A History of Western Philosophy and Theology

John M. Frame’s *A History of Western Philosophy and Theology* is an impressive survey that blends two monumental subjects into a cohesive and accessible narrative.At 46 hours and 29 minutes, the Audible version provides a substantial deep dive into these fields. What sets this work apart from other surveys of philosophy and theology is Frame’s commitment to a solid biblical worldview—offering not just a chronological account, but an interpretive one grounded in Christian thought.While many overviews can feel like dry cataloging of names and theories, Frame’s clarity and warmth shine through as he engages both philosophy and theology with a refreshing perspective. He is thorough without being tedious, presenting complex ideas in a way that’s rigorous but not overwhelming.From early Greek thinkers like Plato and Aristotle to modern philosophers like Kant and Nietzsche, Frame provides thoughtful analysis, always measuring their ideas against biblical truths.His approach to theology, similarly, is grounded in Scripture, making this work a valuable resource for those of us who want to understand history through a lens of faith.Having listened to the bulk of the audiobook, I’m excited to revisit the content in print. There’s a richness in the material that begs closer study—footnotes, references, and all those extra details that you can't quite absorb while driving or doing the dishes.The book is a substantial, thought-provoking resource, perfect for those looking to engage deeply with the history of ideas.

I cannot imagine learning the history of western thought with a better set of human glasses on than John Frame—who does his best to wear heavenly eyewear. I thoroughly needed to read this, even though I’d rather stay tied directly to theology.As for this subject in general, I believe only 2 philosophical works are necessary for a teacher of the Word—some introduction to philosophy and this right here. It is plenty. If you could only have time to read one though, this is certainly it.I would encourage you if you buy this to write out all of the definitions, answer all of the questions in your own words some way & listen to the free lectures. This is truly unparalleled in history. The fact that we can have all this opportunity on the terms of his own schedule? Very appreciative..Its truly been a blessing to be introduced to John Frame, although I think he’s overly intellectual in his approaches—sometimes we desperately need men to just explain the facts & he does that. I wholeheartedly agree with Leonard Ravenhill though—We’ve never had more intelligent men behind the pulpit as we do now that have no life of God whatsoever burning in there breasts. So I also encourage you, be cautious of that.I highly recommend this book and 2 others from John Frame that stand tall in his works: The Doctrine of the Christian Life & The Doctrine of God. I am amazed at myself to say I think they’re some of the most advanced and worthy writings we currently have. I usually prefer the older writers for there zeal but Frame is so deeply insightful. Although the new series by Greg Nichols is my pride of place, along with Herman Bavinck on the Doctrine of God.

I appreciate Dr. John Frame’s approach to evaluating the history of western philosophy based on how it stacks up to God’s Word compared to the autonomous rationality of our contemporary culture. I would highly recommend this book to every person seeking truth.

What an unbelievable volume this is. It is dense with substantive information about the philo/theological development of Western Thought. It is presented in as a historical survey and outlines the major movements and players in the process. It does it all from Dr. Frame's solidly traditional Christian perspective, thus shedding light on the issues inherent in the revisionist approach offered by many modern historians of philosophy and liberal theologians. Like Frames 4-part Theology of Lordship work, this material is deeply academic, yet delivered in an easily readable fashion that takes it beyond another cold reference text.One feature that I found particularly appealing was the index of collegiate lectures that can be accessed, via iTunes, to further the content of certain portions of the book. What a treat it is to supplement one's study with Frame's actual class-room content.Not to mention, this is a beautifully published volume. It is a big ole study book—well-bound and finely printed. The matted dust jacket and dimension will make it a gorgeous, center-self, addition to any theologian's library.Bravo, Professor Frame and P&R Publishing!

Espero que esse livro seja traduzido em breve para o português. A leitura é simplesmente indispensável para todos os estudantes de teologia e muitos jovens universitários que desejam entender melhor a filosofia e sua relação com a teologia e a cosmovisão cristã. Esse livro é intelectualmente gratificante. Uma fé que pensa e uma mente que crê!

This overview, detailing the interaction between theological and philosophical systems, came out in 2015 and I had been hankering after it, knowing how incisive and well-structured John Frame's other writings are. I was not in any way disappointed - the whole layout and structure of Frame's treatment is a model of clarity - little things such as font-size, wide margins and the use of italicised margin notes in order to flag up substantive points all helps. As readers of Frame might come to expect, the book does reference his own other works extensively, as well as those of Verne Poythress, but given their consistent excellence, that is no bad thing. A plethora of footnotes, bibliographical references and appendices help the reader in supplementing Frame's economical text.I was especially encouraged that some significant but perhaps lesser-known figures (such as Reimarus) receive an appropriate degree of analysis, which is critical for understanding the birth of early liberal theology, influenced directly by radical Enlightenment epistemological presuppositions.Finally, I worked out a long time ago that I am not a 'philosopher', but I have an interest in understanding how philosophy works on the ground. This is an excellent resource for people like me, who need to see how ideas intersect.

Comprehensive and consistent. A superb reference book. I have used it only for reference so far, but I hope to have time to read large sections to suit my personal interests.

Impressed by the favorable reviews of John Frame's A History of Western Philosophy and Theology, I purchased a copy from Amazon.ca. However on reading it I was disappointed by its heavy emphasis on twentieth century philosophers and theologians (see the next sentence) and its making Calvinistic theology rather than the Bible the norm by which to judge philosophy and theology. The former is illustrated by its devoting almost as much space to some individual twentieth century thinkers as to Plato and Aristotle combined and even more space to some modern Calvinists than to Calvin himself. However I'm sure that I'll make enough use of the lists of online resources to make my purchase worthwhile. As well the book's references to Frame's Lordship set contributed to my deciding not to buy that set.

excellent thank you