Philosophy of Religion

Can one be a philosopher and a religious believer? Is philosophy a friend or foe to religious belief? Does talk of God make sense? Does God exist? What is God? And how should we think of human beings with an eye on religious teachings? Are their actions of religious significance? Can they look forward to a life after death? Aimed at the student and the general reader, this book - both an anthology and commentary - aims to present a complete and self-contained introduction to the philosophy of religion. It contains 65 readings on a selection of some of the major issues; focusing on the questions which have most preoccupied Western philosophers when thinking about religion, and questions which have made philosophy of religion the subject it is today. Part I looks at the relation between philosophy and religion; Parts II-IV consider the existence and nature of God; Part V addresses the so-called "problem of evil" which has puzzled thinkers for centuries; and Parts VI and VII are devoted to the relationship between morality and religion and to the question of life after death. Each section of anthologized texts is preceded by detailed explanatory material (c.35,000 words) which sets the texts in context and guides readers through them. They contain questions for discussion and detailed bibliographical advice as an aid to further study. As well as containing many important writings in philosophy of religion, the book provides a logically organized overview of the subject which will be helpful both to readers working on their own and to those working under guidance and will be an ideal course text book. This book is intended for core course material for 1st and 2nd year undergraduate students of the philosophy of religion. The subject is the third largest area of philosophy studied by undergraduates in the US.