The Maturing of Monotheism: A Dialectical Path to its Truth

by Garth Hallett

Overview

Tracing a dialectical path, The Maturing of Monotheism emphasises the plausibility of Jewish, Christian, Muslim, and kindred forms of monotheism and responds to anti-theistic challenges of our day. These include materialism, determinism, the denial of objective value, the pervasiveness of evil, and predictions of human individual and collective extinction. The book reviews traditional metaphysical ways of arguing for monotheism but employs a cumulative, more experiential approach. While agnosticism affects humanity's most basic beliefs, Garth Hallett demonstrates that there remains ample room for rational, theistic faith.

Of keen interest to students and researchers alike, The Maturing of Monotheism offers new insights and approaches in this steadily advancing field.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781350089372
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date:	01/24/2019
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	224
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Garth Hallett, SJ, was formerly Dean of the College of Philosophy and Letters at Saint Louis University, USA. He has previously published fourteen books, including A Middle Way to God (Oxford University Press, 2000), Identity and Mystery in Themes of Christian Faith (Ashgate, 2005), and Linguistic Philosophy: The Central Story (SUNY, 2008).

Table of Contents

Foreword

1. Truth
2. Theism
3. Diversity
4. Freedom
5. Goodness
6. Evil
7. Afterlife
8. Eternity
9. Focusing
10. Convergence

References
Index

Editorial Reviews

"The Maturing of Monotheism is a welcome addition to Garth Hallett's distinguished life-long inquiry into religion, God, and now the monotheism so very essential to Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions. Ever the master of clear and instructive prose, Hallett ably investigates monotheism as an idea and category, even as he accounts for the objections and misunderstandings that abound. This book is a quiet treasure for those thinking seriously about "the one God" in today's complex religious environment." --Francis X. Clooney, SJ, Parkman Professor of Divinity, Harvard University, USA

"This is a work that speaks boldly, in Wittgensteinian tones, about the ultimate veracity of monotheism. Hallett defends theistic traditions, especially Judaism, Christianity and Islam, that preserve and generate a vital, defensible, and truthful insight into the nature of reality. This is a significant contribution to the debate about religious pluralism and philosophy of religion." --Gavin D'Costa, Professor of Catholic Theology, University of Bristol, UK

"Avoiding recourse to knock-down arguments and metaphysical obscurities, Hallett patiently pieces together a wealth of sources, classical and contemporary, to build a cumulative case for the intellectual coherence of theism. Measured and sensitive, with touches of humour and some telling examples, he shows that to philosophize about religion engages every aspect of our humanity, both the glance of love and the rich networks of nature, culture and history that keep human relationships free and alive." --Michael Barnes SJ, Professor of Interreligious Relations, University of Roehampton, UK

From the Publisher