Rethinking Christian Philosophy: Adriaan Peperzak’s Contributions

Abstract

This paper argues that Adriaan Theodoor Peperzak’s recent writings make substantive contributions to rethinking the issue of Christian philosophy today. I present Peperzak’s view of philosophy’s contemporary situation and the failures of the modern project of an entirely autonomous philosophy. Christian philosophy reflects on the relationship between philosophy and Christian faith, focused on all aspects of concrete human existence, reorienting philosophy towards recovery of its fuller scope. Three key contributions Peperzak makes are: reexamining the relationship between philosophy, the natural and the supernatural; highlighting and phenomenologically describing affectivity’s importance; and, indicating Christian philosophy’s grounding in dialogue, tradition and community.