The Philosophy of Jesus [Hardcover]

Peter Kreeft (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 12, 2007

Review from Booklist - The four great philosophical questions, Kreeft says, are What is real? How can we know what is real? Who are we? and How should we live? They motivate the philosophical disciplines of metaphysics, epistemology, philosophical anthropology, and ethics, and from a Christian perspective, the answer to all four is Jesus. As God with us (Emanuel), he verifies that love is the fundamental reality. As God incarnate, he shows the truth of love, and by acting as he does we verify that truth. As perfect God and perfect human, he reveals that a person is the image of God. And the answer to the ethical question is in Jesus' injunction, Follow me, the imitatio Christi. Of course, there is more to be said on the Christian response to each question, and Kreeft does it with admirable thoroughness and conciseness, taking care to draw illustrations from tangent conceptions in other faiths, including Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam besides Judaism, which is inextricable from Christianity. Throughout, Kreeft is the quintessence of lucidity and geniality. by Ray Olson

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

The four great philosophical questions, Kreeft says, are What is real? How can we know what is real? Who are we? and How should we live? They motivate the philosophical disciplines of metaphysics, epistemology, philosophical anthropology, and ethics, and from a Christian perspective, the answer to all four is Jesus. As God with us (Emanuel), he verifies that love is the fundamental reality. As God incarnate, he shows the truth of love, and by acting as he does we verify that truth. As perfect God and perfect human, he reveals that a person is the image of God. And the answer to the ethical question is in Jesus' injunction, "Follow me," the imitatio Christi. Of course, there is more to be said on the Christian response to each question, and Kreeft does it with admirable thoroughness and conciseness, taking care to draw illustrations from tangent conceptions in other faiths, including Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam besides Judaism, which is inextricable from Christianity. Throughout, Kreeft is the quintessence of lucidity and geniality. Ray Olson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Hardcover: 168 pages
• Publisher: St. Augustines Press; 1 edition (June 12, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1587316358
• ISBN-13: 978-1587316357
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #84,985 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Peter J. Kreeft (Ph.D., Fordham University) is professor of philosophy at Boston College where he has taught since 1965. A popular lecturer, he has also taught at many other colleges, seminaries and educational institutions in the eastern United States. Kreeft has written more than sixty-seven books, including The Best Things in Life, Christianity for Modern Pagans, Fundamentals of the Faith and The Handbook of Christian Apologetics.

Dr. Kreeft's MP3 audio lectures can be purchased on Amazon, such as
"Christianity in Lord of the Rings".

Free articles, audio lectures, the speaking schedule and more info from Dr. Peter Kreeft can be found at his popular web site:
http://www.peterkreeft.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

95 of 96 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not a dry book on philosophy, but a great read, August 6, 2007

By 

Jeffrey Miller "The Curt Jester" (Jacksonville, FL) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Philosophy of Jesus (Hardcover)

George W. Bush in a presidential debate when asked who was his favorite philosopher, remarked "Jesus." He was roundly criticized for this at the time on multiple levels. Many thought it was a silly answer showing his ignorance and others that it was demeaning of Jesus. Peter Kreeft in his new book The Philosophy of Jesus explores Jesus as philosopher and explores his philosophy.

As Peter Kreeft states in the front of the book the audience for this book is both the Christian and non-Christian and I would say that the book achieves this admirably. It is also a book for both those trained in philosophy and those who know little or nothing on the subject. He defines the terms he uses along the way to ensure he leaves nobody behind. This book is also not full of technical philosophical or theological language and though while at times some of these terms are used his writing is very clear.

The book is divided into four major chapters:

* Jesus' Metaphysics (What is real?)
* Jesus' Epistemology (How do we know what is real?)
* Jesus' Anthropology (Who are we who know what is real?)
* Jesus' Ethics (What should we be to be more real?)

One of the hardest things to teach is to teach something that somebody already believes he knows. As Christians we accept the incarnation, but after a time we can talk about these mysterious things in a monotone. Peter Kreeft in his writing shows none of this tendency and presents Jesus and his teaching in fresh ways that once again invokes how you felt when you first started to believe. It is hard not to get excited once again as you read this book and for a book that deals with philosophical subjects you will be surprised how fast you are swept into the book, as if you were just doing some recreational reading from on of your favorite novelists.

This book is not the overt apologetics such as his outstanding Handbook of Christian Apologetics, but it certainly does show the philosophy of Jesus so that the non-Christian can understand it in a non-combative style and that the Christian will see the deeper dimensions of Jesus the philosopher.

So don't let the title throw you off, this is not a dry text on philosophical subjects, but a book certainly to nourish you.

38 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tiny book; HUGE questions and answers, October 5, 2007

By 

Jeri Nevermind "loves to read" (Idaho) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Philosophy of Jesus (Hardcover)

Kreeft asks the big questions--what is?, how can we know what is real?, who are we?, and then, how should we live? He points out that "philosophers have thought profoundly about these four questions for over two millennia. Why have they not found answers that are adequate, final, and universally acknowledged?" (p 9)

He finds answers in the philosophy of Jesus, and compares those answers to those that are found in other religions and by other philosophers.

Against the God of the Christians who declares "I AM" there stands the many gods of Hinduism. Kreeft finds it significant that the "East never developed a morality or a politics of human rights" (p 121). The Hebrew God was a God of absolute goodness who instituted a covenant with his people. He was infinite love.

As for what we must know and be, that is also answered by Jesus. We must know ourselves and God, and to know God we must pray.

Buddhism seeks to overcome "the reality of the subject-object dualism" (p 71). Philosophers have fallen into the trap of either materialism or pantheism. Only in Christianity and in learning to become little Christs are these problems solved.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great reminder, October 9, 2008

By 

R. Maupin Jr. - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Philosophy of Jesus (Hardcover)

The Philosophy of Jesus is written to examine the life and teachings of Jesus for His contribution to thought. Kreeft is Catholic, I am an evangelical. I don't feel it takes away from the simplicity and power of his message. This book presents, in an easy to understand way, the affect of the Christ's ministry on our lives today.