Blackwell Reference Online

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Whether one applauds it, deplores it, or is puzzled by it, the fact is that religious belief has survived any number of historical and cultural upheavals that had been thought to signal its demise. In similar fashion the philosophy of religion is alive and healthy despite attacks on its integrity from positivism, postmodernism, and deconstructionism. The essays contained in this volume amply attest to the vigor - and rigor - with which the philosophy of religion is presently being practiced. They have been written to be accessible to advanced undergraduate and graduate students and to members of the educated public. The authors, pre-eminent scholars in the field, not only provide an overview of their respective topics, but also further scholarly reflection on those topics. The next few paragraphs provide an overall sketch of the structure and content of the volume. The major theistic religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, acknowledge the existence of a supreme being. This being, God, is generally thought by these religious traditions to be responsible for the creation and conservation of the world. More than that, God is supposed to care about his creatures, to know their innermost thoughts, joys, and sorrows, and to desire their flourishing. God is thus thought to be personal , inasmuch as he has a mental life consisting of beliefs, desires, and intentions. At the same time, ... log in or subscribe to read full text