Faith, Reason and the Existence of God

Description

The proposition that the existence of God is demonstrable by rational argument is doubted by nearly all philosophical opinion today and is thought by most Christian theologians to be incompatible with Christian faith. This book argues that, on the contrary, there are reasons of faith why in principle the existence of God should be thought rationally demonstrable and that it is worthwhile revisiting the theology of Thomas Aquinas to see why this is so. The book further suggests that philosophical objections to proofs of God's existence rely upon an attenuated and impoverished conception of reason which theologians of all monotheistic traditions might wish to reject. Denys Turner proposes that on a broader and deeper conception of it, human rationality is open to the 'sacramental shape' of creation as such and in its exercise of rational proof of God it in some way participates in that sacramentality of all things.

Denys Turner is Norris-Hulse Professor of Divinity and Fellow of Peterhouse, University of Cambridge. He is the author of Marxism and Christianity (1983), Eros and Allegory (1995), The Darkness of God (CUP, 1995) and Faith Seeking (2002).

'Professor Turner here offers an elegant and sophisticated defence of the conciliar teaching against detractors of both Catholic and Protestant sympathies. ... read this book for some of the fems it contains ...'. Church Times '... remarkable ... a major contribution to Catholic theology.' International Journal of Systematic Theology 'Advanced students of natural theology, theological language and Aquinas will find this an immensely stimulating read.' Themelios