What are your recommendations for the best works that rigorously crititque the Enlightenment?

Am interested in a crititque of both the overarching philospohical implications of Enlightenment thinking as well as the implications such thinking had on biblical criticism.

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Joel Batts
Christ Presbyterian Church (PCA) - Memphis, TN

"Why wasn't God watching? Why wasn't God listening? Why wasn't God there for Georgia Lee?"
- Tom Waits
But you, O God, do see trouble and grief;you consider it to take it in hand. The victim commits himself to you; you are the helper of the fatherless. - Psalm 10:14

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Hermonta Godwin
Christ The King PCA
Raleigh, NC

I am not 100% sure how much use this is as I have not read it yet, but you could try R.J. Rushdoony's book To Be As God.

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Daniel Ritchie
Saintfield, Northern Ireland - Queen's University, Belfast:History/Politics
Member of Dromara Reformed Presbyterian Church of Ireland (Covenanter)

Interesting question, in grad school I had to study the Enlightenment and by the end of the course I was heartily sick of it. The Enlightenment glorified reason to the point that they wanted to get rid of religion because they felt that it wasn't reasonable! That is, they made reason their god, so of course
they had no use for the supernatural, miracles, sin, and anything that reminded them how foolish and sinful we really are.

As for critiques of it I second Rushdoony's To be as God. I have read part of it and Rushdoony boldly rips 18th, 19th and 20th century philosophers and writers although the book is not strictly a critique of the Enlightenment.

One place I recommend you try is the Intercollegiate Studies Institute Intercollegiate Studies Institute . They are largely catholic but they do have many books and articles critical of the Enlightenment.

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Diane
There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8.1
Trinity Reformed Presbyterian Church (RPCNA)
Beltsville, MD

Excellent ontological critique of Enlightenment
Amazon.com: Introducing Radical Orthodoxy: Mapping a Post-secular Theology: Books: James K. A. Smith,John Milbank

caveat emptor on Smith's "Christian Socialism."

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J. B. Atken
John Knox PCA
Layman, M.A. student at Louisiana College

Thanks for the excuse to rant...

That's why I think presuppositionalism has so much potential. The problem with the Enlightenment wasn't that they glorified reason, but that they had faulty presuppositions to start from.

For instance: The Enlightenment may reason that the miracles are unreasonable because they violate "The LAWS OF NATURE" (sounded with deep echo reverberations). The faulty presuppositions: 1) all events have a natural explanation, 2) only what can be verified by the scientific process is true 3) the presuppositions of empiricism.

I worry a disregard for "reason" is one of the backlashes from the Enlightenment. You will often hear pious sounding phrases like "mere human reason" or "God's reasoning is beyond human reasoning".. Christians have followed the trend of postmodernism into rejecting logic and objective truth - saying a too high view of "human reason" has lead to "mere intellectual belief" that lacks "heart felt trust" and "Christianity is not 'rational' - it's 'relational' ". There's a desire for a "gut level" Christianity - even if that means setting aside clear thought and reason. "After all, we are talking about faith - not reason. Right?"

I can't tell you how many times I've read that the definition of faith is "believing in something despite contrary evidence" from unbelievers and atheists. In other words, "faith is irrational belief". (And don't forget it's heartfelt belief, as if that were an excuse for being irrational). And it is sad how few Christians can respond to this because they agree with the definition.

I recently heard a Professor of apologetics say that someone can believe "intellectually" that everything in the Bible is true, yet lack saving faith. That's amazing - an unregenerate person can believe the Word of God is true? Someone who believes Jesus is the Son of God and died for the forgiveness of sins and rose again from the dead ... and is not saved!? I thought that "unbeliever" is another word for "unregenerate". How can a person believe the Word of God is true if they are unregenerate? Impossible.

I could go on and on. But I'll get off my soapbox. I might have upset the sensitivities of a few people who read this.

P.S. And the problem isn't "autonomous human reasoning" despite what Bahnsen says. A modus tollens is a modus tollens whether one is a Christian or an atheist.

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R. Anthony Coletti
Midway Presbyterian Church (PCA)
Jonesborough, TN
[i]et venite et arguite me dicit Dominus[/i]

What about the devils who believe said propositions and yet tremble?

How much of American culture is still affected by the Enlightment? And how much has now been changed by this postmodernism stuff?

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Pergamum


"If a commission by an earthly king is considered a honor, how can a commission by a Heavenly King be considered a sacrifice?"
-- David Livingstone

Do they believe Jesus is the Son of God?

The demons are certainly monotheists - which is a step in the right direction (for a person). But that belief is only sufficient to justify fearing God. And even if they believed the whole of Scripture, they are demons. The "good news" is bad news for demons.

As a young Christian I was greatly helped by Francis Schaeffer's 'Escape From Reason'. It made me hungry for more.

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Independent Reformed Baptist Church (NE England, nr. Durham)