Cornelius
Van Til (May 3, 1895 – April 17, 1987) was a
Dutch-American Christian philosopher and theologian
widely regarded as one of
the most influential and innovative thinkers in the
Reformed tradition. He was
born in Grootegast, Netherlands, and immigrated to
the United States with his
family at 10. Van Til studied at Calvin College,
Calvin Theological Seminary,
Princeton Theological Seminary, and Princeton
University, where he earned his
Ph.D. in philosophy.
Van
Til is best known for his development of a
comprehensive Christian worldview known as
“presuppositional apologetics,”
which emphasizes the role of presuppositions in
shaping one's understanding of
reality. He argued that the Christian faith provides
the only coherent and
consistent foundation for knowledge and that all
other worldviews are
inherently self-contradictory.
Throughout
his career, Van Til taught apologetics at
Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia for
over 40 years. He authored
numerous books and articles, including “The Defense
of the Faith,” “A Christian
Theory of Knowledge,” and “An Introduction to
Systematic Theology.”
Van
Til's work has profoundly impacted the development
of
Reformed theology and apologetics, and his ideas
continue to be studied and
debated by theologians and philosophers today. He
passed away in 1987, leaving
behind a rich legacy of thought and scholarship that
continues to shape how
Christians engage with the world around them.
A
Review:
In
his seminal work, “The Defense of the Faith,”
Cornelius Van Til presents a comprehensive and
groundbreaking approach to
Christian apologetics. The book is a compelling and
thought-provoking
exploration of the relationship between Christian
theology and philosophy,
offering a unique perspective on defending the
Christian faith.
One
of Van Til's strengths is his emphasis on the role
of
presuppositions in shaping our understanding of
reality. He argues that all
worldviews are built upon foundational assumptions
and that the Christian faith
provides the only coherent and consistent foundation
for knowledge. Van Til's
emphasis on presuppositions has had a profound
impact on the field of
apologetics and inspired numerous scholars.
“The
Defense of the Faith” is not merely a theoretical
treatise; it is a call to action for Christians to
engage bravely and
unapologetically in the intellectual battles of our
time. Van Til challenges
believers to wield the sword of the Spirit with
boldness and confidence,
recognizing that the power of God's truth is
sufficient to demolish every
stronghold raised against it.
Another
significant contribution of ‘The Defense of the
Faith” is Van Til's development of “presuppositional
apologetics.” This method
of apologetics emphasizes the need to challenge the
underlying assumptions of
non-Christian worldviews rather than simply arguing
for the truth of
Christianity based on evidence. Van Til's approach
has been praised and
criticized, with some arguing that it is more
effective in engaging with
non-Christian worldviews, while others argue that it
can be overly
confrontational and dismissive of other
perspectives.
Moreover,
Van Til's treatment of the doctrine of God's
incomprehensibility is both profound and
informative. He cogently argues that
while God has revealed Himself to humanity, His
infinite being transcends human
comprehension. Thus, any attempt to fully grasp
God's nature must necessarily
fall short. The recognition of this humbles the
apologist and emphasizes the
necessity of dependence on divine revelation in
defending the faith.
Furthermore,
Van Til's critique of evidentialist and
classical apologetic approaches is incisive yet
charitable. He acknowledges the
valuable contributions of these methodologies while
highlighting their inherent
weaknesses and limitations. By contrast, the
presuppositional approach offers a
robust framework that exposes the bankruptcy of
opposing worldviews and
presents Christianity as the only coherent and
intellectually satisfying
worldview available.
Throughout
the book, Van Til offers a wealth of insights
and thought-provoking ideas:
“God's
self-consciousness is the principle of
individuation in the created universe. God is the
one and only ultimate
individual who exists by his own plan and for his
own glory. All created
individuality is derivative. It is, in the nature of
the case, God-centered.”
Premises:
The
self-consciousness of God is the principle of
individuation in the created universe.
God
is the one and only ultimate individual who exists
by his plan and for his glory.
All
created individuality is derivative.
Conclusion:
All
created individuality is God-centered, as it
derives from God's self-consciousness, the
ultimate individual who exists for his glory.
“The
Christian position, therefore, is that man cannot
know anything truly unless he knows God truly. And
man cannot know God truly
unless he knows him for what he is, the
self-contained ontological Trinity.”
Premises:
The
Christian position is that man cannot know
anything unless he truly knows God.
Man
cannot know God truly unless he knows him for what
he is, the self-contained ontological Trinity.
Conclusion:
In
order for man to truly know anything, he must know
God for what he is: the self-contained ontological
Trinity.
“The
Christian position is that the non-Christian
position is irrational, not because it fails to use
the right method, but
because it uses the right method wrongly. The
non-Christian method, the method
of reasoning from man as ultimate to the nature of
reality, is wrong because it
is employed by those whose hearts are at enmity
against God.”
Premises:
The
Christian position is that the non-Christian
position is irrational.
The
non-Christian position is irrational not because
it fails to use the correct method but because it
misuses the proper method.
The
non-Christian method is reasoning from man as
ultimate to the nature of reality.
The
non-Christian method is wrong because it is
employed by those whose hearts are at enmity
against God.
Conclusion:
The
non-Christian position is irrational because it
uses the method of reasoning from man as ultimate
to the nature of reality, which is wrong due to
being employed by those who are against God.
These
quotations and their logical form glimpse Van Til's
unique approach to apologetics and his emphasis on
presuppositions, the
authority of Scripture, and the all-encompassing
nature of the Christian faith.
Despite
its many strengths, “The Defense of the Faith”
has also been criticized. Some have argued that Van
Til's emphasis on
presuppositions can lead to intellectual
isolationism, where Christians are
encouraged to ignore or dismiss evidence that
contradicts their beliefs. Others
have criticized Van Til's approach as overly
philosophical and lacking in
practical application.
Some
notable theologians whom Cornelius Van Til has
influenced include:
Greg
L. Bahnsen: Bahnsen
was a prominent American Calvinist philosopher,
apologist, and debater. He was a student of Van
Til and is known for his work in Christian
apologetics, particularly “presuppositional
apologetics.” See "The Great Debate," which can be
found online between Bahnsen and Stein, for
“presuppositional apologetics” in action.
John
M. Frame: Frame
is an American philosopher and theologian who has
written extensively on Van Til's thought and its
implications for theology, apologetics, and
ethics. He is known for his work in developing a
“Tri perspectival” approach to theology, which
emphasizes the importance of considering multiple
perspectives in understanding and applying
theological concepts.
William
Edgar: Edgar
is a theologian and apologist who has written on
Van Til's thought and its relevance to
contemporary issues in theology and apologetics.
He has also contributed to the development of
“presuppositional apologetics.”
K.
Scott Oliphint: Oliphint
is a theologian and apologist who has written
extensively on Van Til's thought and its
implications for theology and apologetics. He has
also contributed to the development of
“presuppositional apologetics.”
David
VanDrunen: VanDrunen
is a theologian and legal scholar who has written
on Van Til's thought and its implications for the
relationship between theology and law.
Jason
Lisle is
an astrophysicist with a Ph.D. from the University
of Colorado at Boulder. Using his strong science
background, Dr. Lisle is now helping refute the
evolutionary account of origins. In his book
Ultimate Proof of Creation, he masterfully
displays “presuppositional apologetics” and
publicly credits Greg Bahnsen with teaching him
this.
Van
Til's thought has influenced these theologians in
various ways, and their work has contributed to the
ongoing development of his
ideas and their application to contemporary issues
in theology and apologetics.
In
layman's terms, a summary of Van Til's
“presuppositional
apologetics:”
Van
Til's presuppositional apologetics defends the
Christian faith by starting with the idea that
everyone has basic assumptions
or presuppositions about the world. These
presuppositions shape how one sees
and understands everything.
In
simple terms, imagine that one is wearing glasses
with
colored lenses. These lenses affect how one will see
the world. Van Til's
approach suggests that everyone wears these
metaphorical glasses, and they
influence how one interprets evidence, arguments,
and experiences. Evidence is
interpreted within the framework of a
worldview.
For
Van Til, the key is to challenge these
presuppositions and show that the Christian
worldview provides the best
explanation for things like morality, the existence
of the universe, and the
meaning of life. He argues that starting with the
assumption that God exists
and the Bible is true provides a solid foundation
for understanding the world.
So,
rather than trying to prove Christianity by starting
with neutral ground or trying to reason someone into
belief, “presuppositional
apologetics” aims to show that Christianity is the
only worldview that makes
sense of the world because it starts with God as the
ultimate foundation. It is
like saying, "If one puts on these glasses of
Christianity, everything
becomes clear and makes sense." Another way to
explain Van Til's
apologetics is to call it worldview apologetics, in
which the Christian
worldview is contrasted with the non-Christian
worldview, which reduces it to
absurdity.
All
non-Christian worldviews fail to account for the
laws of logic, science, and morality.
A
non-believer: someone who does not believe in the
existence of God of the Bible.
Worldview:
the colored glasses from which one views or
interprets the world.
Conclusion:
If an unbeliever cannot provide a rational basis
for the laws of logic, science, and morality, they
cannot honestly know anything based on their
worldview.
In
conclusion:
“The
Defense of the Faith” is a significant and
influential work in Christian apologetics. While it
has its critics, it has
also inspired many to develop their approaches to
defending the Christian
faith. Van Til's emphasis on presuppositions and his
development of the concept
of “presuppositional apologetics” have had a lasting
impact on the field and
continue to be debated and discussed by scholars
today. Cornelius Van Til's
work in this book is a timeless masterpiece in
Christian apologetics.
Study
to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that
needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word
of truth." (2 Timothy
2:15)
Mr.
Kettler has previously published articles in
the Chalcedon Report and Contra
Mundum. He and his
wife, Marea, attend the Westminster, CO, RPCNA
Church. Mr. Kettler is the
author of 18 books defending the Reformed Faith.
Books can be ordered online at
Amazon.