Systematic Philosophical Theology, Volume 1

WILLIAM LANE CRAIG is Emeritus Research Professor of Philosophy at Talbot School of Theology in La Mirada, California. A distinguished theologian and philosopher, he has authored or edited more than 60 books, including The Blackwell Companion to Natural Theology, as well as more than 300 articles in professional publications of philosophy and theology.

• Preface to Volume IProlegomena 11 The Renaissance of Christian Philosophy 21.1 A Look Back 21.2 The Collapse of Verificationism 61.3 The Advent of Postmodernism 81.4 The Rebirth of Christian Philosophy 81.5 The Birth of Analytic Theology 152 Delineating the Disciplines 212.1 Systematic Theology 212.2 Systematic Philosophical Theology 232.3 Dogmatics 292.4 Fundamental Theology and Apologetics 302.5 Philosophy of Religion 372.5.1 The Attempt to Differentiate Philosophy from Theology 392.5.2 The Collapse of Classical Foundationalism 422.5.3 Naturalized Epistemology 432.5.4 Epistemological Pluralism 472.5.5 Summary 583 Truth in Theology 603.1 Truth as Correspondence 603.2 A Deflationary View of Truth 633.3 Truth and Truthmakers 643.4 Modern and Post- Modern Denials of Theological Truth 663.4.1 Verificationism 673.4.2 Mystical Anti- Realism 683.4.3 Radical Pluralism 713.5 Summary 734 The Organizational Structure of Systematic Philosophical Theology 73Locus I: De Scriptura Sacra 761 Revelation and Scripture 781.1 Divine Revelation: Act, Content, or Experience? 781.2 Is Revelation the Disclosure of Something Otherwise Unknown? 811.3 Is “Revelation” a Success Term? 851.4 Modes of Biblical Revelation 861.4.1 Models of Revelation 861.4.2 Varieties of Revelations Described in the Bible 881.5 Scripture as a Divine Communication 901.5.1 Old Testament Scriptures 901.5.2 New Testament Scriptures 982 The Nature of Scriptural Inspiration 1072.1 Plenary and Verbal 1072.2 Affectiones of Inspired Scripture 1102.3 Theories of Inspiration 1142.3.1 The Divinity of Scripture 1152.3.2 The Humanity of Scripture 1202.4 The Apparent Incoherence of Plenary, Verbal, Confluent Inspiration 1252.4.1 The Problem 1252.4.2 The Solution: A Molinist Theory of Inspiration 1342.4.3 Historical Precedents 1412.5 Implications of Scriptural Inspiration 1482.5.1 Propositional Revelation 1482.5.2 Divine Authority 1482.5.3 Truth 1492.5.4 Inerrancy 1503 Justification of Belief in Scriptural Inspiration 1683.1 Prior Probability 1683.2 The Holy Spirit’s Witness 1713.3 The Witness of History 1794 Concluding Remarks 200Analytic Contents xiLocus II: De Fide 2041 The Nature of Faith 2041.1 Scriptural Teaching 2061.1.1 Saving Faith and Personal Faith 2091.1.2 Saving Faith and Propositional Faith 2101.2 Does Faith Imply Belief? 2231.2.1 Constituents of Propositional Faith 2241.2.2 Acceptance Rather Than Belief 2271.2.3 Assumption Rather Than Belief 2351.2.4 Assessment of Non- Doxastic Views 2461.3 Concluding Remarks 2552 The Rationality of Faith 2572.1 Practical Justification 2572.1.1 Truth- Dependent Arguments: Pascal’s Wager 2592.1.2 Truth- Independent Arguments: James’ Will to Believe 2612.2 Epistemic Justification 2622.2.1 Plantinga’s “Reformed” Epistemology 2652.2.2 Recent Adjustments to Reformed Epistemology 2732.2.3 Assessment of Plantinga’s Religious Epistemology 2772.3 Summary 3053 Concluding Remarks 306Bibliography for Volume I 307Scripture Index 327Name and Subject Index 336