On Moser’s Christ-Centered Metaphilosophy

Paul K. Moser has produced several publications in which he has issued challenges with a purpose to reorient philosophy, in general, and Christian philosophy, in particular. He makes a distinction between doing philosophy in a “discussion” and in an “obedience” mode. His call is to reorient philosophy from merely doing it in a discussion mode to an obedience mode without altogether jettisoning a discussion mode.

In this paper, I introduce an idea, inspired by Moser’s distinction of two modes of doing philosophy. I call a mode of doing philosophy, especially fitting for Christian philosophy, an obedient discussion mode of doing philosophy (“Obedient discussion” can be contrasted with mere discussion or just discussion per se).

Obedient discussion recognizes that some discussion as a mode of doing philosophy can be and is obediently done under the authority of the Lord Jesus. This notion is intended to subsume discussion, at least some discussion, under an obedience mode of doing philosophy.

On this proposal, an obedience mode of doing philosophy inherently involves a discussion mode of doing philosophy. I reject the idea that the discussion mode, in most cases of philosophy done by Christian philosophers, consists only in mere discussion without involving any obedience. I also distinguish two senses of obedience such that these two senses of obedience capture what a Christian philosopher does as a Christian philosopher and as a disciple of the Lord.

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