Philosophical Thinking and the Religious Context

Description

This new collection covers a wide range of cutting-edge and timely questions in contemporary philosophy of religion from a rich variety of backgrounds and perspectives. The essays in the volume deal with a range of fascinating topics in the philosophy of religion such as views of God's nature in process philosophy and theology, process views compared with traditional views (such as that found in St Thomas Aquinas), teleology and purpose in human life and in the universe, religion and evolution, the problem of evil both in human experience and in the natural world, and ethical questions concerning the human road to God, and the question of human rights in pluralist, democratic states. The essays in the first section, "Approaches to God," examine the rationality of the approach to the nature of God defended in process philosophy, particularly in the work of two pioneering thinkers, Charles Hartshorne and A.N. Whitehead. The second section of the book, "Science, Evolution and God," turns to the engagement of Christian views regarding the nature of God and creation with modern developments in science and philosophy. The last section, "Philosophy of Religion and Ethics," takes up broader, more foundational questions. Santiago Sia concludes the volume with a sustained reflection on the nature of philosophy, and philosophizing, a discussion to which he brings many insights and experiences from his own academic career.

Brendan Sweetman is Professor of Philosophy at Rockhurst University, USA. He is author and editor of ten books, including Religion and Science: An Introduction (2010) and Religion: Key Concepts in Philosophy (2007).

This collection of essays in honour of Santiago Sia is deeply rooted in the process thought of Charles Hartshorne and A. N. Whitehead. With contributors of the highest distinction, the essays are exercises in the philosophy of religion that are yet genuinely interdisciplinary, contextualizing philosophical thinking in areas that include ethics, theology, science, political theory, and the problem of suffering. They are outstanding examples of how to think with more than the intellect but also with vision and imagination and with a clear sense of the context of all thought in the demands of reality and the immediate world. The book provides a brilliant testimony to the career and commitment of Professor Sia as educator and thinker. -- David Jasper, FRSA FRSE, Professor of Literature and Theology, University of Glasgow, UK, and Distinguished Overseas Professor, Renmin University of China Brendan Sweetman's Philosophical Thinking and the Religious Context adds to his already-established reputation in Anglo-American philosophy of religion. Drawing largely on the contributions of process philosophy, the range and depth of the essays collected in this volume make it a worthy addition to personal as well as academic libraries. Scholars and students alike will benefit from the insightfulness, clarity, and rigor of essays that engage a number of key questions in contemporary philosophical reflection on religion and religious belief. -- William Sweet, Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Centre for Philosophy, Theology and Cultural Traditions, St. Francis Xavier University, Canada Publications on the philosophy of Charles Hartshorne are rather rare these days. However, the broad scope of the contributions in this volume, by authors from all over the globe, attests to both its liveliness and its fruitfulness, in almost all philosophical disciplines. -- Andre Cloots, Professor of Philosophy, KU Leuven, Belgium A. N. Whitehead and Charles Hartshorne were towering figures in philosophy and theology at a time when the two disciplines were widely thought to be irreconcilable. Their labors on behalf of reconciliation issued in the immensely influential perspective of process theism. This volume demonstrates that its influence and debate with classical theism continue unabated. Sweetman has assembled a remarkably balanced collection of essays given the range of issues addressed and the unique creativity of each author. Readers do well to understand the current application of process thought to areas where reflection matters most, including especially the relation between science and religion and the special challenge of the problem of evil. -- R. Douglas Geivett, Professor of Philosophy, Biola University & Talbot School of Theology, USA