“Between the Pages” is a Q-and-A series that explores one’s life through books that have shaped and influenced them. Books can form souls, and together these souls make up our community. Through both ancient and contemporary writings, we unveil the wisdom that underlies our community.
Tim Pickavance is a professor of philosophy at Talbot School of Theology specializing in the field of epistemology and metaphysics. He pursued a PhD in philosophy at The University of Texas and is the author of the book “Knowledge for the Love of God: Why Your Heart Needs Your Mind.” He also co-authors “Metaphysics: The Fundamentals” and “The Atlas of Reality: A Comprehensive Guide to Metaphysics.“
Disclaimer: The answers have been edited for clarity and conciseness without altering the original meaning.
What book(s) are you currently reading, and what drew you to it?
Tim Pickavance: Recently I’ve been reading a lot of St. Augustine. At the moment, I’m trekking through “City of God.” I decided to read Augustine because not long ago, I realized that there was no great Christian thinker whose mind I could climb inside. Augustine, despite his flaws, is a giant of the Christian tradition, and not many philosophers in my tradition spend much time with him. So I thought it’d be a fun challenge!
Is there a book you find yourself rereading regularly? Why does it resonate with you?
Pickavance: In part, because I’ve been teaching a good bit about it, I’ve been returning again and again to Eleonore Stump’s “Wandering in Darkness.” It’s a book concerned with suffering, with what God is perhaps doing in and through suffering. What I love about Stump is the way she reads the stories of Job, Abraham, Samson and Mary of Bethany.
What is your favorite fiction book, and what do you love about it?
Pickavance: As my students know, I’m a total Potterhead. I love the Harry Potter narrative because it explores two ways of dealing with the problem of death, typified by the contrast between the Death Eaters and the Order of the Phoenix. Ultimately, it’s a story about the love of friends for one another and what that love makes possible.
What are some essential books you recommend for students interested in the integration of faith and metaphysics?
Pickavance: That’s a tough one. My friend and Talbot grad Ross Inman just published a book called “What is Reality?” and it’s a great little introduction to metaphysics that is sensitive to issues connected to Christianity. From the Christian theological tradition, though, Augustine’s “De Trinitate” — or “The Trinity” — is fantastic, but a little hard to read on your own!
What books shaped you the most during your college years?
Pickavance: I was a latecomer to philosophy, so I didn’t take my first philosophy class until I was a master’s student at Talbot. But what turned me toward philosophy were apologetics books, like J. P. Moreland’s “Scaling the Secular City” and William Lane Craig’s “Reasonable Faith.” These and others like them, changed the course of my life.
What book did you wish you had read earlier in life?
Pickavance: Can I give you two? I’m going to give you two: C. S. Lewis’ “A Grief Observed” and Frederick Douglass’ “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave.” Both books are profoundly human and display a capacity to reflect on suffering with Christian eyes and ears.
What book or author influenced your decision to pursue your academic discipline?
Pickavance: I suppose I’ve already answered that, though I would add Richard Tarnas’ “The Passion of the Western Mind.”
What advice would you give to students who are looking to improve their writing?
Pickavance: Two things: write with smaller words in shorter sentences and read more classics. Before a person can write complex, beautiful prose, they must learn to write simple things with ruthless, uncompromising clarity. Complexity must emerge from intricate combinations of clear ideas.
What reading habits do you recommend to students?
Pickavance: Read things that have stood the test of time rather than the new popular thing. Read on paper. Read with others.
What book has most challenged your faith, and how did you grow through that experience?
Pickavance: I confess that I’ve never had much trouble with the truth of Christianity, at least once I started taking it seriously. But the thinker who has most challenged me to sharpen my understanding of Christianity is David K. Lewis, a giant among 20th-century philosophers and one of the few contemporary thinkers with a systematic vision of everything. Lewis’ vision is diametrically opposed to the Christians, but his work is nevertheless honest, careful and at times thrilling. His masterpiece is a book called “On the Plurality of Worlds.” When I want to know what the best objection is to a view I’m trying to defend, I ask, “What would Lewis say?”
What have you been learning about life and faith through the books you’re currently reading?
Pickavance: Everything in heaven and on earth finds its meaning and purpose in the Triune God. And if we give ourselves to this reality, if we prayerfully endeavor to see the world through the eyes of faith, our hearts will consistently be drawn to live every moment as an act of grateful worship, in the presence of our Father in heaven. One consequence of this is a celebration of the diversity of gifts and abilities and talents and callings within the body of Christ. In an age where we are incessantly invited to covet, whether by billboards on the highway or commercials or TikTok, gratitude for every moment coupled with celebration of our differences is both radically countercultural and a balm for our agitated souls.
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