Contemporary Debates in Philosophy of Religion

Michael L. Peterson is Professor of Philosophy at Asbury Theological Seminary. He has written and edited numerous books, and is the general editor of the Wiley Blackwell Exploring Philosophy of Religion series. His research focuses on the philosophy of science, philosophy of religion, the problem of evil, and the science-religion relationship. Raymond J. VanArragon is Professor of Philosophy at Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota. He is the author of Key Terms in Philosophy of Religion (2010), and his work focuses on epistemology and the philosophy of religion.

• Notes on Contributors ixPreface to the First Edition xvPreface to the Second Edition xviiAcknowledgements xixArguments for Religious Belief 11 Does the Universe Have a Cause? 3Affirmative Position: The Universe Has a Cause 3Robert C. KoonsNegative Position: The Universe Does Not Have a Cause 13Graham OppyReply to Oppy 22Reply to Koons 242 Is Fine‐Tuning Evidence that God Exists? 27Affirmative Position: Fine‐Tuning is Evidence that God Exists 27Robin CollinsNegative Position: Fine‐Tuning is Not Evidence that God Exists 37Elliott SoberReply to Sober 48Reply to Collins 503 Is God Necessary for Morality? 55Affirmative Position: God is Necessary for Morality 55Mark D. LinvilleNegative Position: Atheism, Naturalism, and Morality 66Louise AntonyReply to Antony 79Reply to Linville 814 Does Religious Experience Justify Religious Belief ? 85Affirmative Position: Religious Experience Justifies Religious Belief 85William P. AlstonNegative Position: Do Mystics See God? 94Evan FalesReply to Fales 106Reply to Alston 1105 Does Testimony about Miracles Provide Evidence for Religion? 113Affirmative Position: The Case for Miracles 113Charity Anderson and Alexander PrussNegative Position: Testimony about Miracles Does Not Provide Evidence 123Arif AhmedReply to Ahmed 132Reply to Anderson and Pruss 134Challenges to Religious Belief 1376 Is Evil Evidence against Belief in God? 139Affirmative Position: Evil is Evidence against God’s Existence 139William L. RoweNegative Position: Evil Does Not Make Atheism More Reasonable Than Theism 148Daniel Howard-Snyder and Michael BergmannReply to Howard‐Snyder and Bergmann 160Reply to Rowe 1627 Does Divine Hiddenness Justify Atheism? 165Affirmative Position: Divine Hiddenness Justifies Atheism 165J. L. SchellenbergNegative Position: Divine Hiddenness Does Not Justify Atheism 176Paul K. MoserReply to Moser 187Reply to Schellenberg 1898 Does Science Discredit Religion? 193Affirmative Position: Science Discredits Religion 193Michael RuseNegative Position: Science Does Not Discredit Religion 202Michael L. PetersonReply to Peterson 212Reply to Ruse 2149 Is the God of the Hebrew Bible Perfectly Good? 219Negative Position: The God of Ancient Israel is Not Perfectly Good 219Wes MorristonAffirmative Position: The Perfect Goodness of God in the Hebrew Scriptures 229Mark C. MurphyReply to Murphy 238Reply to Morriston 24010 Is it Reasonable to Believe That Only One Religion is True? 243Affirmative Position: It is Reasonable to Believe That Only One Religion is True 243David BasingerNegative Position: It is Not Reasonable to Believe That Only One Religion is True 252Peter ByrneReply to Byrne 261Reply to Basinger 264Issues Within Religion 26711 Is Evidence Required for Religious Belief ? 269Affirmative Position: Evidence is Required for Religious Belief 269Blake McAllisterNegative Position: Evidence is Not Required for Religious Belief 279Raymond J. VanArragonReply to VanArragon 287Reply to McAllister 29012 Should we Think of God as Masculine? 293Negative Position A: Is God a Man? 293Michael ReaNegative Position B: God is Not Male 302Kathryn PoginReply to Pogin 310Reply to Rea 31213 Does God Take Risks in Governing the World? 317Affirmative Position: God Takes Risks 317William HaskerNegative Position: God Does Not Take Risks 326Paul HelmReply to Helm 335Reply to Hasker 33714 Should Christians Endorse Mind‐Body Dualism? 341Affirmative Position: Christians Should Affirm Mind‐Body Dualism 341Dean W. ZimmermanNegative Position: Christians Should Reject Mind‐Body Dualism 353Lynne Rudder BakerReply to Baker 363Reply to Zimmerman 36615 Is Eternal Damnation Compatible with the Christian Concept of God? 369Affirmative Position: Eternal Hell and the Christian Concept of God 369Jerry L. WallsNegative Position: No Hell 379Thomas TalbottReply to Talbott 387Reply to Walls 388Index 391