CIP
The Christian Institute of Philosophy
About CIP
I want to welcome you to the Christian Institute of Philosophy (CIP). CIP is a forum for thinking about the deep issues of Christian living. The materials you will see on this site are taken from many different sources including Christian writers and philosophers throughout the history of the Church - both Catholic and Protestant.
Because the thoughts of Christians from many different backgrounds are quoted on this site, you will likely find some perspectives that are in conflict with your denominational beliefs. Please keep in mind CIP has a unique purpose - to act as a catalyst for Christian thought (philosophy) at very deep levels. CIP is not a site to debate doctrine but rather a place to discuss philosophy from a Christian perspective. With that mission in mind, CIP looks at many different viewpoints and seeks to understand and benefit from each perspective. CIP provides a way for you to "glean the fields" of Christian thought and find insights relevant to your life.
If you read something on this site that conflicts with the principles of your denomination, CIP encourages you to talk with your priest, pastor, or Christian friends about the subject. The results of this site are strictly between you and God. You must decide what applies to you and what does not. I am content to simply present the information and let you and God "workout your own salvation" (Philippians 2:12-13) in the privacy of your own heart.
CIP uses an academic approach for understanding deeper Christian thought. In the academic world, scholars read the writings of other scholars and critique their work. They then may use some of their colleagues' ideas to formulate theories of their own. These theories are then refined through testing and feedback from other scholars. This site will provide you with a large body of information from many different Christian writers. You (as the scholar of your own life) are encouraged to evaluate this information in light of your own religious background and life experience. You are encouraged to take the thoughts that apply to your life and work with them to build a deeper more profound Spiritual life in Christ.
CIP is also about the soul's deep longing and thirst for Spiritual reality in Christ.
Several articles on this site will explore this longing (thirst) for reality. Christians throughout the history of the Church and across denominational lines have written about their own search to satisfy this thirst. CIP proposes that these Christians have much in common, and they can help us understand what it means to deeply know God through Jesus Christ. CIP proposes that all human beings long and thirst for God, and this deep human need is intrinsic to our nature - we cannot get away from it. We can ignore it and normalize it, but the need is still there affecting our lives every single day and affecting how we think about reality. And even if we normalize it away from our conciousness, it will still haunt us in the subconcious mind.
Please keep in mind that CIP has a specific purpose.
It is designed to be a catalyst for deep Christian thought. You will be reminded at several locations on this site, that you must take on the responsibility of doing your own thinking. Make sure to critique the information you read and compare it to what you have learned in your own life experiences. Also, CIP is written with the assumption that you will take time to be with God in prayer and present to Him an honest heart with honest questions about your life. Your personal time with God - even if it is only a few minutes each day - is absolutely essential if you want Him to reveal specific and personal truth to you.
I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. - Jesus Christ