Philosophy? Meaning what?

Philosophy. It is one of those words we can find ourselves running away from leaving it to pedants and specialists. Of course, we can do this if we want but I’m not sure we need to.

If we look at philosophy as a description of how we live our lives or wish to live our lives, it becomes more manageable and more applicable to us. I am bringing up philosophy because it is in our Epistle Lesson for this Sunday. Paul writes in Colossians, “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ.” (Col 2:8 NRSV) This has all too often been used as a “proof text” for the anti-education faction in religious circles, and yes, such a faction exists. It has also been used by the anti-world faction, whatever “anti-world even means.

The sermon is helping us see where we might be too narrow in our definitions and usages of “philosophy,” how we might have misused this text to miss some critical lessons from outside our own religious circles, and a better way to look at the whole world.

I’m always interested in what you might have to say but perhaps, even more, this week than others.

“Philosophy” St. Mark’s Presbyterian (to download, right-click and select “Save Link As . . .”)

Blessings,