Contemporary Philosophy of Religion: An Introduction (Contemporary Philosophy)

Rating:
Summary: A Brilliant Anthology of Religious Philosophy
Review: Charles Taliaferro masterfully executes an in-depth and well-structured overview of philosophical theology in this single edition. His writing shines with an intimate knowledge of the subjects at hand, and he still manages to keep the topics objectified in a manner conducive to letting the reader from his or her own opinions concerning the religious pluralism discussed in the book. He is admired by many in the field as one of the formost authorities on religious philosophy, and after having read his book, I have no doubt in my mind as to why.

Rating:
Summary: A Brilliant Anthology of Religious Philosophy
Review: Charles Taliaferro masterfully executes an in-depth and well-structured overview of philosophical theology in this single edition. His writing shines with an intimate knowledge of the subjects at hand, and he still manages to keep the topics objectified in a manner conducive to letting the reader from his or her own opinions concerning the religious pluralism discussed in the book. He is admired by many in the field as one of the formost authorities on religious philosophy, and after having read his book, I have no doubt in my mind as to why.

Rating:
Summary: Packed with ideas
Review: Taliaferro's book is clearly written while managing to maintain an astonishingly high ratio of ideas and arguments to number of pages. It goes beyond explaining the material traditionally covered in philosophy of religion courses to include mention of many recent and interesting developments in the field. Lecturers who use less challenging texts for their introductory courses in philosophy of religion may benefit by following its well-structured presentations in the preparation of their own lectures.

Rating:
Summary: A useful and enjoyable introduction
Review: Taliaferro's book is, in my view, the best introduction to the philosophy of religion available. His prose is always clear and engaging, yet he never sacrifices depth. In addition to the usual topics in the philosophy of religion (e.g. arguments for God's existence, the problem of evil) and philosophical theology (e.g. the divine attributes), which you can find in any standard text on the subject, the book also devotes entire chapters to such issues as the challenge of positivism, religious pluralism, and religious experience. It also highlights the intersection between philosophy of religion and other subjects of enduring interest, such as ethics and epistemology, and it even has some helpful digressions on philosophical method. The discussion of time is especially good for an introductory text.

It is clear from reading the book that Taliaferro is a theologically orthodox Christian who nevertheless appreciates the insights and challenges presented from both within and outside of Christianity. This book has been a real asset to me.