Twentieth-Century Philosophy of Religion: The History of Western Philosophy of Religion

Graham Oppy & Nick N. Trakakis

Language: English

Published: Jul 15, 2013

Description:

"Vibrant, contentious and constructive, these essays powerfully demonstrate that the last century is by any standard a critical period for progress in the history of western philosophy of religion." - Pamela Anderson, University of Oxford "Acumen's The History of Western Philosophy of Religion is a remarkable and indispensable resource for students, instructors and anyone interested in the history of ideas.

Crafted by leading scholars in the field, it is a paragon of erudition, insight and accessibility. This work is now the standard on the subject and will continue to be for many years to come."- Chad Meister, Bethel College The History of Western Philosophy of Religion brings together an international team of over 100 leading scholars to provide authoritative exposition of how history's most important philosophical thinkers - from antiquity to the present day - have sought to analyse the concepts and tenets central to Western religious belief, especially Christianity. Divided chronologically into five volumes.

The History of Western Philosophy of Religion is designed to be accessible to a wide range of readers, from the scholar looking for original insight and the latest research findings to the student wishing for a masterly encapsulation of a particular philosopher's views. Together these volumes provide an indispensable resource for anyone conducting research or teaching in the philosophy of religion and related fields, such as theology, religious studies, the history of philosophy, and the history of ideas.

Volume 5 covers a century that saw religion challenged by the rise of science and secularism, a confrontation which resulted in an astonishingly diverse range of philosophical views about religion and religious belief. Many of the major philosophers of the twentieth century - Russell, Wittgenstein, Ayer, Heidegger and Derrida - significantly engaged with religious thought, and leading theologians and religious philosophers - notably Buber, Tillich and Barth - directly engaged with the philosophy of religion. Later, philosophy of religion became a distinct field of study, led by the work of Hick, Alston, Plantinga and Swinburne.