Ray Ciervo Ministries

Loving Wisdom, Chalice Press, St Louis, 2007, by Paul Copan is a must read. Dr. Copan has done what few philosophers do, no, are capable of doing. He has brought a subject: Christian Philosophy of Religion, into the language of the average church goer. This hasn’t “dumbed down” the content of the book at all, but made it accessible to people who do not have a degree in philosophy. 

I have several books occupying my bookshelf on this topic. Admittedly, most if not all, are half-read. I dislike getting bogged down in a book where you begin to think the actual weight of the book strains your hand and arms to hold it up. It becomes an effort to continue slogging through the pages. Not so with Loving Wisdom. In fact, you may find it hard to put the book down, as I did.

Two things come to mind when you read this book: First, Paul Copan really loves this subject (philosophy). And secondly more important, he loves Jesus Christ. It appears quickly that the motivation for writing this book was love of both Jesus and His wisdom. It is very refreshing.

In a day when knowledge, let alone intellectual knowledge, is not valued in the church, Dr. Copan’s contribution in Loving Wisdom is readable, informative, and hopefully provoking. Not that the subject matter is controversial, but that it would provoke us and stir us up to pursue knowing God . . . in more than experiences.

The book is laid out in a simple format that is used occasionally to explain worldviews. Major sections are God, Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Re-Creation. Although they don’t fall exactly in line with the Reformed camps, Creation, Fall, Redemption, Glorification categories, they do remind you of the similarities. However, that’s where the similarities end.

The subjects explore the need for knowing the God of the Bible, the arguments used for pointing to His existence, the problems of evil, Original Sin, Hell, the Person of Christ, to name a few. The introduction is most memorable in its exposition of what Christian philosophy is, a subject much in need.

Paul Copan has done the church a great service in Loving Wisdom. My prayer is that many people will be attracted, buy and read the book. It will serve to strengthen the church in all the right ways, growing in faith that is dependent on knowing who God is.