Philosophers Who Believe: The Spiritual Journeys of 11 Leading Thinkers - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0830815430 ISBN 13: 9780830815432

Publisher: IVP Academic, 1997

Synopsis

Voted one of Christianity Today's 1995 Books of the Year! Time magazine reports on a remarkable renaissance of religious belief among philosophers: "In a quiet revolution in thought and arguments that hardly anyone could have foreseen only two decades ago, God is making a comeback. Most intriguingly, this is happening . . . in the crisp, intellectual circles of academic philosophers. . . . Now it is more respectable among philosophers than it has been for a generation to talk about the possibility of God's existence." Relying on boldness and rigorous thought, the movers and shakers of this "quiet revolution" have developed their theories against the rising tide of strict empiricism. Who are these tough-minded intellectuals, and why have they embraced Christian belief? In Philosophers Who Believe several key thinkers answer this question with unusual candor, warmth and brilliance. Contributors include:

• Alvin Plantinga
  University of Notre Dame, considered the world's leading Protestant philosopher of God.
• Basil Mitchell
  Oxford University, author of such groundbreaking books as The Justification of Religious Belief.
• Mortimer Adler
  Institute for Philosophical Research, renowned for his prolific writings and his work to revive an emphasis on the "Great Books" in higher education.
• Nicholas Wolterstorff
  Yale University, whose innovative work has led to invitations to deliver the distinguished Wilde Lectures at Oxford and Gifford Lectures in Scotland.
• Richard Swinburne
  Oxford University, the premier rational apologist of our age.
• Frederick Suppe
  University of Maryland at College Park, a premier philosopher of science.
• John Rist
  University of Toronto, expert on the late Ancient and early Medieval periods of philosophy.
• Linda Zagzebski
  Loyola Marymount University, recognized for her work on divine foreknowledge and human freedom.
• Stephen Davis
  Claremont McKenna College, author of books on topics ranging from the nature of God to the inspiration of Scripture.
• Terence Penelhum
  University of Calgary (professor emeritus), acclaimed for research on skepticism and religious belief in the Enlightenment and post-Enlightenment eras.
• Nicholas Rescher
  University of Pittsburgh, prolific author and editor of prestigious scholarly journals.

Winner of a Christianity Today book award for the original cloth edition, Philosophers Who Believe is now available in paperback. This collection of intellectual and spiritual autobiographies will be helpful--even inspirational--for students and teachers of philosophy as well as for readers who are simply curious about the connections between philosophy and Christian faith.

About this title

About the Author

Kelly James Clark (Ph.D., Notre Dame) is Senior Research Fellow at the Kaufman Interfaith Institute at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, MI. Kelly has held visiting appointments at Oxford University, the University of St. Andrews and the University of Notre Dame. He is former Professor of Philosophy at Gordon College and Calvin College. He works in philosophy of religion, ethics, and Chinese thought and culture. His other books include Return to Reason, Our Knowledge of God: Essays on Natural and Philosophical Theology, When Faith is Not Enough, 101 Key Philosophical Terms and Their Importance to Theology and The Story of Ethics.

From Library Journal

Eleven American, British, and Canadian philosophers contributed to this collection of essays, addressing the theme of their practice of Christianity. Both the Roman Catholic and various Protestant traditions are included here, but the majority of writers are affiliated with or have been influenced by the philosophy staff at Calvin College and Seminary, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Alvin Plantinga, Mortimer Adler, and John Rist number among the authors, all of whom write well and many of whom write compellingly. However, an overall lack of clear audience focus--some are writing for scholars, some for the convinced, some as though they were addressing the callowest undergraduates--calls into question the usefulness of the volume as a whole. The best place for this in the library may be where undergraduate students browse for relaxation or inspiration.
- Francisca Goldsmith, Berkeley P.L., Cal.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: IVP Academic
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 0830815430
• ISBN 13: 9780830815432
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 284
• Editor: Clark Kelly James