Biblical Philosophy: Was Carl F. H. Henry a Rationalist?

The following is an excerpt from a short paper by G. Wright Doyle. It is included in his book, Carl Henry: Theologian for All Seasons:

In Christian apologetics, “rationalism” may describe the conviction that “if proper evidence is produced in favor of Christian faith a listener will, as a rational being, inevitably come to faith” or that “rational” evidence for the truth claims of the Bible are sufficient to persuade an honest seeker.

As Ovey rightly points out, “The current climate of postmodernism is unfavourable to rationalism in many of the above senses.” Postmoderns reject the idea of any universal truth (except their own assertion of universal relativism!) and suspect that “reason” is only a weapon in the hands of those with an agenda. “For this reason the charge that Christian belief is ‘rationalist’ can be devastating in a postmodern context.”

When Henry’s opponents brand his theological method as “rationalistic,” therefore, they score a rhetorical victory without really having to substantiate their charge.

To read the entire paper click here: Biblical Philosophy: Was Carl F. H. Henry a Rationalist?