Christian Commitment and Genuine Religious Inquiry

Brian Leftow considers the question whether Christians can do philosophy in a way that is intellectually honest. In class we've discussed the following competing arguments as a way of setting up those issues.

The Religious Inquiry Argument
1. All Christians are persons who ought to seek the truth about Jesus.
2. All persons who ought to seek the truth about Jesus are persons who ought to be willing to revise all of their beliefs about Jesus.
3. Therefore, all Christians are persons who ought to be willing to revise all of their beliefs about Jesus.

The Christian Commitment Argument
1. All Christians are persons who ought to commit themselves totally to Jesus.
2. If all Christians are persons who ought to commit themselves totally to Jesus, then it is not the case that all Christians are persons who ought to be willing to revise all of their beliefs about Jesus.
3. Therefore, it is not the case that all Christians are persons who ought to be willing to revise all of their beliefs about Jesus.

Given that the conclusions are contradictory, it can't be that both arguments are successful. At least one must be bad. But which? And where? And, of course, what reasons do you have for rejecting that argument?

Be sure to interact with each other. And as always, be gracious and charitable.

Megan Phelps-Roper and the Value of Philosophy

Megan Phelps-Roper

Comments Due: Sunday 11:59PM.

In class this week we've considered how studying philosophy may help us acquire intellectual goods such as liberation from ideological prisons erected by our surrounding (secular, religious) cultures and freedom from a particular kind of dogmatism.

Here's what I'd like you to do. Read this brief story about Megan Phelps-Roper (granddaughter of founder Fred Phelps) and her departure from Westboro Baptist Church:

https://medium.com/reporters-notebook/d63ecca43e35

In your view, how does Megan's story connect, if at all, to what we've been talking about in class? Are you aware of any other similar stories? What do you make of all this?