A critique of Heidegger's critique of Christian philosophy in the Introduction to Metaphysics

Bibliographic Data

ID20310599
AuthorsJoseph G Trabbic (0000-0003-3376-3744, Ave Maria University, corresponding author)
Year2017
Volume53
Issue1
Pages71-86
Publication date2017-03-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueReligious Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0034-4125 • E-ISSN: 1469-901X
PublisherCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s0034412515000505
OpenAlexW2288106141
LanguageEN
References cited23

Martin Heidegger argues against the possibility of Christian philosophy in his Introduction to Metaphysics . Christians, Heidegger tells us, cannot authentically ask the fundamental question of philosophy – ‘Why are there beings at all rather than nothing?’ – because they already suppose that they have an answer to this question in their Creator-God. Moreover, Christianity, says Heidegger, takes philosophy to be foolishness and, thus, would never try to answer its questions in the first place. Finally, Heidegger insists that any thoughtful questioning in a Christian context is theology and not philosophy. I argue that none of these reasons for rejecting Christian philosophy ultimately holds up. I also criticize an interpretation of Heidegger on this topic proposed by Walter Kaufmann

Contemporary philosophy · Context (archaeology) · Epistemology · Interpretation (philosophy) · Metaphysics · Nothing · Phenomenology and Existential Philosophy · Philosophy · Philosophy and Historical Thought · Philosophy, Ethics, and Existentialism

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