'A splendid book! The authors give a moving account of a tragic aspect of our present human world. It is a scholarly, learned account.' - Charles Hartshorne, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, University of Texas at Austin Does the reality of suffering disclose anything about God's nature? The authors address this fundamental question by reflecting on some theistic responses to the challenge of suffering. Taking seriously the persistence of theistic belief despite widespread suffering, they focus on the practical ways some believers deal with suffering: by 'suffering with those in affliction' and 'working for the liberation of those who are opposed.' They then investigate the possibility of describing God as 'co-sufferer' and 'liberator.' In their exploration they turn to literature, theology and philosophy and offer an interesting interpretation of the relationship between these disciplines. Part I contains literary and descriptive reflections on the experiences of certain theists faced with the reality of suffering. The authors present and analyse the concerns, fears and hopes expressed in the book of Job and selected poems by Hopkins, Vaughan, Donne and Herbert. They then try to show that an important challenge that needs to be investigated and met, given the presence of so much suffering in the world, is discovering the kind of God in whom we can credibly continue to believe. This question is developed theologically and philosophically in Part II. In developing some answers, the authors turn to Latin American liberation theology and Charles Hartshorne's process philosophy and offer a new synthesis of these two schools of thought. Their exploration is an interesting illustration of how literature, theology and philosophy can throw some light on an area of common concern.

Going beyond the present controversy surrounding personhood in various non-philosophical contexts, this book seeks to defend the renewed philosophical interest in issues connected with this topic and the need for a more credible philosophical conception of the person. Taking the theory of John Locke as a starting point and in dialogue with contemporary philosophers such as Derek Parfit and P.F. Strawson, the authors develop an original philosophical anthropology based on the writings of Charles Hartshorne and A.N. Whitehead. The authors then show the implications for ethics of this conception of the person and the self.

Going beyond the controversy surrounding personhood in non-philosophical contexts, this book defends the need for a credible philosophical conception of the person. Engaging with John Locke, Derek Parfit and P.F. Strawson, the authors develop an original philosophical anthropology based on the work of Charles Hartshorne and A.N. Whitehead.

Ethics has become a particularly relevant topic for discussion and a subject for serious study. It has a very long tradition, of course; but nowadays one hears frequently of the need, because of abuses or concerns, to formulate and adopt ethical codes in various areas or professions. This book aims to make a philosophical contribution to the discussions and debates on the topic. Compared to the traditional approach to the philosophical study of ethics, however, this book adopts a different strategy. It shows that such ethical thinking, in the concrete particulars, originates in various academic and professional contexts, among others. But inasmuch as theoretical issues require wider and more intensive attention, it argues that ethical thinking needs to be pursued further and that it can be aided by philosophical investigations. In its concluding chapters the book presents an alternative foundation for ethical decision-making. Philosophically grounded, it moves away from an individualistic ethical perspective to a relational one that has been shaped through dialogue with the various contexts in which ethical think-ing arises.

In facing up to life and its challenges, questions inevitably arise. Different situations provoke specific questions-mostly trivial but frequently fundamental-always seeking some kind of answer. While the transition from question to quest is a rather natural one for human beings and the need for answers is a serious human demand, the quest itself is significant, precisely because it is a human task.This book offers a number of literary-philosophical enquiries into these challenges of life. But it is the one set of quests-stimulated, deepened and widened by literature and philosophy as well as developed in a literary and philosophical way. Among the topics covered are: the search for meaning in life, the quest for wisdom, the aim of moral striving, the need for community life, the importance of relationships, the challenge of suffering, the desire for deliverance, and the longing for immortality.

The essays in this collection, which examine the philosophies of Charles Hartshorne and A.N. Whitehead, represent the author's journey over the years to achieve a greater understanding of certain aspects of the Christian religion by making use of their metaphysical systems. Among the topics discussed are: reason and faith, concepts of God, the problem of evil, the doctrine of immortality, religion and science, religion in life, and philosophy and literature. Also included in this volume is the primary bibliography of Hartshorne's philosophical works.