The God Debates A 21st Century Guide for Atheists and Believers (and Everyone in Between)

by Shook, John R.

• ISBN13: 9781444336412
• ISBN10: 144433641X
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2010-10-19
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Summary

The God Debates presents a comprehensive, non-technical survey of the quest for knowledge of God, allowing readers to participate in a debate about the existence of God and gain understanding and appreciation of religion's conceptual foundations. Explains key arguments for and against God's existence in clear ways for readers at all levels Brings theological debates up to the present with current ideas from modernism, postmodernism, fideism, evidentialism, presuppositionalism, and mysticism Updates criticism of theology by dealing with the latest terms of the God debates instead of outdated caricatures of religion Helps nonbelievers to learn important theological standpoints while noting their shortcomings Encourages believers and nonbelievers to enjoy informed dialogue with each other Concludes with an overview of religious and nonreligious worldviews and predictions about the future of faith and reason

Author Biography

John R. Shook is Vice President for Education and Research and Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Inquiry in Amherst, New York. He also is Research Associate in Philosophy at the University at Buffalo. His recent books include The Future of Naturalism (2009) and Dewey's Philosophy of Spirit (2010).

Table of Contents

Preface

Debating Religion

Religion under Scrutiny

Debating Dogma

Theology and Atheology

Could Atheism Prove God Doesn't Exist?

Could Religion Disprove Atheism?

Five Types of Theologies

Categorizing Theologies

Theology From The Scripture

Theology From The World

Theology Beyond The World

Theology In The Know

Theology Into The Myst

Theology From The Scripture

Scientific History

Scientific History and Scripture

The Argument from Divine Signs

The Argument from Apostolic Faith

The Argument from Divine Character

The Argument from Pseudo-history

Theology From The World

Theology and Science

Arguments from Nature

Arguments from Design

Arguments from Religious Experience

Arguments from Morality

Explanations for Reason

The Ontological Argument for God

The Argument from Pseudo-science

Theology Beyond The World

The Existence of Nature Argument for God

The Fine-tuning Argument for God

Why Would God Create?

The Problem of Evil

The Argument from Pseudo-cosmology

Theology In The Know

Arguments from Ignorance

Religious Epistemologies

Knowledge, Justification, and Truth

The Religious Community

The Arguments from Pseudo-theology

Theology Into The Myst

Believing in God without Knowledge of God

Believing in God without Concepts of God

Belief, Faith, and Pseudo-faith

The Argument from Pseudo-faith

Faith and Reason

Liberal Modernism and Its Rivals

Twelve Worldviews

Faith and Reason Realigned

References

Further Reading

Index

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