Natural Signs And Knowledge Of God

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Natural Signs and Knowledge of God

Author : C. Stephen Evans
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 218 pages
File Size : 46,8 Mb
Release : 2010-05-27
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780199217168

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Natural Signs and Knowledge of God by C. Stephen Evans Pdf

Is there such a thing as natural knowledge of God? C. Stephen Evans presents the case for understanding theistic arguments as expressions of natural signs in order to gain a new perspective both on their strengths and weaknesses. Three classical, much-discussed theistic arguments - cosmological, teleological, and moral - are examined for the natural signs they embody. At the heart of this book lie several relatively simple ideas. One is that if there is a God of the kind accepted by Christians, Jews, and Muslims, then it is likely that a 'natural' knowledge of God is possible. Another is that this knowledge will have two characteristics: it will be both widely available to humans and yet easy to resist. If these principles are right, a new perspective on many of the classical arguments for God's existence becomes possible. We understand why these arguments have for many people a continued appeal but also why they do not constitute conclusive 'proofs' that settle the debate once and for all. Touching on the interplay between these ideas and contemporary scientific theories about the origins of religious belief, particularly the role of natural selection in predisposing humans to form beliefs in God or gods, Evans concludes that these scientific accounts of religious belief are fully consistent, even supportive, of the truth of religious convictions.

Natural Signs and Knowledge of God

Author : C. Stephen Evans
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 128 pages
File Size : 45,6 Mb
Release : 2010-05-28
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780191501548

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Natural Signs and Knowledge of God by C. Stephen Evans Pdf

Is there such a thing as natural knowledge of God? C. Stephen Evans presents the case for understanding theistic arguments as expressions of natural signs in order to gain a new perspective both on their strengths and weaknesses. Three classical, much-discussed theistic arguments - cosmological, teleological, and moral - are examined for the natural signs they embody. At the heart of this book lie several relatively simple ideas. One is that if there is a God of the kind accepted by Christians, Jews, and Muslims, then it is likely that a 'natural' knowledge of God is possible. Another is that this knowledge will have two characteristics: it will be both widely available to humans and yet easy to resist. If these principles are right, a new perspective on many of the classical arguments for God's existence becomes possible. We understand why these arguments have for many people a continued appeal but also why they do not constitute conclusive 'proofs' that settle the debate once and for all. Touching on the interplay between these ideas and contemporary scientific theories about the origins of religious belief, particularly the role of natural selection in predisposing humans to form beliefs in God or gods, Evans concludes that these scientific accounts of religious belief are fully consistent, even supportive, of the truth of religious convictions.

Religious Experience and the Knowledge of God

Author : Harold A. Netland
Publisher : Baker Academic
Page : 421 pages
File Size : 52,7 Mb
Release : 2022-02-08
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781493434893

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Religious Experience and the Knowledge of God by Harold A. Netland Pdf

For many Christians, personal experiences of God provide an important ground or justification for accepting the truth of the gospel. But we are sometimes mistaken about our experiences, and followers of other religions also provide impressive testimonies to support their religious beliefs. This book explores from a philosophical and theological perspective the viability of divine encounters as support for belief in God, arguing that some religious experiences can be accepted as genuine experiences of God and can provide evidence for Christian beliefs.

Evidence and Religious Belief

Author : Kelly James Clark,Raymond J. VanArragon
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 225 pages
File Size : 48,9 Mb
Release : 2011-07-28
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9780199603718

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Evidence and Religious Belief by Kelly James Clark,Raymond J. VanArragon Pdf

Evidence and Religious Belief features eleven new essays on the question of whether religious belief must be based on evidence in order to be rational. Leading philosophers in the field discuss the demand for evidence, the ways in which available evidence differs from person to person, and the current arguments for and against religious belief.

Two Dozen (or so) Arguments for God

Author : Jerry Walls,Trent Dougherty
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 496 pages
File Size : 55,5 Mb
Release : 2018-08-07
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780190842246

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Two Dozen (or so) Arguments for God by Jerry Walls,Trent Dougherty Pdf

Thirty years ago, Alvin Plantinga gave a lecture called "Two Dozen (or so) Theistic Arguments," which served as an underground inspiration for two generations of scholars and students. In it, he proposed a number of novel and creative arguments for the existence of God which have yet to receive the attention they deserve. In Two Dozen (or so) Arguments for God, each of Plantinga's original suggestions, many of which he only briefly sketched, is developed in detail by a wide variety of accomplished scholars. The authors look to metaphysics, epistemology, semantics, ethics, aesthetics, and beyond, finding evidence for God in almost every dimension of reality. Those arguments new to natural theology are more fully developed, and well-known arguments are given new life. Not only does this collection present ground-breaking research, but it lays the foundations for research projects for years to come.

The Reformed Objection to Natural Theology

Author : Michael Sudduth
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 250 pages
File Size : 41,8 Mb
Release : 2016-02-24
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781317018070

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The Reformed Objection to Natural Theology by Michael Sudduth Pdf

Michael Sudduth examines three prominent objections to natural theology that have emerged in the Reformed streams of the Protestant theological tradition: objections from the immediacy of our knowledge of God, the noetic effects of sin, and the logic of theistic arguments. Distinguishing between the project of natural theology and particular models of natural theology, Sudduth argues that none of the main Reformed objections is successful as an objection to the project of natural theology itself. One particular model of natural theology - the dogmatic model - is best suited to handle Reformed concerns over natural theology. According to this model, rational theistic arguments represent the reflective reconstruction of the natural knowledge of God by the Christian in the context of dogmatic theology. Informed by both contemporary religious epistemology and the history of Protestant philosophical theology, Sudduth’'s examination illuminates the complex nature of the project of natural theology and its place in the Reformed tradition.

Apologetical Aesthetics

Author : Mark Coppenger,William E. Elkins,Richard H. Stark
Publisher : Wipf and Stock Publishers
Page : 308 pages
File Size : 50,9 Mb
Release : 2022-04-29
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781666715088

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Apologetical Aesthetics by Mark Coppenger,William E. Elkins,Richard H. Stark Pdf

Apart from the work of God in creation, it’s notoriously difficult to explain the presence of beauty in the world and man’s appreciation for it. Indeed, the aesthetic realm (with its array of phenomena which engage the senses, the mind, and the heart) not only suits the biblical account of the universe, but also points toward it. In making this case, sixteen writers address the shortcomings of naturalistic narratives, the virtues of theistic accounts (particularly those grounded in Christ), and the manner in which the various arts resonate with Scripture. Along the way, readers will encounter the peacock’s tail and Farnsworth House; a Schubert piano sonata and “chopsticks”; Kintsugi and Kitsch; Hugh of St. Victor and Hans Urs von Balthasar; Kandinsky and Eisenstein; the Lydian and Phrygian modes; eucatastrophe and liminal space; McDonald’s and Don Quixote; Sméagol and the Blobfish; Stockhausen and Begbie; Adorno and Kinkade; Mount Auburn Cemetery and Narnia; Fujimura and Schopenhauer.

God and Cosmos

Author : David Baggett,Jerry L. Walls
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 345 pages
File Size : 53,5 Mb
Release : 2016
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780199931217

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God and Cosmos by David Baggett,Jerry L. Walls Pdf

'God and Cosmos' provides a four-fold moral argument for God's existence that is cumulative, abductive, and teleological.

Making Sense of God

Author : Timothy Keller
Publisher : Penguin
Page : 336 pages
File Size : 53,6 Mb
Release : 2016-09-20
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780698194366

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Making Sense of God by Timothy Keller Pdf

We live in an age of skepticism. Our society places such faith in empirical reason, historical progress, and heartfelt emotion that it’s easy to wonder: Why should anyone believe in Christianity? What role can faith and religion play in our modern lives? In this thoughtful and inspiring new book, pastor and New York Times bestselling author Timothy Keller invites skeptics to consider that Christianity is more relevant now than ever. As human beings, we cannot live without meaning, satisfaction, freedom, identity, justice, and hope. Christianity provides us with unsurpassed resources to meet these needs. Written for both the ardent believer and the skeptic, Making Sense of God shines a light on the profound value and importance of Christianity in our lives.

Why Christian Faith Still Makes Sense (Acadia Studies in Bible and Theology)

Author : C. Stephen Evans
Publisher : Baker Academic
Page : 160 pages
File Size : 42,6 Mb
Release : 2015-05-12
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781493400225

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Why Christian Faith Still Makes Sense (Acadia Studies in Bible and Theology) by C. Stephen Evans Pdf

In recent years the Christian faith has been challenged by skeptics, including the New Atheists, who claim that belief in God is simply not reasonable. Here prominent Christian philosopher C. Stephen Evans offers a fresh, contemporary, and nuanced response. He makes the case for belief in a personal God through an exploration of natural "signs," which open our minds to theistic possibilities and foster belief in the Christian revelation. Evans then discusses why God's self-revelation is both authoritative and authentic. This sophisticated yet accessible book provides a clear account of the evidence for Christian faith, concluding that it still makes sense to believe.

Living Accountably

Author : C. Stephen Evans
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 202 pages
File Size : 52,5 Mb
Release : 2022-11-21
Category : Social Science
ISBN : 9780192653062

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Living Accountably by C. Stephen Evans Pdf

In contemporary culture, accountability is usually understood in terms of holding people who have done something wrong accountable for their actions. As such, it is virtually synonymous with punishing someone. Living Accountably argues that accountability should also be understood as a significant, forward-looking virtue, an excellence possessed by those who willingly embrace being accountable to those who have proper standing, when that standing is exercised appropriately. Those who have this virtue are people who strive to live accountably. The book gives a fine-grained description of the virtue and how it is exercised, including an account of the motivational profile of the one who has the virtue. It examines the relation of accountability to other virtues, such as honesty and humility, as well as opposing vices, such as self-deception, arrogance, and servility. Though the virtue of accountability is compatible with individual autonomy, recognizing the importance of the virtue does justice to the social character of human persons. C. Stephen Evans also explores the history of this virtue in other cultures and historical eras, providing evidence that the virtue is widely recognized, even if it is somewhat eclipsed in modern western societies. Accountability is also a virtue that connects ethical life with religious life for many people, since it is common for people to have a sense that they are accountable in a global way for how they live their lives. Living Accountably explores the question as to whether global accountability can be understood in a purely secular way, as accountability to other humans, or whether it must be understood as accountability to God, or some other transcendent reality.

Cultural Apologetics

Author : Paul M. Gould
Publisher : Zondervan Academic
Page : 240 pages
File Size : 44,5 Mb
Release : 2019-03-12
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780310530503

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Cultural Apologetics by Paul M. Gould Pdf

Renewing the Christian voice, conscience, and imagination so that we can become compelling witnesses of the Gospel in today's culture. Christianity has an image problem. While the culture we inhabit presents us with an increasingly anti-Christian and disenchanted position, the church in the West has not helped its case by becoming anti-intellectual, fragmented, and out of touch with the relevancy of Jesus to all aspects of contemporary life. The muting of the Christian voice, its imagination, and its collective conscience have diminished the prospect of having a genuine missionary encounter with others today. Cultural apologetics attempts to demonstrate not only the truth of the Gospel but also its desirability by reestablishing Christianity as the answer that satisfies our three universal human longings—truth, goodness, and beauty. In Cultural Apologetics, philosopher and professor Paul Gould sets forth a fresh and uplifting model for cultural engagement—rooted in the biblical account of Paul's speech in Athens—which details practical steps for establishing Christianity as both true and beautiful, reasonable and satisfying. You'll be introduced to: The idea of cultural apologetics as distinct from traditional apologetics. The path from disenchantment with how we understand reality to re-enchantment with the reality of the spiritual nature of things. The practical tools of good cultural engagement: conscience, reason, and imagination. Equip yourself to see, and help others see, the world as it is through the lens of the Spirit—deeply beautiful, mysterious, and sacred. With creative insights, Cultural Apologetics prepares readers to share a vision of the Christian faith that is both plausible and desirable, offering clarity for those who have become disoriented in the haze of modern Western culture.

God and Moral Obligation

Author : C. Stephen Evans
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 210 pages
File Size : 40,7 Mb
Release : 2013-02-28
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9780199696680

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God and Moral Obligation by C. Stephen Evans Pdf

C. Stephen Evans defends the claim that moral obligations are best understood as divine commands or requirements; hence an important part of morality depends on God. God's requirements are communicated in a variety of ways, including conscience, and that natural law ethics and virtue ethics provide complementary perspectives to this view.

Spirituality and the Good Life

Author : David McPherson
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
Page : 249 pages
File Size : 46,8 Mb
Release : 2017-10-19
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9781107133006

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Spirituality and the Good Life by David McPherson Pdf

A philosophical exploration of the relationships between spirituality, well-being, religion, and philosophy, examining specific spiritual practices and spiritually informed virtues.

Knowing Creation

Author : Zondervan,
Publisher : Zondervan Academic
Page : 342 pages
File Size : 45,9 Mb
Release : 2018-05-08
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780310536147

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Knowing Creation by Zondervan, Pdf

It is hard to think of an area of Christian theology that provides more scope for interdisciplinary conversation than the doctrine of creation. This doctrine not only invites reflection on an intellectual concept: it calls for contemplation of the endlessly complex, dynamic, and fascinating world that human being inhabit. But the possibilities for wide-ranging discussion are such that scholars sometimes end up talking past one another. Productive conversation requires mutual understanding of insights across disciplinary boundaries. Knowing Creation offers an essential resource for helping scholars from a range of fields to appreciate one another's concerns and perspectives. In so doing, it offers an important step forward in establishing a mutually-enriching dialogue that addresses, amongst others, the following key questions: Who is the God who creates? Why does God create? What is "creation"? What does it mean to recognize that a theology of creation speaks of a natural world that is subject to the observation of the natural sciences? What does it mean to talk about both a "natural" order and a "created" order? What are the major tensions that have arisen between the natural sciences and Christian thinking historically, and why? How can we move beyond such tensions to a positive and constructive conversation, while also avoiding facile notions such as a "god of the gaps"? Is it feasible for a natural scientist to maintain a belief in God's continuing creative activity? In what ways might a naturalistic understanding of the natural world be said to be limited? How can biblical studies, theology, philosophy, history, and science talk better together about these questions? At a time when the doctrine of creation - and even a mention of "creation" - has been disparaged due to its supposed associations with anti-scientific dogma, and theological offerings sometimes risk appearing a little more than reactionary exercises in naive apologetics, ill-informed by science or distinctly wary of engagement with it, it is more important than ever to offer a cross-disciplinary resource that can voice a positive account of a Christian theology of creation, and do so as a genuinely broad-ranging conversation about science and faith. Contributors to Knowing Creation include Marilyn McCord Adams, Denis Alexander, Susan Eastman, C. Stephen Evans, Peter van Inwagen, Christoph Schwobel, John H. Walton, Francis Watson, and more. X