Does Philosophy Hinder Faith?

“Come, let us reason together.” – Isaiah 1:18.

Is the Bible self-explanatory? By that, I mean, is Scripture self-contained, or can our understanding of it be augmented by philosophy? These questions are of significant interest within that subset of theology known as exegesis.

This essay will argue that philosophy can be an invaluable tool in understanding God and Catholicism. To that end, I will explore the nature of exegesis and the relationship between the Bible and philosophy. Finally, I will suggest that the same divine light illuminates both.

The Nature Of Exegesis

“Since God speaks in sacred Scripture through men in human fashion, the interpreter of sacred Scripture, in order to see clearly what God wanted to communicate to us, should carefully investigate what meaning the sacred writers really intended, and what God wanted to manifest by means of their words.” – Dogmatic Constitution of Divine Revelation.

Exegesis comes from the Greek and is generally understood as a critical explanation and interpretation of the Bible (though the term can be applied to any text). It is, therefore, that branch of theology that investigates and expresses the true sense of Sacred Scripture.

The one engaged in this practice is guided and limited by several considerations. First, exegesis does not entail determining which books constitute the biblical canon, nor does it entail investigating their authenticity or authorship. Rather, the exegete accepts the books that the concurrent testimony of history and ecclesiastical authority attest to as belonging to the Bible.

Having delineated upon what exegesis is not or is at least limited by, we may define it as an effort to expound on the meanings of the biblical text by use of tradition, archaeology, history, and criticism.

Can philosophy aid in this practice, or is it detrimental to understanding God’s word?

Does Philosophy Conflict With The Bible?

It seems that philosophy not only conflicts with the Bible but is actually detrimental to spiritual development. Saint Paul warns Catholics to “See to it that no one captivate you with an empty, seductive philosophy according to human tradition, according to the elemental powers of the world and not according to Christ.” (Colossians 2:8).

To examine the potential conflict, it is beneficial to provide a brief explanation of what philosophy actually is. Philosophy is defined as the love of wisdom. In turn, wisdom is generally understood to be the application of experience, knowledge, and sound judgment to specific actions. As a subject matter, philosophy takes in all of reality. Within the purview of philosophy are subjects such as what existence itself is (metaphysics), what is being (ontology), what values are specifically human (ethics), reasoning (logic), and the nature of knowledge (epistemology).

Applying this definition to a biblical context, wisdom – as a product of philosophy – may be said to be the reverent knowledge and application of God’s truth so that one may discern right from wrong and live according to God’s will. Indeed, in that very same epistle to the Colossians in which he warns about philosophy, Paul writes, “We do not cease praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.” (Italics mine).

How can these two apparently contradictory views of philosophy and biblical teaching be reconciled?

Complimentary, Not Contradictory

There are four points or aspects of the biblical warning about philosophy that need to be examined in detail.

First, Scripture warns against an “empty deceit” or a kind of sophistry that fails to provide the fullness of truth. While it may appear to inform us of what constitutes a good life, this type of philosophy leads one away from Christ and the eternal happiness of heaven.

The second type of philosophy is that which is based wholly on human traditions. It is perilous because the practice of this philosophy is completely severed from God. Put simply, a philosophy predicated entirely on human reason and tradition fails to account for the will of God. Modern secularism is an exemplar of this.

The third type of philosophy is reasoning that is “according to the elemental principles of the world.” Elemental principles are ideas or philosophical systems, such as astrology, pagan rituals, and positive laws, that people adhere to instead of following divine guidance. One sees echoes of this in the New Age movement.

The last caution is a philosophy that places itself in opposition to or is not derived from Christ. Recent philosophers such as Friedrich Nietzsche, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Albert Camus reflect this type of philosophy. Although it must be admitted that Camus’ views on religion are complex.

Therefore, the philosophy Paul warns against is a specific type, one severed from God, while the love of wisdom, rooted in truth, remains a vital path to divine knowledge.

The Divine Light

Simply put, philosophy is an invaluable tool in any comprehensive understanding of the Bible and Catholicism. The reason is that the same divine light that illuminated the biblical authors can, if God’s grace is accepted, illuminate the mind of philosophers. To that end, philosophy fulfills the command to love God with one’s mind. (Matthew 22:37). Moreover, philosophy provides Catholics with copious intellectual arguments against the faith while providing ways to think more clearly about their beliefs. It is possible, therefore, to enumerate five specific ways in which philosophy can benefit Catholics.

First, philosophy is essential to clarifying Catholic theology by providing insights and language for aspects of the faith, such as what a person is, what an essence is, and the meaning of a substance. Philosophy can also provide insight into Catholic terms such as the hypostatic union and transubstantiation. These philosophical concepts are critical in understanding the Creeds that are foundational to Catholicism.

Second, philosophy can show the rationality of faith. It does this by offering logical arguments to support the biblical data and by answering objections to Catholicism and the existence of God.

Third, it supports deeper readings of the Bible, allowing for a much greater understanding of the biblical authors’ intent. For example, philosophy can provide insight into the spiritual, allegorical, moral, and anagogical senses that are essential to biblical interpretation.

Similarly, philosophy can contextualize the Bible as both a divine and human book, using reason to appreciate its historical context and human authors while upholding its divine inspiration.

Finally, philosophy aids in understanding the moral teaching elucidated in the Bible. Ethical concepts such as conscience, free will, and responsibility can be examined more deeply utilizing philosophical means.

Conclusion

The universe we inhabit was made and continues to be sustained by the Logos or reason of God. It is because the universe is imbued with intelligibility and because our minds are capable of reason that we can seek God.

By discerning the difference between wisdom rooted in secularism and that illuminated by grace, we see that philosophy is not a rival to Scripture, but a powerful instrument for revealing the divine intelligibility imbued in creation.