Good philosophy must exist, if for no other reason, because bad philosophy needs to be answered" - C.S. Lewis
The Evangelical Philosophical Society has been an important part of my personal and professional growth over the past 20 years. As a philosopher at a secular university, the work done by EPS members, the excellent scholarship in the journal and online venues, and the friendships I’ve been fortunate enough to build have been life-changing.
Fundamentally, the EPS is a movement, as Dr. William Lane Craig has often stated at our annual meeting. We are more than just an academic society; we are people dedicated to loving God who seek to do Christian philosophy with excellence in pursuit of the wisdom that is found in Christ Jesus. And we do all of this for the sake of both the church and the world, which is why we count professors, pastors, apologists, campus ministers, and laypersons as part of that movement.
But we have not yet come close to reaching our full potential. The EPS is making an impact in the academy, the church, and the world, but there is so much more that we can do. And by partnering with us, you can help us reach our goal.
Even non-professionals also see the value of this movement.
It may surprise you that one of our most significant donors has no academic affiliation or pedigree. Yet, he very much believes in the importance of Christians confidently doing philosophy. Yet one or two donors cannot stand alone. That’s why I’m asking you to join in this movement so that we can make an even bigger impact in 2024 and beyond.
Your partnership will help us accomplish the following:
- $12,000 Funding for 2-3 EPS members to participate in sessions sponsored by the EPS at each of the three American Philosophical Association meetings every year. These meetings provide an excellent venue to engage those in the wider guild, bearing witness to Christ as we do so. We’ve done panel discussions as well as having individual members present at the Eastern, Central, and Pacific meetings in recent years, but want to expand this to have a presence at every meeting, every year.
- $7,500 Funding for EPS regional meetings, including plenary speakers and student paper prizes. One way of expanding our membership is by more fully funding our regional meetings. I appreciate so much those who do the work to put these on with little to no funding. We want to bring plenary speakers to our regional meetings who will attract a wider audience and offer students some financial incentive to submit papers. It is often more feasible for many to get to a regional meeting, and we hope to grow our society through investing in the regional meetings in these and other ways.
- $30,000 Funding for expanding the international reach of the EPS. We have connections with The Tyndale Fellowship’s Study Group for Philosophy of Religion in the United Kingdom. We are also exploring some possibilities in Canada. If anyone knows individual Christian philosophers in Central or South America, please contact me. We hope to help send EPS members to conferences overseas, as well as bring philosophers from other parts of the world to our annual meeting. It would be great to see EPS conferences in Canada, Brazil, Germany, and other places around the world in future years.
- $11,500 This is the approximate cost for producing one issue of our excellent journal, Philosophia Christi. This, along with the annual and regional meetings, is one of the best things we do as a society, reaching thousands of people in the United States and around the world with excellent Christian philosophy.
Will you stand with us? Your monthly support will enable us to increase the effectiveness of your gift by keeping our costs low. We ask you to prayerfully consider a monthly gift of $100 or more, but whatever amount you are led to give will be deeply appreciated!
Finally, consider some encouraging and challenging words from a few of our long-time members and leaders:
“As one of the founders of EPS, it has been an honor and joy to see its quality and impact grow, both for good philosophy and for the Kingdom. I have made it an important matter to donate and recruit students and faculty to join and subscribe to Philosophia Christi. May I encourage you to do the same.” – J.P. Moreland, Distinguished Professor of Philosophy, Talbot School of Theology at Biola University.
“The EPS is the only evangelical society of Christian philosophers. Its witness to the Church and the world is irreplaceable. It is therefore vitally important that we, its members, facilitate its flourishing. I encourage each of us to set aside a portion of our giving to the Lord’s work to help support the work of the EPS.” – William Lane Craig, Past President of the EPS, Research Professor of Philosophy at Talbot School of Theology and Professor of Philosophy at Houston Baptist University.
“The Evangelical Philosophical Society is a community that has been a vital source of spiritual nourishment, intellectual encouragement, and professional collaboration throughout most of my philosophical development over the decades. Its first-rate journal Philosophia Christi has been a valuable resource from which I have continually drawn. I cannot emphasize enough the important and strategic role the EPS has had—and continues to have—for the academy, the church, and culture. I strongly urge you to support its endeavors through your own involvement in the society, through your subscriptions, through spreading the word to others to join, and through your much-needed financial support. And consider further promoting the EPS by giving others a gift subscription to Philosophia Christi. Thank you!” – Paul Copan, Past President of the EPS and the Pledger Family Chair of Philosophy and Ethics, Palm Beach Atlantic University (Florida)
We are an organization significantly driven by the generous giving of people’s time, talent, prayers, and financial resources and we are honored to have your support.
Thank you so much,
Mike Austin
EPS President