Between Faith and Doubt: Dialogues on Religion and Reason

by J. Hick

Overview

This short book is a lively dialogue between a religious believer and a skeptic. It covers all the main issues including different ideas of God, the good and bad in religion, religious experience and neuroscience, pain and suffering, death and life after death, and includes interesting autobiographical revelations.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780230251670
Publisher:	Palgrave Macmillan UK
Publication date:	04/09/2010
Edition description:	2010
Pages:	176
Product dimensions:	5.51(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.02(d)

About the Author

World-renowned philosopher of religion JOHN HICK was the author of numerous books which were translated into sixteen languages. He taught in Britain and the United States and lectured in many countries. His Gifford Lectures, An Interpretation of Religion, received the Grawemeyer Award for new religious thinking.

Table of Contents

Preface ix

1 Defining the Issue: Naturalism vs. Religion 1

2 Can God's Existence Be Proved? 13

3 What Do We Mean by God? 21

4 Religion without Transcendence? 30

5 Religious Experience 39

6 Trusting Religious Experience 54

7 Despite the Religious Contradictions? 63

8 Neuroscience and Religious Experience 80

9 More on Neuroscience 89

10 Implications for Christianity 95

11 Implications for Islam 108

12 The Religions: Good or Bad? 121

13 Suffering and Wickedness 135

14 Life after Death? 145

15 Cosmic Optimism 159

Notes 167

Index 175

Editorial Reviews

'John Hick presents the case for and against religious faith lucidly and concisely in the form of a dialogue, opposing a wide range of assertions and arguments from the great world religions to the principles and counter-arguments of science-based materialism. Although the author makes his own position clear, the work is not didactic, and the reader is made to test his/her own faith or doubt against the various arguments put forward. This book is an illuminating, timely, humane contribution to a debate which often generates more heat than light, and for anyone with a serious personal interest in the subject it is as enthralling as a good play.'

- David Lodge

'An excellent summary of Hick's refreshingly open and mind-expanding views on standard topics of Philosophy of Religion.'

- Marilyn McCord Adams, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA.

'This book does an excellent job of presenting the heart of John Hick's arguments to the intelligent reader, without presupposing technical background.'

Elizabeth Burns, Heythrop College, University of London, UK.

'The distinguished liberal theologian John Hick uses the neglected form of the Platonic dialogue to treat the currently hot topic of the grounds for religious faith and the arguments against it.' - David Lodge, The Guardian

'At 88 years of age, with numerous books to his credit, the past holder of Professorships in both the UK and the US, Hick is one of the great apologists for religious Faith in our time. This latest book represents a brilliant, accessible summa of his philosophical and theological opinions. His faith and commitment to pursue truth wherever it leads shine through on every page. You do not have to share all his beliefs to admire the skill with which he makes his case or learn from his arguments.' The Church of England Newspaper

From the Publisher