Thinking about God

If it is reasonable to believe in God, the ways in which God is thought of and spoken of deserve careful attention. This book looks carefully at the philosophical implications for thinking and speaking about God, the problems that have arisen and still arise, and the various solutions that have been proposed. In Part One Brian Davies examines the question of the reality of God. Do we have reason to believe in God? Arguments are discussed based on the beginning of the universe, its continued existence, the order it exhibits, experience of God, and the basis of morality. Finally, the Ontological Argument, based on the concept of God, is examined. Part Two looks at questions raised by what is said about God. Is talk about God meaningless? If not, in what sense can we talk about God? What does it mean to say that God is eternal and changeless? What does it mean to say that God is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent and good? Does the existence of evil invalidate belief in God? Part Three considers more precisely Christian belief in God. Is there a rational basis for Christianity? How does this relate to faith? Can we make sense of the doctrines of the Incarnation and the Trinity? Is prayer reasonable? Throughout the book arguments from all sides are treated readably but rigorously. There is generous provision of searching questions for discussion and further reading. Brian Davies is Professor of Philosophy at Fordham University, New York. His publications include The Thought of Thomas Aquinas (Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1992), An Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion (Oxford University Press, 3rd edn., 2004), and The Reality of God and the Problem of Evil (Continuum, 2006).