Description
Book SynopsisGod created man in his own image; but did man perhaps return the compliment? The question of God''s existence has been a pivotal issue for every civilization. Those with faith in God want assurance that their belief is justified, and atheists want confirmation that God is nowhere to be found. When we reflect on religion, we want to know the reasons for belief in God, or whether belief is only a comforting delusion. In an age of science, will religion persist or will it be edged out of our consciousness and become a historical curiosity? Burton Porter approaches the notion of God in an open, yet critical way, examining the argumentation used by centuries of human society to support or reject the existence of God. With minimum assumptions and maximum objectivity, Porter debates whether the religious view does, in fact, diagram reality. He examines the roles that God and religion have played in the ethics, art, and actions of many diverse cultures to conclude that, at the very least, the
Trade ReviewA one-stop shop for those who seek to be thoughtful about the divine, The Great Perhaps provides a thorough discussion of the central issues and problems of the spiritual thinker, exploring them in a sympathetic manner without being blind to their challenges. Unique in its global vision, the book relates philosophical concerns to everyday common sense. The reader will come away not merely with a history of the subject, but also with a sense of its contemporary pressing issues, strengths, and concerns. -- Andrew Pessin, Connecticut College, author of The God Question: What Famous Thinkers from Plato to Dawkins Have Said about the Divine
Table of ContentsIntroduction: What Has Athens To Do With Jerusalem? Chapter 1. When Religion First Trembled into Expression Chapter 2. National Religions of the Ancients Chapter 3. The Nature of the Western God Chapter 4. An Array of Alternative Beliefs Chapter 5. Classic Arguments For God’s Existence - And Their Criticisms Chapter 6. The Evidence of Common Sense Chapter 7. If God is Good, Why Do People Suffer? Chapter 8. Other Explanations That Have Been Proposed Chapter 9. How Can Religious Claims Be Established? Chapter 10. Famous Challenges to Faith Chapter 11. The Stormy Relations between Science and Religion Chapter 12. How Religion Relates to Society Chapter 13. Immortality: A Diversity of Beliefs Chapter 14. Religion Today - Its Multiple Forms
