Van Til and Idealism

In the eighth and final course of our Fellowship in Reformed Apologetics, Dr. Lane Tipton examines Van Til's exposition and critique of Transcendental Idealism (Kant) and Absolute Idealism (Hegel).

Format

Online
Course

Duration

5 hours, and 49 minutes

Subtitles Included

English

Price

$97
Free

Course Overview

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In the eighth and final course of our Fellowship in Reformed Apologetics, Dr. Lane G. Tipton examines Van Til’s exposition and critique of transcendental idealism (Kant) and absolute idealism (Hegel). The course will begin with an overview Van Til’s critique of various forms of post-Enlightenment idealism. The thesis will emerge that against both transcendental and absolute forms of idealism, of which both entail distinct forms of correlativism, Van Til set forth Reformed Trinitarianism and federalism as a comprehensive alternative. The course will then focus on Kantian transcendental idealism and reflect on Van Til’s vigorous rejection of Kant’s conception of dimensionalism, as well as his notions of theoretical and practical reason. Next, the course will proceed to give sustained and detailed attention to Hegel’s absolute idealism and reflect on Van Til’s comprehensive rejection of Hegelian correlativism. The course will conclude with a summary of Van Til’s doctoral dissertation and explore his argument that idealism is antithetical to Christian theism, since it reduces to pragmatism. Special attention will be given to reading relevant primary sources with critical understanding.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

Distinguish and evaluate the key philosophical commitments of Transcendental Idealism (Kant) and Absolute Idealism (Hegel), particularly in terms of their theories of knowledge, reason, and the relation between mind and world.
Assess Cornelius Van Til’s confessional critique of post-Enlightenment idealism, highlighting how his Reformed doctrine of the self-contained Trinity and the representational principle provides an alternative account of epistemology and metaphysics.
Compare Van Til’s understanding of human reason and the sensus divinitatis with Kant’s notion of theoretical and practical reason, demonstrating how Van Til’s view retains a properly theocentric grounding for human knowledge.
Articulate the theological and apologetic significance of Van Til’s argument that idealism, despite its philosophical sophistication, ultimately collapses into correlativism and pragmatism.

Resources and Information

Accreditation
Course Materials
Certification

Reformed Forum is an approved provider of Continuing Education Units through the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI). This course has not yet been approved for CEU credit. If you are interested in receiving ACSI credit for this course, contact us to let us know.

Course Handouts (English)

Each lesson concludes with a brief quiz, which will assist you in assessing your progress. The questions are multiple choice or true/false. Each question is designed to reinforce basic points of the lectures and to provide a means of self-assessment.

Upon successful completion of the course, you will have the option to download a certificate of completion on the main course page.

Course Lessons

Your Teacher

Patrick Jones - Course author

Lane G. Tipton

Dr. Lane G. Tipton is pastor of Trinity Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Easton, Pennsylvania and Fellow of Biblical and Systematic Theology at Reformed Forum.

Van Til and Idealism

In the eighth and final course of our Fellowship in Reformed Apologetics, Dr. Lane Tipton examines Van Til's exposition and critique of Transcendental Idealism (Kant) and Absolute Idealism (Hegel).

Format

Online
Course

Duration

5 hours, and 49 minutes

Subtitles Included

English

Price

$97
Free