Contemporary Debates in Philosophy of Religion

Lively debates on controversial and compelling questions in the philosophy of religion — an updated edition of the bestselling title

Building upon the reputation of the first edition, the extensively revised second edition of Contemporary Debates in Philosophy of Religion features fifteen essays which present arguments on some of the most central and controversial topics in philosophy of religion from the discipline’s most influential thinkers. Considering questions of both emerging and perennial interest from atheistic, theistic, and agnostic viewpoints, the book adopts the series structure which pairs essays espousing opposing perspectives on a particular question or theme in an engaging pro and con format.

Following accessible introductions to each debate, the volume’s new and newly-revised contributions set the stage for thoughtful and lively discourse between philosophers in philosophy of religion and analytic theology. Debates range from vigorous disagreements between theists and their critics to arguments between theists of different philosophical and theological persuasions, highlighting points of contrast for readers while showcasing the field’s leading minds in dialogue. The head-to-head chapters offer forceful advocacy for some of the most compelling ideas, beliefs, and objections in the philosophy of religion, opening the conversation up to students to weigh the arguments and engage in comparative analysis of the concepts for themselves.

Written to appeal to the non-specialist as well as the professional philosopher, Contemporary Debates in Philosophy of Religion is ideal as both a provocative primary text for coursework in analytical theology and philosophy of religion, and as a broad survey of the field for scholars and general readers with an interest in the questions which underpin contemporary philosophy of religion and theology.

Michael L. Peterson is Professor of Philosophy at Asbury Theological Seminary. He has written and edited numerous books, and is the general editor of the Wiley Blackwell Exploring Philosophy of Religion series. His research focuses on the philosophy of science, philosophy of religion, the problem of evil, and the science-religion relationship.

Raymond J. VanArragon is Professor of Philosophy at Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota. He is the author of Key Terms in Philosophy of Religion (2010), and his work focuses on epistemology and the philosophy of religion.

Notes on Contributors ix

Preface to the First Edition xv

Preface to the Second Edition xvii

Acknowledgements xix

Arguments for Religious Belief 1

1 Does the Universe Have a Cause? 3

Affirmative Position: The Universe Has a Cause 3
Robert C. Koons

Negative Position: The Universe Does Not Have a Cause 13
Graham Oppy

Reply to Oppy 22

Reply to Koons 24

2 Is Fine‐Tuning Evidence that God Exists? 27

Affirmative Position: Fine‐Tuning is Evidence that God Exists 27
Robin Collins

Negative Position: Fine‐Tuning is Not Evidence that God Exists 37
Elliott Sober

Reply to Sober 48

Reply to Collins 50

3 Is God Necessary for Morality? 55

Affirmative Position: God is Necessary for Morality 55
Mark D. Linville

Negative Position: Atheism, Naturalism, and Morality 66
Louise Antony

Reply to Antony 79

Reply to Linville 81

4 Does Religious Experience Justify Religious Belief ? 85

Affirmative Position: Religious Experience Justifies Religious Belief 85
William P. Alston

Negative Position: Do Mystics See God? 94
Evan Fales

Reply to Fales 106

Reply to Alston 110

5 Does Testimony about Miracles Provide Evidence for Religion? 113

Affirmative Position: The Case for Miracles 113
Charity Anderson and Alexander Pruss

Negative Position: Testimony about Miracles Does Not Provide Evidence 123
Arif Ahmed

Reply to Ahmed 132

Reply to Anderson and Pruss 134

Challenges to Religious Belief 137

6 Is Evil Evidence against Belief in God? 139

Affirmative Position: Evil is Evidence against God’s Existence 139
William L. Rowe

Negative Position: Evil Does Not Make Atheism More Reasonable Than Theism 148
Daniel Howard-Snyder and Michael Bergmann

Reply to Howard‐Snyder and Bergmann 160

Reply to Rowe 162

7 Does Divine Hiddenness Justify Atheism? 165

Affirmative Position: Divine Hiddenness Justifies Atheism 165
J. L. Schellenberg

Negative Position: Divine Hiddenness Does Not Justify Atheism 176
Paul K. Moser

Reply to Moser 187

Reply to Schellenberg 189

8 Does Science Discredit Religion? 193

Affirmative Position: Science Discredits Religion 193
Michael Ruse

Negative Position: Science Does Not Discredit Religion 202
Michael L. Peterson

Reply to Peterson 212

Reply to Ruse 214

9 Is the God of the Hebrew Bible Perfectly Good? 219

Negative Position: The God of Ancient Israel is Not Perfectly Good 219
Wes Morriston

Affirmative Position: The Perfect Goodness of God in the Hebrew Scriptures 229
Mark C. Murphy

Reply to Murphy 238

Reply to Morriston 240

10 Is it Reasonable to Believe That Only One Religion is True? 243

Affirmative Position: It is Reasonable to Believe That Only One Religion is True 243
David Basinger

Negative Position: It is Not Reasonable to Believe That Only One Religion is True 252
Peter Byrne

Reply to Byrne 261

Reply to Basinger 264

Issues Within Religion 267

11 Is Evidence Required for Religious Belief ? 269

Affirmative Position: Evidence is Required for Religious Belief 269
Blake McAllister

Negative Position: Evidence is Not Required for Religious Belief 279
Raymond J. VanArragon

Reply to VanArragon 287

Reply to McAllister 290

12 Should we Think of God as Masculine? 293

Negative Position A: Is God a Man? 293
Michael Rea

Negative Position B: God is Not Male 302
Kathryn Pogin

Reply to Pogin 310

Reply to Rea 312

13 Does God Take Risks in Governing the World? 317

Affirmative Position: God Takes Risks 317
William Hasker

Negative Position: God Does Not Take Risks 326
Paul Helm

Reply to Helm 335

Reply to Hasker 337

14 Should Christians Endorse Mind‐Body Dualism? 341

Affirmative Position: Christians Should Affirm Mind‐Body Dualism 341
Dean W. Zimmerman

Negative Position: Christians Should Reject Mind‐Body Dualism 353
Lynne Rudder Baker

Reply to Baker 363

Reply to Zimmerman 366

15 Is Eternal Damnation Compatible with the Christian Concept of God? 369

Affirmative Position: Eternal Hell and the Christian Concept of God 369
Jerry L. Walls

Negative Position: No Hell 379
Thomas Talbott

Reply to Talbott 387

Reply to Walls 388

Index 391

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