Philosophy, Reasoned Belief, and Faith

Philosophy, Reasoned Belief, and Faith
Author: Paul Herrick
Publisher: University of Notre Dame Pess
Total Pages: 624
Release: 2022-06-01
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 0268202672

This clear, readable introduction to philosophy presents a traditional theistic view of the existence of God. There are many fine introductions to philosophy, but few are written for students of faith by a teacher who is sensitive to the intellectual challenges they face studying in an environment that is often hostile to religious belief. Many introductory texts present short, easy-to-refute synopses of the traditional arguments for God’s existence, the soul, free will, and objective moral value rooted in God’s nature, usually followed by strong objections stated as if they are the last word. This formula may make philosophy easier to digest, but it gives many students the impression that there are no longer any good reasons to accept the beliefs just mentioned. Philosophy, Reasoned Belief, and Faith is written for philosophy instructors who want their students to take a deeper look at the classic theistic arguments and who believe that many traditional views can be rigorously defended against the strongest objections. The book is divided into four sections, focusing on philosophy of religion, an introduction to epistemology, philosophy of the human person, and philosophical ethics. The text challenges naturalism, the predominant outlook in the academic world today, while postmodernist relativism and skepticism are also examined and rejected. Students of faith—and students without faith—will deepen their worldviews by thoughtfully examining the philosophical arguments that are presented in this book. Philosophy, Reasoned Belief, and Faith will appeal to Christian teachers, analytic theists, home educators, and general readers interested in the classic arguments supporting a theistic worldview.

Faith, Film and Philosophy

Faith, Film and Philosophy
Author: R. Douglas Geivett
Publisher: InterVarsity Press
Total Pages: 311
Release: 2009-09-20
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0830875182

"Those who tell stories rule society." Plato So who today are our principal storytellers? Not philosophers, but filmmakers. For those who know both the enormous entertainment potential and the culture-shaping power of film, this book will stir mind and imagination. For great stories freight world-sized ideas, ideas worthy of contemplation and conversation. Great cinema inspires wonder. But another philosopher, Aristotle, reminds us that wonder is the true source of philosophy. So perhaps Plato or Aristotle might have a shot at ruling society, even today--if they took an interest in film. These fourteen essays consider classic and current films together with several major philosophical themes, all within the context of Christian faith: (1) the human condition, (2) the human mind and the nature of knowing, (3) the moral life, and (4) faith and religion. Citizen Kane, Big Fish and Pretty Woman contribute to an in-depth consideration of the human condition. The Truman Show, The Matrix, Being John Malkovich and It's a Wonderful Life, among others, illuminate reflection on the human mind and the nature of knowing. Looking at the moral life, contributors interact with such notable films as Pleasantville, Bowling for Columbine, Mystic River and The Silence of the Lambs. The final section pursues the theme of faith and religion traced through a number of Hong Kong martial arts films, Contact, 2001: A Space Odyssey and U2's music documentary Rattle and Hum. A veritable film festival for all those who want to nurture the wonder of philosophical inquiry and the love of Christian theology through an engagement with the big ideas on the big screen.

Believing Philosophy

Believing Philosophy
Author: Dolores G. Morris
Publisher: Zondervan Academic
Total Pages: 272
Release: 2021-11-23
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 031010954X

Believing Philosophy introduces Christians to philosophy and the tools it provides believers, helping them understand, articulate, and defend their faith in an age of unbelief. Philosophy has been a part of Christianity since its earliest days, and theistic philosophy predates Christianity by thousands of years. But Christians today often don't realize or are skeptical of all that philosophy can offer them. In Part 1, author Dolores G. Morris explains why Christians should read and study philosophy. She begins with a historical overview of Christian philosophy from the church fathers to contemporary philosophers and then introduces the basic resources of philosophical reasoning: the role and aim of reason, distinctions between truth and reason and provability, and learning to read like a philosopher. These chapters address three foundational questions: What is philosophy? Why should a Christian study philosophy? How should a Christian study philosophy? In Part 2, Morris introduces students to philosophical arguments and questions relevant to Christians. She presents arguments by three key branches of philosophy: metaphysics, epistemology, and practical philosophy. Building on concepts introduced in Part 1, she explains what philosophical arguments are and how they ought to be evaluated from a philosophical and Christian perspective. The following chapters examine specific questions most pressing for Christians today: The problem of evil Rationality and faith Free will Skeptical theism The moral argument for the existence of God Reformed epistemology Each chapter introduces the problem, explains Christian responses, discusses the strengths and weaknesses of each response, and leaves the final verdict to the reader. Finally, each chapter concludes with a list of recommended further readings.

Philosophy of Religion

Philosophy of Religion
Author: C. Stephen Evans
Publisher: InterVarsity Press
Total Pages: 196
Release: 1985-01-01
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9780877843436

C. Stephen Evans examines the central themes of philosophy of religion, including the arguments for God's existence, the meaning of revelation and miracles, and the problem of religious language.

Faith, Philosophy, Scripture

Faith, Philosophy, Scripture
Author: James E. Faulconer
Publisher: Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship
Total Pages: 254
Release: 2010-01-01
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9780842527781

Faith, Philosophy, Scripture is a collection of 10 essays resulting from Professor James E. Faulconer's work as a philosopher and his abiding faith as a Latter-day Saint. Faith is the starting point, and philosophy is its supplement rather than competitor. Faulconer writes, "The confidence of my faith, a confidence that came by revelation, has allowed me to hear the questions of philosophy without fear, and philosophy has never asked me to give up my faith, though it has asked questions about it." These essays ask what it means to remember (as our faith often calls us to do), how faith and reason are related to each other, what the place of theology is in revealed religion, and how we should think about scripture. The intent behind the book is to help the reader see how faith, philosophy, and scripture can be part of a whole life, each helping make sense of the others, with faith as the ground and center of them all.

Philosophy and the Christian Faith

Philosophy and the Christian Faith
Author: Thomas V. Morris
Publisher:
Total Pages: 328
Release: 1988
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN:

Presents a collection of discussions on the philosophy of religion, especially with regard to Christianity. The essays cover such subjects as salvation, the resurgence of philosophy of religion, the Acts of the Apostles, the Trinity, original sin and theHoly Spirit.

Faith and Philosophical Analysis

Faith and Philosophical Analysis
Author: Harriet A. Harris
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 325
Release: 2019-08-22
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1351937308

What tensions arise between philosophy of religion and theology? What strengths and weaknesses of analytical methods emerge in relation to strongly confessional philosophical theologies, or to Continental philosophies? Faith and Philosophical Analysis evaluates how well philosophy of religion serves in understanding religious faith. Figures who rarely share the space of the same book - leading exponents of analytic philosophy of religion and those who question its legacy - are drawn together in this book, with their disagreements harnessed to positive effect. Figures such as Richard Swinburne and Basil Mitchell reflect on their life-long projects from a perspective which has not previously been seen in print. A wide range of approaches found in contemporary philosophy of religion are explored, including: reformed epistemology, 'traditional' metaphysical theory building, feminist methodologies, Wittgensteinian approaches, and American pragmatism. Considering the trends in philosophy of religion as they are interacting across continents, looking particularly at philosophical influences in North America, Britain, and Continental Europe, this book will appeal to students, scholars and general readers with an interest in philosophy of religion, theology, or analytical philosophy.

Faith and Philosophy

Faith and Philosophy
Author: Jerry H. Gill
Publisher: BRILL
Total Pages: 133
Release: 2021-10-11
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 9004465642

A tracing of the dynamics of the relationship between Faith and Philosophy throughout Western intellectual history, following the dynamics of Tertullian’s ancient question: “What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?” In the conclusion the author presents his own approach to this question.