Warranted Christian Belief

Rating:
Summary: Excellent!
Review: A very excellent book in Christian epistemology. It's written in a very clear, lucid, and sometimes humorous language. Although it's the last three of Plantinga's Warrant series, without the knowledge of the other two, someone will still get the comprehensive message of the book. If you're a Christian of any sort, you'll find it strengthening. If you're not, you'll find it challenging.
Just small caution, though, when one read this book, always keep in mind the distinction between the de jure objection and the de facto objection. Notwithstanding that both are inseparable, Plantinga's main purpose is to address the de jure objection. Failure to keep it in mind will cause someone to easily misunderstand the primary content of the book.

Rating:
Summary: Devoted Service to Philosophy
Review: Because so many others have acclaimed the work Plantinga provides the reader I will only add to the reviewers the following:
The book uses two font sizes to aid the reader in distinguishing the technical arguments from the less technical or summary arguments. Plantinga, as is expected, provides keen insight into the problem with the atheistic claim that Christian belief is irrational. Just as JL Mackie's evil argument was destroyed by Plantinga's Freewill Defense, so too is the accusation that Christian beliefs are irrational. This book is easily read by the trained philosopher and by the casual reader.

Rating:
Summary: A Shallow Treatment
Review: Plantinga has devoted his scholarly life to answer the question whether the Christian faith can be justified, and this book is the fruit of forty years of excellent work. How can the Christian faith be justified? The usual answer is to give arguments for the truth of Christian convictions (from popular writers like Josh McDowell to first rate philosophers such as Richard Swinburne). Plantinga took a different route by asking: what is justification (or warrant for knowledge)? Why must Christians prove his convictions based on principles accepted by non-Christians? The first part of the book review and refute different theories about how Christian faith may be justified (e.g. evidentialism) or dismissed (e.g. Marx and Freud). The second part argues that experience of faith of an ordinary Christian is a perfect justification for the Christian faith, unless one can show that the Christian faith is likely to be false. The third part looks at reasons for arguing Christian faith is likely to be false (biblical criticism, pluralism, evil and suffering). Plantinga think that the truth of Christian faith cannot be demonstrated or proven, but he provides coherent and compelling reasons that faith is a sufficient justification for Christian belief. The arguments sometimes get very complicated, but Plantinga is exceptionally clear and precise and this work is more accesible to non-philosophers than his previous works.

Rating:
Summary: Faith is the reason for the Christian faith
Review: Plantinga has devoted his scholarly life to answer the question whether the Christian faith can be justified, and this book is the fruit of forty years of excellent work. How can the Christian faith be justified? The usual answer is to give arguments for the truth of Christian convictions (from popular writers like Josh McDowell to first rate philosophers such as Richard Swinburne). Plantinga took a different route by asking: what is justification (or warrant for knowledge)? Why must Christians prove his convictions based on principles accepted by non-Christians? The first part of the book review and refute different theories about how Christian faith may be justified (e.g. evidentialism) or dismissed (e.g. Marx and Freud). The second part argues that experience of faith of an ordinary Christian is a perfect justification for the Christian faith, unless one can show that the Christian faith is likely to be false. The third part looks at reasons for arguing Christian faith is likely to be false (biblical criticism, pluralism, evil and suffering). Plantinga think that the truth of Christian faith cannot be demonstrated or proven, but he provides coherent and compelling reasons that faith is a sufficient justification for Christian belief. The arguments sometimes get very complicated, but Plantinga is exceptionally clear and precise and this work is more accesible to non-philosophers than his previous works.

Rating:
Summary: A Shallow Treatment
Review: Plantinga's third book is an extension of his general account of warrant applied to Christian belief. It reads, in many places, like a retread of the earlier work. And one feels let down by how much work hasn't been done. Honestly, the book is a shallow substitute for heartening religious scholarship. There is nothing in Platinga's work here that is original, truly insightful, or spiritual. Rather, it reads like a manual for debating atheists. Even a philosopher in the Analytic tradition has to despair at the lack of substance, at the repetitive nature of the material, and at the almost trivial conclusion that Christian beliefs can and do have warrant. But we Christians should wonder whether warrant isn't found elsewhere -- in the mystical, the mysterious, and the patently non-logical. Then the atheist's threat can be seen as a debater's threat, to be set aside while the truly important work is done. That work is not even broached here . . .

Rating:
Summary: De jure
Review: There are two different types of criticism commonly given against Christian belief - one type is what Alvin Plantinga calls the De facto objection, which says that Christian belief is false because the evidence has proven it so - the other type (that is becoming more and more popular) is the De jure objection (the subject of this book) which claims that Christian belief is irrational, intellectually unacceptable, or morally suspect - irrespective of whether it is true or false. The beginning of the book discusses the difference between the De facto and De jure objections, and like the whole book it is very clear and illuminating -- The exact opposite of what you will read in this review --

Part 1 (Is there a question) begins by discussing (or searching for) some of Kants arguments concerning the impossibility of referring to anything beyond the world of experience -phenomena. Many others have taken up this 'argument' claiming that Kant proved that the language we use when speaking about the phenomenal world can not speak about the transcendent. Apparently, when the Christian speaks about God, ascribing properties to him -like infinite, ultimate- he is talking nonsense.

Part 2 (what is the question) deals with what is meant by an objector when he says that Christian belief is irrational. After much consideration the most plausible answer is found in Marx & Fraud -the same basic type of objection can be found in Nietzsche and Durkheim too.

In Part 3 Plantinga further develops his model for warranted Christian Belief (even if you have never read the other two books in the series - or God and other minds - you'll still be able to understand). This part of the book is the main response to the masters of suspicion (M&F), showing the futility of their objections. There is also a real good critique of naturalism found here (updated from warrant and proper function).

The final part of the book deals with potential defeaters for Christian belief -- different kinds of scripture scholarship, postmodernism & pluralism, suffering & evil. This book is clear and intelligent (with humor mixed in) it's definitely worth reading.

Rating:
Summary: Warranted Christian Belief
Review: This book is excellent. Plantinga systematically reviews current objections to the fundamental Christian faith providing a intense review of these possible defeaters. People such as Freud, Hick, Kaufmann (Gordon), and Kant are all discussed. This book provides an excellent defense of orthodox Christianity and the ability to still accept such beliefs in the 21st century. However, this book does not provide any offensive attacks which would strenghten Christianity, which left me somewhat disappointed. Nonetheless I am just being hyper-critical. This book is a must read for any serious Christian apologist or defender of the faith.

Rating:
Summary: Warranted Christian Belief
Review: This book is excellent. Plantinga systematically reviews current objections to the fundamental Christian faith providing a intense review of these possible defeaters. People such as Freud, Hick, Kaufmann (Gordon), and Kant are all discussed. This book provides an excellent defense of orthodox Christianity and the ability to still accept such beliefs in the 21st century. However, this book does not provide any offensive attacks which would strenghten Christianity, which left me somewhat disappointed. Nonetheless I am just being hyper-critical. This book is a must read for any serious Christian apologist or defender of the faith.

Rating:
Summary: Outstanding!
Review: Wow... I can't say enough of Plantinga's latest (and final) addition to his Warrant trilogy--Warranted Christian Belief.
WCB is in part a work in Christian epistemology (theories of knowledge), and in part a work in Christian apologetics. I have found WCB to be very helpful not only as a Christian, but also as an undergrad philosophy student. This book has been a tremendous resource in classes ranging from Philosophy of Religion all the way to Brittish Philosophy. Plantinga addresses thinkers from Locke all the way to Rorty! (And I must say, Plantinga's chapter on postmodernism is one of the most concise and intelligent treatments I've come across thus far)

WCB is a must read for all thinking theists, and for anyone who is serious about philosophy of religion. I highly reccommend picking up a copy for yourself. (Pay no attention to the misguided assertions of bias offered by the "twelve-year old" fideist reviewer)

Note: This book can easily be read without having read his previous works.