Faith and Reason (Oxford Readers) [Paperback]

Paul Helm (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0192892908 | ISBN-13: 978-0192892904 | Publication Date: March 25, 1999 | Edition: First Oxford Reader Edition

The philosophy of religion is an intrinsic part of the richness of Western philosophy. Faith and Reason displays in historical perspective some of the rich dialogue between religion and philosophy over two millennia, beginning with Greek reflections about God and the gods and ending with twentieth-century debate about faith in a world that tends to reserve its reverence for science. Paul Helm uses as a case study the question of whether the world is eternal or whether it was created out of nothing, following this theme from Plato through medieval thought to modern scientific speculation about the beginnings of the universe. This Oxford Reader also includes discussion of many other fundamental issues raised by the juxtaposition of faith and reason, including arguments for and against the existence of God, the relationship between religion and ethics, the contrast between reason and revelation as sources of knowledge, and the implications of religious belief for freedom of the will.

Editorial Reviews

Review

`There is much that is admirably stimulating in these chapters.' John A Harrod, The Expository Times, Nov.00.

`"An excellant collection of short primary sources to supplement introductory reading".' Mr Richard Arrandale, Lecturer, Christ Church University College

About the Author

Paul Helm is Professor of the History and Philosophy of Religion at King's College, London.

Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; First Oxford Reader Edition edition (March 25, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0192892908
• ISBN-13: 978-0192892904
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #398,529 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, December 26, 2005

By 

Steve Jackson "stevejackson100atyahoocom" (New England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Faith and Reason (Oxford Readers) (Paperback)

Paul Helm is a Reformed theologian and philosopher. I haven't read any of his works, but this collection of writings he edited on the question of faith and reason is certainly top-shelf.

Many collections in the philosophy of religion focus on strictly philosophical writings. So while you might get an excerpt by Aquinas, you probably won't get any from Luther or Calvin. Prof. Helm's reader includes these theologians as well as Benjamin Warfield, Karl Barth, and others. He also includes social thinkers such as Freud, Marx and Durkheim.

This book also has the merit of anthologizing works not included in other collections. The only draw back is that the excerpts are relatively short. Given the selections are arranged chronologically (from the Bible to the present), it functions best as a historical introduction. If you want to study the key ideas in the philosophy of religion in more detail, you will want to supplement this with other anthologies.