful critique of several at various points. Presents a really helpful discussion of how a biblical Christian metaphysic is needed in response to the overreach of philosophical naturalism in western culture. An appendix on the integration of faith and learning is so helpful. Highly recommended.

[Donald Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The main thesis of this book is that there is a Christian metaphysic, an underlying view of reality that shapes God's revelation in the Bible. Dr. Olson does an excellent job of laying out his case for this proposition, showing the weaknesses of other philosophies as compared to the Biblical one. He also shows how secular/pagan philosophies have influenced Christian thought negatively. (This discussion is necessarily in survey form, so the reader may want to study other writers for more details.)

The main purpose of the book is found in the appendix, where Olson discusses what he calls Faith/Learning Integration. He thinks the Biblical metaphysic should inform all Christian education and shape the students view of the world. I certainly agree with this point of view.

Where I would differ with Dr. Olson is on the subject of inerrancy as well as on exactly which notions are "established scientific fact." Olson will say the Bible is infallible, but that it isn't always literally true (I hope I am stating his view correctly). I would say the Bible is inerrant, and all that it affirms is true (it does include some lies of Satan for example, as quotations). Olson also seems to accept the long ages of the earth proposed by most geologists, for example, but I don't believe we must accept these theories as facts.

Nevertheless, the main thesis of the book is well taken and taught in such a way that I think it is very valuable for all Christians to read.

[Carole Duff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Baylor University Professor of Theology Roger E. Olson surveys the underpinnings of Western philosophy as compared to the ultimate reality of Christianity. His goal is to combat syncretism, beliefs about reality from other worldviews foreign to and in conflict with the Bible’s worldview unwittingly absorbed by Christians. His book is a guide to the basic philosophy of the Bible. In the appendix, Olson offers a model for integrating faith and learning. He starts with the assumption that all truth belongs to God. This doesn’t mean that all theories are true or from God, and it doesn’t rule out human research to discover truth and create knowledge. There are not two truths, but there are boundaries. Theology should not interfere with the framing of scientific theories and hypotheses, and science should not embrace naturalism, the claim that nature is all there is, the only reality. A fascinating read, best taken slowly.

[Po5fn7 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Engaging

Excellent discussion of Christian worldview in today’s secular world. I take strong exception to what I see from the new perspective on Paul regarding anything like a collective salvation and a tendency to denigrate individualism. In a real sense we are born alone, saved alone, and we die alone. And that is regardless of the witnesses present. we are saved by Christ alone, and he is the high priest of our faith. I may be misreading Olson and others, so I will spend more time understanding what np is actually saying. But Roger Olson is impressive. I greatly enjoyed reading and interacting with this very worthwhile book.

[Richard Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Olson's book is an attempt at outlining a foundational Christian philosophy. He largely succeeds. Olson argues that many Christians, and most tragically, those in Christian liberal arts education, do not know the basic Christian worldview. They syncretically develop materialistic or other philosophical worldviews combined with an eclectic appropriation of Christian beliefs. This weakens the church and individual believers. Olson's development of a basic Christian philosophy is robust but not overdrawn. I highly recommend this book.

[George · Rating 2 out of 5]

As the author himself describes it, this is a work pushing ‘postliberal theology’.

Throws out classical theism for being too philosophical and endorses a watered down, comprehensible version of God.

Has some good critiques of other worldviews, though.

[Randy Starkey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Biblical Metaphysics Examined Well

Great book on the concept of Biblical Metaphysics and how our thinking needs to be clear in this area. A higher view than just doctrine. Well written.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Deep Read on

This book is not casual reading. Olson dives deep into metaphysics and philosophy. Lots of topics covered. Be prepared to think.

[Randy Corn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A compact book on the Christian world view and how we got it. Good brief description of the currents of philosophical thought. Well worth reading.

[Todd Miles · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a solid, though repetitive book. Olson does a fine job outlining the essentials of a Christian metaphysic. As is often the case in contemporary Christian thought, he is overly critical of the history of Christian metaphysics, laying too much guilt at the feet of Greco-Roman philosophy.
I have a couple concerns.
First, he needlessly bases much of his writing on the work of a couple of men from the past who sought to develop a biblical metaphysic. Olson could have better accomplished his task by quoting more Bible and less Tresmontant and Cherbonnier. Those two sought to develop a "biblical" metaphysic, but Olson's citation of them asserting that is what they were doing is different than actually arguing from Scripture for a metaphysic.
Second, for anyone who has read Olson in the past, one already knows that he is strongly Arminian. That is well and good. His antipathy to Calvinism is well established. Olson makes it through most of the book without lapsing into his typical diatribes against determinism. But in the end, it seems he cannot help himself and in the last of the seven interludes he shifts into full blast mode with all of the problems (strawmen, misrepresentation, non-sequitur reasoning, lack of generosity) that are typical of his criticisms of Calvinism. It was an unfortunate and unnecessary addition to his book.
The appendix on integration of faith and science is very helpful. He speaks from much experience and with much wisdom.

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, a book on Christian philosophy, and I read it! This book deals with metaphysics, hard stuff to get your mind around. Roger Olsen sets out to draw out what is the biblical view of metaphysics and separate this from other philosophical views that have crept into Christianity. I found the book a little unorganized as it went back to the same topic more than once. It might also have been helpful to outline the biblical metaphysics all in one appendix.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to follow.