God

C. Stephen Layman is professor emeritus of philosophy at Seattle Pacific University. He is the author of five books, including The Shape of the Good (University of Notre Dame Press, 1994) and, most recently, Philosophical Approaches to Atonement, Incarnation, and the Trinity.

• Introduction1. Does God Exist? Part I2. Does God Exist? Part II3. Why Does God Permit Evil?4. Why Think God is Good?5. Why is God Hidden? Part I6. Why is God Hidden? Part II7. How is God related to Ethics? 8. Is Divine Foreknowledge Compatible with Human Free Will? Part I9. Is Divine Foreknowledge Compatible with Human Free Will? Part II10. Do Humans Have Souls? Part I11. Do Humans Have Souls? Part II12. Does Reincarnation Provide the Best Explanation of Suffering?EpilogueWorks Cited

"All theo-philosophical analytic thinkers will find Layman's book both compelling and thorough. ...Recommended." —Choice"The major virtues of C. Stephen Layman's book are its clarity, its concision, its accessibility, and its scope. . . . . God: Eight Enduring Questions offers a careful and cogent case for theism. . . it also provides a remarkably clear and accessible overview of some of the most important debates in contemporary philosophy of religion." —Theological Studies"In methodical fashion, philosophy professor Layman offers a no-nonsense defense of theism—'the belief that God exists and is the Creator of the universe.' . . . any reader looking for cogent arguments to support their personal belief in God will find plenty to bolster them here." —Publishers Weekly"Stephen Layman's insightful explication of the major claims of traditional theism has a clear unity in spite of its broad range. Layman writes with a clarity that makes the book accessible to the lay reader while also offering an original approach to the war of the world views that should be required reading for scholars in philosophy of religion." —Laura L. Garcia, editor of Truth, Life and Solidarity"C. Stephen Layman's gift for explaining complicated things is on display in this wonderful introduction to eight well-chosen questions about God. The questions range from traditional to novel, and the answers to them include key extant replies along with some new gems from Layman himself. A great companion for your next philosophy of religion unit or course!" —Jeanine Diller, co-editor of Models of God and Other Alternative Ultimate Realities"Both the breadth and the depth of exposition will educate readers in matters of more general metaphysical and epistemological interest than can be found in many student texts in philosophy of religion." —R. Douglas Geivett, co-editor of The Testimony of the Spirit"Only someone such as C. Stephen Layman, who has worked in philosophy of religion for many years, could write such an informative and accessible book." —James P. Sterba, University of Notre Dame