Defending God
Defending God

Author: James L. Crenshaw

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2005-04-21

Total Pages: 286

ISBN-13: 0198032080

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In the ancient Near East, when the gods detected gross impropriety in their ranks, they subjected their own to trial. When mortals suspect their gods of wrongdoing, do they have the right to put them on trial? What lies behind the human endeavor to impose moral standards of behavior on the gods? Is this effort an act of arrogance, as Kant suggested, or a means of keeping theological discourse honest? It is this question James Crenshaw seeks to address in this wide-ranging study of ancient theodicies. Crenshaw has been writing about and pondering the issue of theodicy - the human effort to justify the ways of the gods or God - for many years. In this volume he presents a synthesis of his ideas on this perennially thorny issue. The result sheds new light on the history of the human struggle with this intractable problem.

Maximal God
Maximal God

Author: Yujin Nagasawa

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2017

Total Pages: 242

ISBN-13: 0198758685

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Yujin Nagasawa presents a new, stronger version of perfect being theism, the conception of God as the greatest possible being. Although perfect being theism is the most common form of monotheism in the Judeo-Christian-Islamic tradition its truth has been disputed by philosophers and theologians for centuries. Nagasawa proposes a new, game-changing defence of perfect being theism by developing what he calls the 'maximal concept of God'. Perfect being theists typically maintain that God is an omniscient, omnipotent, and omnibenevolent being; according to Nagasawa, God should be understood rather as a being that has the maximal consistent set of knowledge, power, and benevolence. Nagasawa argues that once we accept the maximal concept we can establish perfect being theism on two grounds. First, we can refute nearly all existing arguments against perfect being theism simultaneously. Second, we can construct a novel, strengthened version of the modal ontological argument for perfect being theism. Nagasawa concludes that the maximal concept grants us a unified defence of perfect being theism that is highly effective and economical.

The One
The One

Author: J. Gill

Publisher: 21st Century Reformation Publishing

Published: 2016-04-05

Total Pages: 330

ISBN-13: 9780692682401

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From atheism and agnosticism to Trinitarian Christianity which itself is not rooted in the simple faith of the one true God of the Bible - J. Dan Gill meets all of these candidly and head on. He asks, "Why do most Christians not even know the Shema - the amazing biblical creed about God which was given by Moses, affirmed by Jesus and is spoken in synagogues to this day?" J. Dan challenges Christians to by-pass centuries of their own religious traditions and discover anew the God of Jesus.

God and Necessity
God and Necessity

Author: Stephen E. Parrish

Publisher:

Published: 2001

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9780761821748

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God and Necessity: A Defense of Classical Theism argues that the God of classical theism exists and could not fail to exist. The book begins with the definition of key terms and analysis of the concepts of God and necessity. Extended examinations of the ontological, cosmological, and teleological arguments are given. The last chapters give an extended exposition and defense of the transcendental argument for God's existence. It is shown that rival accounts of the existence of universe, the Brute Fact and the Necessary Universe theories completely fail, while Necessary Deity, the concept of God existing in all possible worlds, succeeds. Only the latter can account for reality as it is, and can account for knowledge and justification.

What about Evil?
What about Evil?

Author: Scott Christensen

Publisher:

Published: 2020

Total Pages:

ISBN-13: 9781629955353

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"Christensen's theological response to the problem of evil examines how sin, evil, corruption, and death not only fit into redemptive history but also magnify the glory of a good God"--

Sense and Goodness Without God
Sense and Goodness Without God

Author: Richard Carrier

Publisher: AuthorHouse

Published: 2005-02-23

Total Pages: 446

ISBN-13: 1452059268

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If God does not exist, then what does? Is there good and evil, and should we care? How do we know what’s true anyway? And can we make any sense of this universe, or our own lives? Sense and Goodness answers all these questions in lavish detail, without complex jargon. A complete worldview is presented and defended, covering every subject from knowledge to art, from metaphysics to morality, from theology to politics. Topics include free will, the nature of the universe, the meaning of life, and much more, arguing from scientific evidence that there is only a physical, natural world without gods or spirits, but that we can still live a life of love, meaning, and joy.

Theodicy
Theodicy

Author: Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz

Publisher: DigiCat

Published: 2022-11-13

Total Pages: 409

ISBN-13:

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"Theodicy" is a book of philosophy by the German polymath Gottfried Leibniz published in 1710, whose optimistic approach to the problem of evil is thought to have inspired Voltaire's "Candide". Much of the work consists of a response to the ideas of the French philosopher Pierre Bayle, with whom Leibniz carried on a debate for many years. The "Theodicy" tries to justify the apparent imperfections of the world by claiming that it is optimal among all possible worlds. It must be the best possible and most balanced world, because it was created by an all powerful and all knowing God, who would not choose to create an imperfect world if a better world could be known to him or possible to exist. In effect, apparent flaws that can be identified in this world must exist in every possible world, because otherwise God would have chosen to create the world that excluded those flaws. Leibniz distinguishes three forms of evil: moral, physical, and metaphysical. Moral evil is sin, physical evil is pain, and metaphysical evil is limitation. God permits moral and physical evil for the sake of greater goods, and metaphysical evil is unavoidable since any created universe must necessarily fall short of God's absolute perfection.

In Defense of the Bible
In Defense of the Bible

Author: Steven B. Cowan

Publisher: B&H Publishing Group

Published: 2018-11-26

Total Pages: 508

ISBN-13: 1535965436

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In Defense of the Bible gathers exceptional articles by accomplished scholars (Paul Copan, William A. Dembski, Mary Jo Sharp, Darrell L. Bock, etc.), addressing and responding to all of the major contemporary challenges to the divine inspiration and authority of Scripture. The book begins by looking at philosophical and methodological challenges to the Bible—questions about whether or not it is logically possible for God to communicate verbally with human beings; what it means to say the Bible is true in response to postmodern concerns about the nature of truth; defending the clarity of Scripture against historical skepticism and relativism. Contributors also explore textual and historical challenges—charges made by Muslims, Mormons, and skeptics that the Bible has been corrupted beyond repair; questions about the authorship of certain biblical books; allegations that the Bible borrows from pagan myths; the historical reliability of the Old and New Testaments. Final chapters take on ethical, scientific, and theological challenges— demonstrating the Bible’s moral integrity regarding the topics of slavery and sexism; harmonizing exegetical and theological conclusions with the findings of science; addressing accusations that the Christian canon is the result of political and theological manipulation; ultimately defending the Bible as not simply historically reliable and consistent, but in fact the Word of God.

Divine Teaching and the Way of the World
Divine Teaching and the Way of the World

Author: Samuel Fleischacker

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2011-04-21

Total Pages:

ISBN-13: 0191617253

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Samuel Fleischacker defends what the Enlightenment called 'revealed religion': religions that regard a certain text or oral teaching as sacred, as wholly authoritative over one's life. At the same time, he maintains that revealed religions stand in danger of corruption or fanaticism unless they are combined with secular scientific practices and a secular morality. The first two parts of Divine Teaching and the Way of the World argue that the cognitive and moral practices of a society should prescind from religious commitments — they constitute a secular 'way of the world', to adapt a phrase from the Jewish tradition, allowing human beings to work together regardless of their religious differences. But the way of the world breaks down when it comes to the question of what we live for, and it is this that revealed religions can illumine. Fleischacker first suggests that secular conceptions of why life is worth living are often poorly grounded, before going on to explore what revelation is, how it can answer the question of worth better than secular worldviews do, and how the revealed and way-of-the-world elements of a religious tradition can be brought together.

God Doesn't Play Zone Defense
God Doesn't Play Zone Defense

Author: Jeff Balistrere

Publisher: Winepress Publishing

Published: 2012-10-01

Total Pages: 120

ISBN-13: 9781414123097

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God Doesn't Play Zone Defense is a unique guide to developing a one-on-one relationship with God. It combines profound Bible quotes and inspirational messages from basketball legends with a pinch of humor mixed in to keep you on your toes. This easy-to-read book is ideal for any individual young or old seeking a deeper understanding of the peace and strength that a personal relationship with God can provide both in the game of basketball and in life. "God Doesn't Play Zone Defense is energy for the soul!" -Mike Brey, Head Men's Basketball Coach, Notre Dame University "I think the messages in God Doesn't Play Zone Defense can be applied to any sport. This book is a great guide on how to improve on the court and grow in our spiritual life as well." -Milan Brown, Head Men's Basketball Coach, Holy Cross University "A great read for any fan of basketball, player or coach . . . It really hits home!" -Jim "Bow Tie" Phelan, Legendary College Basketball Coach "Great book for readers and non-readers, because it speaks to you. Jeff has captured some very fundamental concepts of life that we can all apply to our daily activity." -Cliff Warren, Head Men's Basketball Coach, Jacksonville University Visit www.goddoesntplayzonedefense.com for more information and to order your copy today!