Exploring the philosophy of religion

By David Stewart

Book Overview

This introduction to the philosophy of religion helps readers understand the primary sources that are essential for genuine philosophical understanding. Its careful selection of important classical and contemporary readings, along with a clear, understandable analysis and discussion of the topics, helps build a basic vocabulary of philosophical and religious terms-while becoming fluent in the main philosophical issues in religion. Chapter topics include the varieties of religious experience, religion and life, religion and human destiny, argument' s for God' s existence, the problem of evil, and religious language. This book presents an appealing mixture of classical and contemporary authors-from Descartes, Paley and Kierkegaard to Otto, James, and Buber-to such current writers as Wendy Doniger, Mary Daly, and David Ray Griffin. For philosophers-or anyone who likes to philosophize-about important religious questions and their relation to life.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0132973669
• ISBN13: 9780132973663
• Release Date: January 1
• Publisher: Prentice Hall PTR
• Length: 404 Pages
• Weight: 1.30 lbs.

Customer Reviews

great teaching text

I received the Sixth Edition of EXPLORING THE PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION in the mail. Most of such "complimentary copies" of various textbooks are hardly worth reading, but this book is a delightful exception. All of the major themes are covered in excellent detail. Stewart includes sections on mysticism, theodicy, evil, morality, theistic arguments, faith vs. reason, religious language, the soul, and the will to believe. Adequate coverage of feminist themes and Asian thought is appreciated, especially in a fairly short volume. I would recommend this book as a core text in philosophy of religion courses, using Whitehead-RELIGION IN THE MAKING and Bergson-TWO SOURCES as supplemental readings. The Stewart text could also be used as a supplemental text for intro. to phil. and ethics courses. My only criticism is inadequate length-- the professor using this text as the sole text for a course would need to provide plenty of lecture material from outside sources or from her own research. I do not believe that this work could support a whole 15-week semester by itself.

Understand the Dynamics behind Religious Beliefs and Thought

This is an incredible work that will introduce the reader with such topics as defining "Religious Experience," "Arguments for the Existence of God," "Faith and Reason," "The Problem of Evil," "Death and Human Destiny," and much more. This book is laid out nicely to present various perspectives and opposing viewpoints. The "textbook" approach presents readings from notable thinkers such as William James, Rene Descartes, Anthony Flew, John Stewart Mill, Paul Tillich, and many others. It includes discussion questions that will challenge the reader to think about the material that is presented. As this work is written in the layman's language, I think that it will guide readers to EXPLORE the philosophy of religion, and that it will serve as a handbook to prepare arguments for beliefs and disposition.