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A critique of Heidegger's critique of Christian philosophy in the Introduction to Metaphysics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 October 2015

JOSEPH G. TRABBIC
JOSEPH G. TRABBIC*
Affiliation:
Department of Philosophy, Ave Maria University, Ave Maria, Florida, 34142, USA
*
e-mail: joseph.trabbic@avemaria.edu
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Abstract

Martin Heidegger argues against the possibility of Christian philosophy in his Introduction to Metaphysics. Christians, Heidegger tells us, cannot authentically ask the fundamental question of philosophy – ‘Why are there beings at all rather than nothing?’ – because they already suppose that they have an answer to this question in their Creator-God. Moreover, Christianity, says Heidegger, takes philosophy to be foolishness and, thus, would never try to answer its questions in the first place. Finally, Heidegger insists that any thoughtful questioning in a Christian context is theology and not philosophy. I argue that none of these reasons for rejecting Christian philosophy ultimately holds up. I also criticize an interpretation of Heidegger on this topic proposed by Walter Kaufmann.

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Religious Studies , Volume 53 , Issue 1 , March 2017 , pp. 71 - 86
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Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2015 

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