Should Christians stay away from Philosophy?

"See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy." — Colossians 2:8 (NIV).

This verse has been frequently cited by pastors to critique believers who engage in philosophy. However, Paul is not condemning philosophy as a whole or all forms of philosophical thought, but rather he is specifically cautioning against “hollow and deceptive philosophy.” Just as when he warns against “false teachers,” he is not opposed to teaching or all teachers and teachings in general. The words "hollow," "deceptive," and "false" are key and must be emphasized.

Are you now suspicious that I’m trying to lead you captive through philosophy?

Well, interestingly, Paul himself partly studied and used Greek philosophical thought when explaining the Gospel in Athens and in his letters. He directly quoted from the Greek thinkers; Aratus and Epimenides (Acts 17:28, Titus 1:12). This clearly demonstrates that Paul was not against philosophy itself, but against "hollow and deceptive philosophy." It also shows that a Christian can use good philosophy to aid his evangelization or in support of his faith.

Biblical Scholar, David E. Garland explains;

"Paul describes the potential abductor as a “hollow and deceptive philosophy.” One should be cautious not to extend this repudiation of a specific vacuous “philosophy” to a rejection of philosophy in general. The term philosophy had a broader meaning in the ancient world than it does in ours. It was not limited to the speculative systems of thought familiar to us in Greek and Roman philosophy. it could also refer to all sorts of groups, tendencies, and points of view, including magical practices. This broad meaning of the term and the fact that Paul describes the “philosophy” in terms of religious practices, such as judgments about eating and drinking and observing festivals and Sabbaths, makes the word “religion” a more suitable translation for us." [1]

Moreover, the best way to avoid being deceived by false teaching is to know the true teaching. Similarly, one way to avoid being captured by empty and twisted philosophies is by understanding the good and sound philosophy. Of course, this doesn't mean every believer needs to study academic philosophy, but at the very least, we should all understand the principles of good thinking and engage in active reasoning.

This is why Paul encouraged Christians to think critically: “Test everything; hold fast what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21). This is essentially what a good philosopher does—considering various alternatives before reaching a logical conclusion. Paul further urged:

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

—Philippians 4:8

C.S. Lewis wisely remarked, "Good philosophy must exist, if for no other reason, because bad philosophy needs to be answered." [2] Each of us engages in philosophy to some degree, in one way or another, whether or not we realize it, whether we are academically involved in it or not. The only difference is that we can either do it well or poorly.

Other Bible Translations

Other Bible translations (e.g., KJV, BSB, BLB, NASB) don’t directly attach “deceptive” or “empty” to “philosophy.” For instance, the ESV reads: "See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit." This may give the impression that the warning is against philosophy in general, not specifically against deceptive philosophy.

However, the grammar of the original Greek text of Colossians indicates that "empty" and "philosophy" are linked, as reflected in the NIV translation.

William Lane Craig and J.P. Moreland note;

"On an investigation of the structure of the verse, it becomes clear that philosophy in general was not the focus. Rather, the Greek grammar indicates that “hollow and deceptive” go together with “philosophy,” that is, vain and hostile philosophy was the subject of discussion, not philosophy per se. In the context of Colossians, Paul was warning the church not to form and base its doctrinal views according to a philosophical system hostile to orthodoxy. His remarks were a simple warning not to embrace heresy. They were not meant in context to represent the apostle’s views of philosophy as a discipline of study" [3]

Another New Testament Scholar, F.F. Bruce remarks;

"Paul does not condemn philosophy as such, but a philosophy of this kind—one which seduces believers from the simplicity of their faith in Christ" [4]

It is also worth noting that the word “philosophy” (φιλοσοφία) appears only once in the entire Greek New Testament—here in Colossians 2:8. Therefore, it is unreasonable to dismiss all philosophy or philosophers based on passages like 1 Corinthians 1:20, where some translations render "worldly wisdom" as "philosophy" and "debater" as "philosopher."

The verses about "worldly wisdom" and "human reasoning" are talking about the prideful reasoning and the kind of thinking that disregards God and his word. There are many atheistic, anti-Christian and secular philosophies that fit such descriptions. Good philosophy that aligns to the Faith exists, nonetheless, and "it must exist" to respond to such godless philosophies.

Paul wrote, "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ" 1 Corinthians 10:5.

Worldly wisdom should not discourage Christian wisdom. A warning against the abuse of reasoning should not discourage us from the proper use of reasoning—it should, in fact, encourage us. Philosophy is not something inherently attached to the worldly wisdom, it is a tool used by both sides, for better or worse, depending on how it is applied.

Citations

[1] David E. Garland, Colossians, Philemon, The NIV Application Commentary: From biblical text ... to contemporary life (Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI, 1998), in "Colossians 2:6–15".

[2] C. S. Lewis, “Learning in Wartime,” in The Weight of Glory (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1949), 50.

[3] J.P. Moreland and William Lane Craig, "What Is Philosophy?" in Philosophical foundations for a Christian worldview (InterVarsity Press, 2017)

[4] F.F. Bruce, The epistles to the Colossians, to Philemon, and to the Ephesians. The New international commentary on the New Testament, (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co, Grand Rapids, MI, 1984), in "Colossians 2"