David Basinger

Can God intervene in this world, and if so, to what extent? If God intervenes, can we initiate such intervention by prayer? And if God can intervene, why is evil so persistent? Taking up such practical but profound questions, a coauthor of the much-discussed The Openness of God here offers a probing philosophical examination of freewill theism. This controversial view argues that the God of Christianity desires "responsive relationship" with his creatures. It rejects process theology, but calls for a reassessment of such classical doctrines as God's immutability, impassibility and foreknowledge. David Basinger here especially considers divine omniscience, theodicy and petitionary prayer in freewill perspective. His careful and precise argument contributes to a growing and important discussion within orthodox Christian circles.

Does a supreme being exist? Can the existence of a good God be reconciled with evil and suffering? In light of great differences among religions, can only one religion be true? Reason and Religious Belief, now in its second edition, explores these and other perennial questions in the philosophy of religion. Drawing from the best in both classical and contemporary discussions, the authors examine standard topics in the field - religious experience, faith and reason, theistic arguments, the problem of evil, religious language, miracles, and life after death - as well as new topics that have been widely discussed over the last few decades, including Reformed epistemology, religious pluralism, the philosophical analysis of theological doctrine, and the Kalam cosmological argument. They also treat subjects not often included in competing texts, such as process theism, religious pluralism, and the relationship between religion and morality.