After the surprising publishing success of the so-called New Atheists it has become clear that there is a market for critical discussions about religion. A religion is much more complex than a set of beliefs which cannot be proven, as the New Atheists argue. There is, in fact, much more to religion and much more to the arguments about its truth claims. This book seeks to bring together a range of discussions, both critical and apologetic, each of which examines some part of religion and its functions. Half of the contributors are critical of some element of religion and the other half are apologetic in nature, seeking to defend or extend some particular religious argument. Covering a wide range of topics, including ethics, religious pluralism, the existence of God, and reasonableness of Islam, these pieces have in common arguments that are made in careful and scholarly ways they represent reasonable perspectives on a wide swath of contemporary religious debates, in contrast to the unreasonableness that creeps into discussions on religion in American society.

As societies continue to grow and change, humans find themselves facing many important ethical questions. Is the pursuit of happiness a worthwhile goal? Should religion be immune to criticism?

These questions and many others are addressed in "Speaking of Ethics," a collection of the works of Dr. Joseph Chuman, highlighting his main ethical concerns. For the past forty-five years, Chuman has been serving as an Ethical Culture leader, inspiring his congregants through some of their toughest personal challenges. These experiences paired with his academic acumen, give him a fresh and astute perspective on ethics today.

Chuman takes a broad-view approach that addresses the conditions that create dilemmas, rather than focusing on oversimplified right/wrong situations. "Speaking of Ethics," with its conversational tone and accessible language, shares Chuman's thoughts in a way that provokes contemplation and discussion among its readers.

The various sections of "Speaking of Ethics" give a stimulating glimpse at the foundations of Ethical Culture, as well as some of the biggest philosophical questions regarding private and public ethics.

Readers will also learn about some of the top heroes of the Humanist world, from John Dewey and Ralph Waldo Emerson to the early feminists and Baruch Spinoza.