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In recent years the Christian faith has been challenged by
skeptics, including the New Atheists, who claim that belief in God
is simply not reasonable. Here prominent Christian philosopher C.
Stephen Evans offers a fresh, contemporary, and nuanced response.
He makes the case for belief in a personal God through an
exploration of natural "signs," which open our minds to theistic
possibilities and foster belief in the Christian revelation. Evans
then discusses why God's self-revelation is both authoritative and
authentic. This sophisticated yet accessible book provides a clear
account of the evidence for Christian faith, concluding that it
still makes sense to believe.
Kierkegaard and Christian Faith responds directly to the perennial
and problematic concern of how to read Kierkegaard. Specifically,
this volume presses the question of whether the existentialist
philosopher, who so troubled the waters of nineteenth-century
Danish Christendom, is a "Christian thinker for our time." The
chapters crisscross the disciplines of philosophy, theology,
literature, and ethics, and are as rich in argument as they are
diverse in style. Collectively the chapters demonstrate a
principled agreement that Kierkegaard continues to be relevant,
even imperative. Kierkegaard and Christian Faith reveals just how
Kierkegaard's work both defines and reconfigures what is meant by
"Christian thinker." Following an autobiographical prologue by
Kathleen Norris, this volume gathers the chapters in pairs around
crucial themes: the use of philosophy (Merold Westphal and C.
Stephen Evans), revelation and authority (Richard Bauckham and Paul
J. Griffiths), Christian character (Sylvia Walsh and Ralph C.
Wood), the relationship between the church and the world (Jennifer
A. Herdt and Paul Martens), and moral questions of forgiveness and
love (Simon D. Podmore and Cyril O'Regan). The volume underscores
the centrality of Christianity to Kierkegaard's life and thought,
and rightly positions Kierkegaard as a profound challenge to
Christianity as it is understood and practiced today.
Kierkegaard on Faith and the Self represents a rich collection of
studies that allow Soren Kierkegaard to speak directly to the
questions of contemporary readers. Evans analyzes Kierkegaard as a
philosopher, his perspectives on faith, reason, and epistemology,
ethics, and his view of the self. Evans makes a strong case that
Kierkegaard has something crucial to say to the Christian church as
a philosopher and something equally crucial to say to the
philosophical world as a Christian believer.
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The Bible and the University (Paperback)
Craig Bartholomew, Anthony C. Thiselton; Edited by David Lyle Jeffrey, C. Stephen Evans
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It is well known that the Western university gradually evolved from
the monastic stadium via the cathedral schools of the twelfth
century to become the remarkably vigorous and interdisciplinary
European institutions of higher learning that transformed Christian
intellectual culture in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. It
is equally well known that subsequent disciplinary developments in
higher education, including the founding and flourishing of many of
the most prestigious of North American universities, owe equally to
the Protestant and perhaps particularly Calvinist influence. But
that the secularized modern university that descended from these
developments is now in something of an identity crisis is becoming
widely - and often awkwardly - apparent. The reason most often
given for the crisis is our general failure to produce a morally or
spiritually persuasive substitute for the authority that
undergirded the intellectual culture of our predecessors. This is
frequently also a reason for the discomfort many experience in
trying to address the problem, for it requires an acknowledgement,
at least, that the secularization hypothesis has proven inadequate
as a basis for the sustaining of coherence and general
intelligibility in the university curriculum. Nowhere is this more
apparent than in the disciplines of biblical studies and theology,
which once were the anchor or common point of reference for
theological thought, but which are now both marginalized in the
curriculum and internally divided as to meaning and purpose, even
where the Church itself is concerned. In this final volume of the
Scripture and Hermeneutic Series, a group of distinguished scholars
have sought to understand the role of the Bible in relation to the
disciplines in a fresh way. Offered in a spirit of humility and
experimentally, the essays here consider the historic role of the
Bible in the university, the status of theological reflection
regarding Scripture among the disciplines today, the special role
of Scripture in the development of law, the humanities and social
sciences, and finally, the way the Bible speaks to issues of
academic freedom, intellectual tolerance, and religious liberty.
Contributors Include: Dallas Willard William Abraham Al Wolters
Scott Hahn Glenn Olsen Robert C. Roberts Byron Johnson Robert
Cochran, Jr. David I. Smith John Sullivan Robert Lundin C. Stephen
Evans David Lyle Jeffrey
In this rich and resonant work, Soren Kierkegaard reflects
poetically and philosophically on the biblical story of God's
command to Abraham, that he sacrifice his son Isaac as a test of
faith. Was Abraham's proposed action morally and religiously
justified or murder? Is there an absolute duty to God? Was Abraham
justified in remaining silent? In pondering these questions,
Kierkegaard presents faith as a paradox that cannot be understood
by reason and conventional morality, and he challenges the
universalist ethics and immanental philosophy of modern German
idealism, especially as represented by Kant and Hegel. This volume,
first published in 2006, presents the first new English translation
for twenty years, by Sylvia Walsh, together with an introduction by
C. Stephen Evans which examines the ethical and religious issues
raised by the text.
With over 40,000 copies in print since its original publication in
1982, Steve Evans's Philosophy of Religion has served many
generations of students as a classic introduction to the philosophy
of religion from a Christian perspective. Over the years the
philosophical landscape has changed, and in this new edition Zach
Manis joins Evans in a thorough revamping of arguments and
information, while maintaining the qualities of clarity and brevity
that made the first edition so appreciated. New material on divine
foreknowledge and human freedom has been added as well as on
Reformed epistemology. The discussions on science now cover new
developments from cognitive psychology and naturalism as well as on
the fine-tuning of the cosmos. The chapter on faith and reason has
been expanded to include consideration of evidentialism. The
problem of evil now forms its own new chapter and adds a discussion
of the problem of hell. The standard features remain: a survey of
the field, an examination of classical arguments for God's
existence, and an exploration of contemporary challenges to theism
from the social sciences and philosophy as well as the natural
sciences. The meaning and significance of personal religious
experience, revelation and miracles--all within the realm of
contemporary religious pluralism--are likewise investigated. A
classic introduction thoroughly updated and refreshed for today's
student.
C. Stephen Evans provides a clear, readable introduction to Soren
Kierkegaard (1813 55) as a philosopher and thinker. His 2009 book
is organised around Kierkegaard's concept of the three 'stages' or
'spheres' of human existence, which provide both a developmental
account of the human self and an understanding of three rival views
of human life and its meaning. Evans also discusses such important
Kierkegaardian concepts as 'indirect communication', 'truth as
subjectivity', and the Incarnation understood as 'the Absolute
Paradox'. Although his discussion emphasises the importance of
Christianity for understanding Kierkgaard, it shows him to be a
writer of great interest to a secular as well as a religious
audience. Evans' book brings Kierkegaard into conversation with
western philosophers past and present, presenting him as one who
gives powerful answers to the questions which philosophers ask.
Evans' analysis of Kierkegaard's Philosophical Fragments and
Concluding Unscientific Postscript introduces even the
nonspecialist to two of Kierkegaard's most challenging works
without minimizing the complex nature of his philosophy. Evans
honors Kierkegaard's wish not to be confused with his pseudonyms
and so frames the discussion around the thoughts of "Johannes
Climacus." Yet, Evans highlights the similarities between Climacus'
and Kierkegaard's ideas while setting them in conversation with
contemporary philosophers and theologians.The book is divided into
thirteen chapters. The first three set up the book with an
introduction to Kierkegaard's pseudonymous literature as a whole,
an overview of Fragments and Postscript, and a discussion of the
character and views of the Johannes Climacus pseudonym. The next
nine chapters delve into specific pairs of concepts such as
existence and the ethical, truth and subjectivity, and irony and
humor. Evans also explores concepts that illuminate "immanent" or
natural religion, as well as Christianity, understood as a
"transcendent" religion grounded in a special revelation.
Throughout, there is a revealing look at the roles objectivity and
subjectivity play in human existence. Evans concludes his work with
a consideration of Climacus' voice that opens the door for readers
to make their own interpretations and contributions to the
conversation. A careful and lucid guide, Evans' book is a key
companion to Kierkegaard's philosophical writings.
Evans' analysis of Kierkegaard's Philosophical Fragments and
Concluding Unscientific Postscript introduces even the
nonspecialist to two of Kierkegaard's most challenging works
without minimizing the complex nature of his philosophy. Evans
honors Kierkegaard's wish not to be confused with his pseudonyms
and so frames the discussion around the thoughts of "Johannes
Climacus." Yet, Evans highlights the similarities between Climacus'
and Kierkegaard's ideas while setting them in conversation with
contemporary philosophers and theologians. The book is divided into
thirteen chapters. The first three set up the book with an
introduction to Kierkegaard's pseudonymous literature as a whole,
an overview of Fragments and Postscript , and a discussion of the
character and views of the Johannes Climacus pseudonym. The next
nine chapters delve into specific pairs of concepts such as
existence and the ethical, truth and subjectivity, and irony and
humor. Evans also explores concepts that illuminate "immanent" or
natural religion, as well as Christianity, understood as a
"transcendent" religion grounded in a special revelation.
Throughout, there is a revealing look at the roles objectivity and
subjectivity play in human existence. Evans concludes his work with
a consideration of Climacus' voice that opens the door for readers
to make their own interpretations and contributions to the
conversation. A careful and lucid guide, Evans' book is a key
companion to Kierkegaard's philosophical writings.
This major reference work is offered as a resource for today's
church in its life, worship, and mission to the world. It aims to
enable readers not merely to defend the gospel of Jesus Christ
against attack, but also to commend it positively. The Dictionary
addresses the main intellectual objections to the Christian faith,
and puts the case in its favour from a wide variety of
perspectives. But since apologetics is the task of the whole
person, the contributors also consider how the truth of the
church's message can be demonstrated within the diverse elements of
contemporary culture. Christian students and scholars in all major
disciplines, pastors and lay leaders of local churches, and anyone
actively involved in evangelism or social outreach will be
empowered by this dictionary to witness more effectively to Christ,
in word and deed.
Kierkegaard on Faith and the Selfrepresents a rich collection of
studies that allow Soren Kierkegaard to speak directly to the
questions of contemporary readers. Evans analyzes Kierkegaard as a
philosopher, his perspectives on faith, reason, and epistemology,
his ethics, and Kierkegaard's view of the self. Evans makes a
strong case that Kierkegaard has something crucial to say to the
Christian church as a philosopher and something equally crucial to
say to the philosophical world as a Christian believer.
This collection of essays, by a team of of Christian philosophers,
theologians, and biblical scholars, explores the viability of a
kenotic account of the incarnation. Such an account is inspired by
Paul's lyrical claims in Philippians 2:6-11 that Christ Jesus
though God in nature, 'emptied himself' or 'made himself nothing'
by becoming human. The biblical support for such a view can be
found throughout the four gospels, and the book of Hebrews, as well
as in other places. A kenotic account takes seriously the
possibility that Christ in becoming incarnate, temporarily divested
himself of such properties as omnipotence, omniscience, and
omnipresence. Several of the contributors argue that this view is
fully orthodox, and that it has great strengths in giving us a
picture of God who is willing to become completely vulnerable for
the sake of human beings, and one that is completely consistent
with the very human portrait of Jesus in the New Testament. The
proponents of kenotic Christology argue that the philosophical
accounts of God's nature that have led to rejection of this theory
ought themselves to be subjected to criticism in light of the
biblical data. Some essays test the theory by raising critical
questions and arguing that traditional accounts of the incarnation
can achieve the goals of kenotic theories as well as kenotic
theories can. The book also explores the implications of a kenotic
view of the incarnation for philosophical theology in general and
the doctrine of the Trinity in particular, and it concludes with
essays that examine the validity of the ideal of kenosis for women,
and a challenge to traditional Christology to take a kenotic theory
seriously.
CONTRIBUTORS: C. Stephen Evans, Gordon D. Fee, Sarah Coakley,
Stephen T. Davis, Ronald J. Feenstra, Bruce N. Fisk, Ruth
Groenhout, Edward T. Oakes, SJ, Cornelius Plantinga, Jr., Thomas R.
Thompson, Edwin Chr. van Driel.
In this rich and resonant work, Soren Kierkegaard reflects
poetically and philosophically on the biblical story of God's
command to Abraham, that he sacrifice his son Isaac as a test of
faith. Was Abraham's proposed action morally and religiously
justified or murder? Is there an absolute duty to God? Was Abraham
justified in remaining silent? In pondering these questions,
Kierkegaard presents faith as a paradox that cannot be understood
by reason and conventional morality, and he challenges the
universalist ethics and immanental philosophy of modern German
idealism, especially as represented by Kant and Hegel. This volume,
first published in 2006, presents the first new English translation
for twenty years, by Sylvia Walsh, together with an introduction by
C. Stephen Evans which examines the ethical and religious issues
raised by the text.
C. Sephen Evans has written a pointed and personal book directed to
those who want to have faith but whose thinking has been obscured
by the static of prevailing philosophies, illuminating the
attraction and reasonableness of Christianity.
For philosophers, the pursuit of truth travels on precise
definitions. For Christian apologists, the defense of the faith is
founded on the defining Word. And for beginning students of either
discipline, the difference between success and frustration begins
with understanding the terms and ideas and identifying the thinkers
and movements. The Pocket Dictionary of Apologetics &
Philosophy of Religion is designed to be a companion to your study
of these two related disciplines. Among its 300 entries are terms,
from a posteriori to worldview apologists, from Abelard to Van Til
philosophers of religion, from Alston to Wolterstorff movements,
from analytic philosophy to voluntarism apologetic arguments, from
the cosmological to the wager theologies, from Arminianism to
Zoroastrianism Here is an affordable and easily accessible "help
key" for your readings, lectures, writing assignments and exam
preparation. It's a must-have study aid for any student who expects
to cogitate on coherentism or ruminate on Ricouer.
This collection of essays, by a team of of Christian philosophers,
theologians, and biblical scholars, explores the viability of a
kenotic account of the incarnation. Such an account is inspired by
Paul's lyrical claims in Philippians 2:6-11 that Christ Jesus
though God in nature, 'emptied himself' or 'made himself nothing'
by becoming human. The biblical support for such a view can be
found throughout the four gospels, and the book of Hebrews, as well
as in other places. A kenotic account takes seriously the
possibility that Christ in becoming incarnate, temporarily divested
himself of such properties as omnipotence, omniscience, and
omnipresence. Several of the contributors argue that this view is
fully orthodox, and that it has great strengths in giving us a
picture of God who is willing to become completely vulnerable for
the sake of human beings, and one that is completely consistent
with the very human portrait of Jesus in the New Testament. The
proponents of kenotic Christology argue that the philosophical
accounts of God's nature that have led to rejection of this theory
ought themselves to be subjected to criticism in light of the
biblical data. Some essays test the theory by raising critical
questions and arguing that traditional accounts of the incarnation
can achieve the goals of kenotic theories as well as kenotic
theories can. The book also explores the implications of a kenotic
view of the incarnation for philosophical theology in general and
the doctrine of the Trinity in particular, and it concludes with
essays that examine the validity of the ideal of kenosis for women,
and a challenge to traditional Christology to take a kenotic theory
seriously.
CONTRIBUTORS: C. Stephen Evans, Gordon D. Fee, Sarah Coakley,
Stephen T. Davis, Ronald J. Feenstra, Bruce N. Fisk, Ruth
Groenhout, Edward T. Oakes, SJ, Cornelius Plantinga, Jr., Thomas R.
Thompson, Edwin Chr. van Driel.
With over 40,000 copies in print since its original publication in
1982, Steve Evans's Philosophy of Religion has served many
generations of students as a classic introduction to the philosophy
of religion from a Christian perspective. Over the years the
philosophical landscape has changed, and in this new edition Zach
Manis joins Evans in a thorough revamping of arguments and
information, while maintaining the qualities of clarity and brevity
that made the first edition so appreciated. New material on divine
foreknowledge and human freedom has been added as well as on
Reformed epistemology. The discussions on science now cover new
developments from cognitive psychology and naturalism as well as on
the fine-tuning of the cosmos. The chapter on faith and reason has
been expanded to include consideration of evidentialism. The
problem of evil now forms its own new chapter and adds a discussion
of the problem of hell. The standard features remain: a survey of
the field, an examination of classical arguments for God's
existence, and an exploration of contemporary challenges to theism
from the social sciences and philosophy as well as the natural
sciences. The meaning and significance of personal religious
experience, revelation and miracles--all within the realm of
contemporary religious pluralism--are likewise investigated. A
classic introduction thoroughly updated and refreshed for today's
student.
The human quest for self-understanding is ancient. It transcends
the boundaries between ordinary folk and philosophers and it over-
laps with many academic disciplines, including psychology,
sociology, philosophy and theology. Actually, the quest is not
essentially academic; it is a human quest, pursued by persons in
every age. With this in mind, philosopher C. Stephen Evans takes a
look at the human sciences and their contribution to this
self-understanding. Evans first presents a basic problem in these
sciences today: the attack on the concept of personhood. He reviews
the contemporary understanding of mind and brain: Is a person only
a thinking machine or a programmed organism? Then he evaluates the
impact of Auguste Comte, Sigmund Freud, J.B. Watson, B.F. Skinner
and Emile Durkheim on what Evans terms ?
On the heels of the advance since the twentieth-century of wholly
physicalist accounts of human persons, the influence of materialist
ontology is increasingly evident in Christian theologizing. To
date, the contemporary literature has tended to focus on
anthropological issues (e.g., whether the traditional soul / body
distinction is viable), with occasional articles treating
physicalist accounts of such doctrines as the Incarnation and
Resurrection of Jesus cropping up, as well. Interestingly, the
literature to date, both for and against this influence, is
dominated by philosophers. The present volume is a collection of
philosophers and theologians who advance several novel criticisms
of this growing trend toward physicalism in Christian theology. The
present collection definitively shows that Christian physicalism
has some significant philosophical and theological problems. No
doubt all philosophical anthropologies have their challenges, but
the present volume shows that Christian physicalism is most likely
not an adequate accounting for essential theological topics within
Christian theism. Christians, then, should consider alternative
anthropologies.
Is there such a thing as natural knowledge of God? C. Stephen Evans
presents the case for understanding theistic arguments as
expressions of natural signs in order to gain a new perspective
both on their strengths and weaknesses. Three classical,
much-discussed theistic arguments - cosmological, teleological, and
moral - are examined for the natural signs they embody.
At the heart of this book lie several relatively simple ideas. One
is that if there is a God of the kind accepted by Christians, Jews,
and Muslims, then it is likely that a 'natural' knowledge of God is
possible. Another is that this knowledge will have two
characteristics: it will be both widely available to humans and yet
easy to resist. If these principles are right, a new perspective on
many of the classical arguments for God's existence becomes
possible. We understand why these arguments have for many people a
continued appeal but also why they do not constitute conclusive
'proofs' that settle the debate once and for all.
Touching on the interplay between these ideas and contemporary
scientific theories about the origins of religious belief,
particularly the role of natural selection in predisposing humans
to form beliefs in God or gods, Evans concludes that these
scientific accounts of religious belief are fully consistent, even
supportive, of the truth of religious convictions.
C. Stephen Evans explains and defends Kierkegaard's account of
moral obligations as rooted in God's commands, the fundamental
command being You shall love your neighbour as yourself'. The work
will be of interest not only to those interested in Kierkegaard,
but also to those interested in the relation between ethics and
religion, especially questions about whether morality can or must
have a religious foundation. As well as providing a comprehensive
reading of Kierkegaard as an ethical thinker, Evans puts him into
conversation with contemporary moral theorists. Kierkegaard's
divine command theory is shown to be an account that safeguards
human flourishing, as well as protecting the proper relations
between religion and state in a pluralistic society.
C. Stephen Evans explains and defends Kierkegaard's account of
moral obligations as rooted in God's commands, the fundamental
command being You shall love your neighbour as yourself'. The work
will be of interest not only to those interested in Kierkegaard,
but also to those interested in the relation between ethics and
religion, especially questions about whether morality can or must
have a religious foundation. As well as providing a comprehensive
reading of Kierkegaard as an ethical thinker, Evans puts him into
conversation with contemporary moral theorists. Kierkegaard's
divine command theory is shown to be an account that safeguards
human flourishing, as well as protecting the proper relations
between religion and state in a pluralistic society.
For philosophers, the pursuit of truth travels on precise
definitions. For Christian apologists, the defense of the faith is
founded on the defining Word. And for beginning students of either
discipline, the difference between success and frustration begins
with understanding the terms and ideas and identifying the thinkers
and movements. The Pocket Dictionary of Apologetics Philosophy of
Religion is designed to be a companion to your study of these two
related disciplines. Among its 300 entries are terms, from a
posteriori to worldview apologists, from Abelard to Van Til
philosophers of religion, from Alston to Wolterstorff movements,
from analytic philosophy to voluntarism apologetic arguments, from
the cosmological to the wager theologies, from Arminianism to
Zoroastrianism Here is an affordable and easily accessible "help
key" for your readings, lectures, writing assignments and exam
preparation. It's a must-have study aid for any student who expects
to cogitate on coherentism or ruminate on Ricouer. Designed for
students and pastors alike, the short and accessible volumes in the
IVP Pocket Reference Series will help you tackle the study of
biblical languages, church history, apologetics, world religions,
Christian spirituality, ethics, theology, and more.
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