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

Does a supreme being exist? Can the existence of a good God be reconciled 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 second 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 standard topics in the field--religious experience, faith and reason, theistic arguments, the problem of evil, religious language, miracles, and life after death--as well as new topics that have been widely discussed over the last few decades, including Reformed epistemology, religious pluralism, the philosophical analysis of theological doctrine, and the Kalam cosmological argument. They also treat subjects not often included in competing texts, such as process theism, religious pluralism, and the relationship between religion and morality. This new edition takes into account the latest contributions in the field, including work by Alston, Hick, Martin, and Plantinga, adding valuable new material while retaining all of the features that made the first edition so popular. A sophisticated yet accessible introduction for students of the philosophy of religion, the second edition of Reason and Religious Belief is ideally suited for use with a companion volume, the authors' 2000 OUP anthology, Philosophy of Religion: Selected Readings,2/e, which is designed to parallel the topical sections in this book.