Reason and Religious Belief: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion (Paperback)

by Michael Peterson (Author), William Hasker (Author), Bruce Reichenbach (Author), David Basinger (Author) "Religion is a powerful force in human life..." (more)
Key Phrases: nontheistic critics, nonrepeatable counterinstances, expanded theism, New York, Notre Dame, Oxford University Press (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"I believe that Reason and Religious Belief is the best text available for an introductory philosophy of religion course. One of the greatest strengths is its fair representation of differing positions and approaches to problems. The level is just right for my purposes - introducing students to philosophy of religion in a way that challenges them." - Gordon Pettit, Western Illinois University
"The treatments of opposing viewpoints are fair and well balanced. The writing style is superb: consistently economical, engaging, and clear." - Gary Rosenkrantz, University of North Carolina at Greensboro


Product Description
What is the status of belief in God? Must a rational case be made or can such belief be properly basic? Is it possible to reconcile the concept of a good God with evil and suffering? In light of great differences among religions, can only one religion be true?
The most comprehensive work of its kind, Reason and Religious Belief, now in its fourth edition, explores these and other perennial questions in the philosophy of religion. Drawing from the best in both classical and contemporary discussions, the authors examine religious experience, faith and reason, the divine attributes, arguments for and against the existence of God, divine action (in various forms of theism), Reformed epistemology, religious language, religious diversity, religion and science, and much more.
Retaining the engaging style and thorough coverage of previous editions, the fourth edition adds a critical new chapter on the ontological status of religion and the nature of religious claims. It also features revised treatments of omnipotence, miracles, and providence and updated suggestions for further reading. A sophisticated yet accessible introduction, Reason and Religious Belief, Fourth Edition, is ideally suited for use with the authors' companion anthology, Philosophy of Religion: Selected Readings, Third Edition (OUP, 2006).

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Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; 4 edition (May 29, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195335996
• ISBN-13: 978-0195335996
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #260,504 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, June 17, 2001

By	Steve Jackson "stevejackson100atyahoocom" (New England) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Reason and Religious Belief: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion (Paperback)

The philosophy of religion is a fascinating subject which is getting more attention in recent years. There are any number of introductory works on the subject, but this is one of the best I've seen. It is particularly comprehensive and deals with a number of subjects beyond the traditional topics found in such books, including science and religion, religious pluralism, and life after death. It also introduces the reader to leading thinkers in every area, but avoids excessively technical language. A person who is studying philosophy for the first time or who has a basic knowledge of philosophy but wants to study the philosophy of religion would benefit from reading this book.

The authors are Christians and the writing tends to sympathize with the theistic approach. If you get this book, make sure you get the authors' collection of readings, Philosophy of Religion: Selected Readings.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Reason & Religious Belief, July 13, 2003

By	Daily F. Kizer (USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Reason and Religious Belief: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion (Paperback)

Most books on theology for the layman are actually either apologetics or mostly inspirational in content. This book presents much broder and more basic material on such subjects as does God exist, the problems of evil, process theology, and foundationalism, all described in language that the layman can easily understand. The subjects are treated in a balanced manner with reasons for and against certain beliefs. I would recommend this to any layman who is interested in digging down to the bedrock of how, mostly Christian, beliefs are viewed from a rational, and occasionally spiritual perspective.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A good introduction to Religion/Reason discussions, January 5, 2001

By	Muzaffer Muctehitzade "hacibey" (Boston, Ma USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Reason and Religious Belief: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion (Paperback)

This book is a an easy introduction to the issues about religion and reason. It is about discussions on faith and reason, existence of God from different approaches, miracles and its compatibility with science, ethics and religion. In short all religious concepts and beliefs in relation to reason is discussed and different view points are explained. For each case the streght and weakness of the arguments are highlighted. Language used is not deep philosopical and therefore it is easy to read and understand. There is no conculusive arguments but rather the issues are identified and different responses is studied as general knowledge. It is a good text book for starters. Each chapter ends with list of questions for study with extensive suggested readings list.