Exploring the Philosophy of Religion

By David Stewart

Book Overview

Exploring the Philosophy of Religion, 7th Edition, combines the best features of a text and a reader by offering clear analysis coupled with important primary-source readings.

Professor David Stewart called upon his 30-plus years of teaching experience to introduce students to the important study of philosophical issues raised by religion. Beginning students often find primary sources alone too difficult so this text offers primary source materials by a variety of significant philosophers--including a balanced blend of classical and contemporary authors--but the materials are supported by clearly written introductions, which better prepare students to understand the readings.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0205645194
• ISBN13: 9780205645190
• Release Date: September 2016
• Publisher: Routledge
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 0.96 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.9" x 8.9"

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.