Exploring the Philosophy of Religion

9780130195197

0130195197

Exploring the Philosophy of Religion organizes 28 readings around 7 major themes, beginning with religious experience then transitioning to the relationship of religion to life, to human destiny, and then to the thorny issues of arguments for God's existence and the problem of evil. The concluding two sections analyze the relationship between faith and reason, and the nature of religious language. The text offers a rich, yet approachable, introduction to philosophy of religion for the beginning student that is distinguished by the following special features: Introductions that help prepare students for meaningful discussion of the readings Appealing mixture of classical and contemporary authors from Plato, Descartes, Kant, Paley, and Kierkegaard to contemporary thinkers such as John Hick, Richard Taylor, David Ray Griffin, and Paul Ricoeur. Consideration of issues from both Western and Eastern perspectives Discussion of process thought, often omitted from introductory texts New to this edition are readings on religious pluralism by John Hick, a compelling analysis of God's female nature by Rosemary Ruether, and such classic readings as Paul Tillich on faith as ultimate concern, Kant's moral argument for God's existence, John Stuart Mill's analysis of the limits of natural theology, and the contrast in ancient Greek thought between Plato and Epicurus on death and human destiny and its difference from the early Christian view. The book couples clear and understandable analysis with important primary-source readings on topics that have a permanent place in the philosophy of religion. Also of Interest Fundamentals of Philosophy, 5th edition by David Stewart and H. Gene Blocker An accessible reader/text for beginning students of philosophy that offers a broad scope and diversity of classic and contemporary selections with introductions that present difficult issues in an understandable manner.