The Moral Interpretation of Religion (Reason and Religion)

The Moral Interpretation of Religion provides a critical examination of the traditional attempt to interpret religion in moral terms alone. Respected philosopher Peter Byrne discussed the general character of moral interpretation, probes the relation of religion to morality, and assesses historical attempts to reason directly from the basis of morality to the existence of a personal God. / Byrne explores Immanuel Kant’s famous system of “practical reason” as well as the approaches to moral philosophy taken by Iris Murdoch and Ludwig Wittgenstein in order to show where the essence of the moral interpretation lies and to critique its viability as an approach to religious belief. In the process, Byrne addresses key themes in contemporary reflection on religion, such as the definition of religion, the nature of religious realism, and the secular problem of evil in human life. His work clearly demonstrates the strengths of a moral approach to religious faith and the surest method for building a cogent moral argument. / As the first full-length treatment of this theme, this volume offers students and inquiring general readers a valuable discussion of one of the most powerful and enduring apologetics for explicating religious belief.