Return to Reason: A Critique of Enlightenment Evidentialism and a Defense of Reason and Belief in God

by Kelly James Clark

Book Overview

A penetrating critique of the Enlightenment assumption of evidentialism -- that belief in God requires the support of evidence or arguments to be rational. Garnering arguments from C. S. Lewis, Alvin Plantinga, Nicholas Wolterstorff, Thomas Reid, William James, and John Calvin, Clark asserts that this Enlightenment demand for evidence is itself both irrelevant and irrational

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 080280456X
• ISBN13: 9780802804563
• Release Date: March 1990
• Publisher: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
• Length: 168 Pages
• Weight: 0.48 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.4" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

A Powerful Defense of the Epistemic Rights of Religion

Kelly James Clark exposes the epistemic weakness of some modern apologetic schools, atheism, and skepticism. As an astute adherent of Plantinga's work he parts company with the majority of contemporary Christian apologists; and he has his reasons for this dismissal as he exposes the believer's and the unbeliever's "rhetorical excesses." In this small yet argument-laden treatise Clark discusses: - the Russell v. Copleston debate and its chief epistemic question - the non-contention of a self-created universe - the "person-relative proofs" and evidence for God's existence - a reasonable demand for proper proof - a reasoned answer to the problem of evil (perhaps the best condensed philosophical solution I have read in a book addressed to laymen) - the pastoral aspect of comforting those who are suffering - that theism does not require propositional evidence for its rational support - W. K. Clifford and William James on the ethics of belief - the belief in other minds in relation to belief in theism - refuting foundationalism - rejecting evidentialism - and more (believe it or not) James, on the back of his extensive philosophical analysis, contends that "Plantinga's free will defense has successfully refuted the atheologian's charge that God and evil are logically incompatible" (p. 77). Clark is never "long on promise and short on fulfillment." He offers a thought provoking and emotional fulfilling apologetic outlook. I urge everyone with interests in religious epistemology or the problem of evil to purchase and study this persistent and captivating book. Letter to an Atheist Nation: Presupositional Apologetics Responds To: Letter to a Christian

A Well Organized Intro to Plantinga et al

Clark's work is a well organized introduction to the philosophy of religion as understood by Alvin Platinga. If you are looking for Platinga "made easy" this is certainly the place to begin. The work weaves together discussions on the role of evidence, basic beliefs, the problem of evil, and "forced" decisions. If the reader is interested in philosophy of religion in the same general tradition, I recommend Roy Clouser's, The Myth of Religious Neutrality(An Intro to Dooyeweerd's thought), Greg L. Bahnsen, Van Til's Apologetic(Intro to Cornelius Van Til's thought) and Gordon Clark's, Religion, Reason and Revelation. All of these works in concert with Kelly J. Clark's contribution form a nice introduction to the Reformed outlook on philosophy of religion.

A much needed criticism of evangelical Apologetics

I personally enjoyed and benefited from reading this thoughtful book by a philosopher who is concerned about communicating at the lay-level. Many abstract ideas and ideologies are explained is concrete form. More specifically, the author's exposition of "Reformed Epistemology" as a more credible view than the traditional evidentialist approach is illuminating to say the least. A much needed critique of evagelical Apologetics is given. I think that Christians in general and we who identify ourselves as "evangelicals" in particular should follow the authors argument closely and not fall prey to the "rhetoric" of evangelical apologists like R.C. Sproul or Ravi Zacharias. The approach used by these Apologists and their like reveal a lack of philosophical rigor practised at the academic level. Florid expression is not a substitute for needed content. Quoting philosophers does not make one philosophically rigorous. It is the ignorance of "evangelicals" on various philosophical topics that continues to sustain their approach. A deeper understanding of rationality and the way in which we form beliefs and our way of "being-in-the-world" runs contrary to the evidentialist approach as James Kelly Clark so adequately shows. We evangelicals needs to turn to a more serious study of those who are making inroads at the academic level, Plantinga, Wolterstroff etc. The road may by rough by in the end our understanding will be sharpened. The time has come to move beyond simplistic formulas to thoughtful meditations. And this book, may I commend does just that.

Superb job

Kelley James Clark's book introduced me to philosophy, which is now my career. His attempt to free God from God's historical philosophical chains is uplifting, academic and educational. Truly a book that demands to be read by fundamentalists and liberal Christians as well as atheists and non-Christian theists. Good work!A quick table of contents:1. The issue of evidence 2. God and Evil 3. The roles of evidence and belief 4. Reformed epistemologyHe ends with a wonderful conclusion about the faith of his grandmother, which offers us a very pragmatic view of faith. An over all good book!

Great book !!!

This is a great book !!! You dont need any background in philosophy to understand this. I wish that I had read this book before I attempted to read many other articles in contemporary philosophy of religion, because reading this would have made reading those articles much easier, given me a background and a context to work with, and also have saved some time. This book would also be good for a Intro. to Phil course or a Phil. of Religion course. The presentation of Plantinga's Free Will Defense is especially good. Gave me a head rush, when I understood it. Another comment: Also a very good apologetics book, for those interested in defending Christianity from a philosophical point of view. Actually I've learned more and better philosophical apologetics here than in any other apologetics book. Go read it. I strongly recommend it.