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Must religious belief be based on evidence? Is God necessary for morality? Does science discredit religion? Building upon the reputation of the first edition, the extensively revised second edition of
Contemporary Debates in Philosophy of Religion features fifteen essays which present arguments on some of the most central and controversial topics in philosophy of religion from the discipline's most influential thinkers. Considering questions of both emerging and perennial interest from atheistic, theistic, and agnostic viewpoints, the book adopts the series structure which pairs essays espousing opposing perspectives on a particular question or theme in an engaging pro and con format. Following accessible introductions to each debate, the volume's new and newly-revised contributions set the stage for thoughtful and lively discourse between philosophers in philosophy of religion and analytic theology. Debates range from vigorous disagreements between theists and their critics to arguments between theists of different philosophical and theological persuasions, highlighting points of contrast for readers while showcasing the field's leading minds in dialogue. The head-to-head chapters offer forceful advocacy for some of the most compelling ideas, beliefs, and objections in the philosophy of religion, opening the conversation up to students to weigh the arguments and engage in comparative analysis of the concepts for themselves. Written to appeal to the non-specialist as well as the professional philosopher,
Contemporary Debates in Philosophy of Religion is ideal as both a provocative primary text for coursework in analytical theology and philosophy of religion, and as a broad survey of the field for scholars and general readers with an interest in the questions which underpin contemporary philosophy of religion and theology.
List of contents
Notes on Contributors ix
Preface to the First Edition xv
Preface to the Second Edition xvii
Acknowledgements xix
Arguments for Religious Belief 1 1 Does the Universe Have a Cause? 3 Affirmative Position: The Universe Has a Cause 3
Robert C. Koons Negative Position: The Universe Does Not Have a Cause 13
Graham Oppy Reply to
Oppy 22
Reply to
Koons 24
2 Is Fine¿Tuning Evidence that God Exists? 27 Affirmative Position: Fine¿Tuning is Evidence that God Exists 27
Robin Collins Negative Position: Fine¿Tuning is Not Evidence that God Exists 37
Elliott Sober Reply to Sober 48
Reply to Collins 50
3 Is God Necessary for Morality? 55 Affirmative Position: God is Necessary for Morality 55
Mark D. Linville Negative Position: Atheism, Naturalism, and Morality 66
Louise Antony Reply to
Antony 79
Reply to
Linville 81
4 Does Religious Experience Justify Religious Belief ? 85 Affirmative Position: Religious Experience Justifies Religious Belief 85
William P. Alston Negative Position: Do Mystics See God? 94
Evan Fales Reply to Fales 106
Reply to Alston 110
5 Does Testimony about Miracles Provide Evidence for Religion? 113 Affirmative Position: The Case for Miracles 113
Charity Anderson and Alexander Pruss Negative Position: Testimony about Miracles Does Not Provide Evidence 123
Arif Ahmed Reply to
Ahmed 132
Reply to
Anderson and
Pruss 134
Challenges to Religious Belief 137 6 Is Evil Evidence against Belief in God? 139 Affirmative Position: Evil is Evidence against God's Existence 139
William L. Rowe Negative Position: Evil Does Not Make Atheism More Reasonable Than Theism 148
Daniel Howard-Snyder and Michael Bergmann Reply to
Howard¿Snyder and
Bergmann 160
Reply to
Rowe 162
7 Does Divine Hiddenness Justify Atheism? 165 Affirmative Position: Divine Hiddenness Justifies Atheism 165
J. L. Schellenberg Negative Position: Divine Hiddenness Does Not Justify Atheism 176
Paul K. Moser Reply to
Moser 187
Reply to
Schellenberg 189
8 Does Science Discredit Religion? 193 Affirmative Position: Science Discredits Religion 193
Michael Ruse Negative Position: Science Does Not Discredit Religion 202
Michael L. Peterson Reply to
Peterson 212
Reply to
Ruse 214
9 Is the God of the Hebrew Bible Perfectly Good? 219 Negative Position: The God of Ancient Israel is Not Perfectly Good 219
Wes Morriston Affirmative Position: The Perfect Goodness of God in the Hebrew Scriptures 229
Mark C. Murphy Reply to
Murphy 238
Reply to
Morriston 240
10 Is it Reasonable to Believe That Only One Religion is True? 243 Affirmative Position: It is Reasonable to Believe That Only One Religion is True 243
David Basinger Negative Position: It is Not Reasonable to Believe That Only One Religion is True 252
Peter Byrne Reply to
Byrne 261
Reply to
Basinger 264
Issues Within Religion 267 11 Is Evidence Required for Religious Belief ? 269 Affirmative Position: Evidence is Required for Religious Belief 269
Blake McAllister Negative Position: Evidence is Not Required for Religious Belief 279
Raymond J. VanArragon Reply to
VanArragon 287
Reply to
McAllister 290
12 Should we Think of God as Masculine? 293 Negative Position A: Is God a Man? 293
Michael Rea Negative Position B: God is Not Male 302
Kathryn Pogin Reply to
Pogin 310
Reply to
Rea 312
13 Does God Take Risks in Governing the World? 317 Affirmative Position: God Takes Risks 317
William Hasker Negative Position: God Does Not Take Risks 326
Paul Helm Reply to
Helm 335
Reply to
Hasker 337
14 Should Christians Endorse Mind¿Body Dualism? 341 Affirmative Position: Christians Should Affirm Mind¿Body Dualism 341
Dean W. Zimmerman Negative Position: Christians Should Reject Mind¿Body Dualism 353
Lynne Rudder Baker Reply to
Baker 363
Reply to
Zimmerman 366
15 Is Eternal Damnation Compatible with the Christian Concept of God? 369 Affirmative Position: Eternal Hell and the Christian Concept of God 369
Jerry L. Walls Negative Position: No Hell 379
Thomas Talbott Reply to
Talbott 387
Reply to
Walls 388
Index 391
About the author
Michael L. Peterson is Professor of Philosophy at Asbury Theological Seminary. He has written and edited numerous books, and is the general editor of the Wiley Blackwell
Exploring Philosophy of Religion series. His research focuses on the philosophy of science, philosophy of religion, the problem of evil, and the science-religion relationship.
Raymond J. VanArragon is Professor of Philosophy at Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota. He is the author of
Key Terms in Philosophy of Religion (2010), and his work focuses on epistemology and the philosophy of religion.
