Description
Book SynopsisThis book is built around the two themes of religious ambiguity and religious diversity. Robert McKim first asks whether the religious traditions can account for the fact that the beliefs that they wish their adherents to accept are not clearly true. He then explores the significnace for religious belief of the fact that there are so many competing religious traditions. A central thesis of the book is that beliefs about religious matters ought to be held tentatively, with an awareness that the beliefs in question may be wrong. This applies to the beliefs of theists, of atheists, and of members of non-theistic religions alike. McKim attempts to show the validity of this thesis by applying it to the theistic problem of the ''hiddenness'' of God: that is, the question why, if God exists, it is not clear to everyone that this is so.
Trade ReviewThe discussion throughout is of high quality and extremely detailed * Peter Byrne, Religious Studies *
Students and scholars in the philosophy of religion will be indebted to McKim's exploration of the literature on divine hiddenness. I find the conclusion he draws from it compelling * Peter Byrne, Religious Studies *
Table of ContentsPart I: The Hiddenness of God 1 The Hiddenness of God: Introduction 2 God's Hiddenness and the Possibility of Moral Action 3 God's Hiddenness, Freedom to Believe, and Attitude Problems 4 Trust and Other Goods of Mystery 5 The Hiddenness of God and Arguments for Atheism 6 The Hiddenness of God: Implications Part II: Religious Diversity 7 Religious Diversity: Introduction 8 The Critical Stance I: Tentative Religious Belief 9 The Critical Stance II: Arguments and Objections 10 Religious Experience and Religious Belief 11 Alston on Religious Experience Notes Index
