Philosophers Who Believe - by Kelly James Clark (Paperback)

About the Book

Eleven leading philosophers, including Basil Mitchell, Mortimer Adler, Alvin Plantinga, Nicholas Wolterstorff and Richard Swinburne, describe why they have embraced Christian belief and offer fascinating insights into their individual spiritual journeys. Edited by Kelly James Clark.

Book Synopsis

• Voted one of Christianity Today's 1995 Books of the Year

Time magazine reports on a remarkable renaissance of religious belief among philosophers: "In a quiet revolution in thought and arguments that hardly anyone could have foreseen only two decades ago, God is making a comeback. Most intriguingly, this is happening . . . in the crisp, intellectual circles of academic philosophers. . . . Now it is more respectable among philosophers than it has been for a generation to talk about the possibility of God's existence." Relying on boldness and rigorous thought, the movers and shakers of this "quiet revolution" have developed their theories against the rising tide of strict empiricism. Who are these tough-minded intellectuals, and why have they embraced Christian belief? In Philosophers Who Believe several key thinkers answer this question with unusual candor, warmth and brilliance.Contributors include:

• Alvin Plantinga
  University of Notre Dame, considered the world's leading Protestant philosopher of God.
• Basil Mitchell
  Oxford University, author of such groundbreaking books as The Justification of Religious Belief.
• Mortimer Adler
  Institute for Philosophical Research, renowned for his prolific writings and his work to revive an emphasis on the "Great Books" in higher education.
• Nicholas Wolterstorff
  Yale University, whose innovative work has led to invitations to deliver the distinguished Wilde Lectures at Oxford and Gifford Lectures in Scotland.
• Richard Swinburne
  Oxford University, the premier rational apologist of our age.
• Frederick Suppe
  University of Maryland at College Park, a premier philosopher of science.
• John Rist
  University of Toronto, expert on the late Ancient and early Medieval periods of philosophy.
• Linda Zagzebski
  Loyola Marymount University, recognized for her work on divine foreknowledge and human freedom.
• Stephen Davis
  Claremont McKenna College, author of books on topics ranging from the nature of God to the inspiration of Scripture.
• Terence Penelhum
  University of Calgary (professor emeritus), acclaimed for research on skepticism and religious belief in the Enlightenment and post-Enlightenment eras.
• Nicholas Rescher
  University of Pittsburgh, prolific author and editor of prestigious scholarly journals.

Winner of a Christianity Today book award for the original cloth edition, Philosophers Who Believe is now available in paperback. This collection of intellectual and spiritual autobiographies will be helpful--even inspirational--for students and teachers of philosophy as well as for readers who are simply curious about the connections between philosophy and Christian faith.

Review Quotes

"An invaluable resource for anyone concerned about faith in scholarly circles."

--Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society

"Writing from diverse Christian traditions, . . . [these philosophers] explode the stereotype that intellectuals cannot believe."

--Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Kelly James Clark (Ph.D., Notre Dame) is Senior Research Fellow at the Kaufman Interfaith Institute at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, MI. Kelly has held visiting appointments at Oxford University, the University of St. Andrews and the University of Notre Dame. He is former Professor of Philosophy at Gordon College and Calvin College. He works in philosophy of religion, ethics, and Chinese thought and culture. His other books include Return to Reason, Our Knowledge of God: Essays on Natural and Philosophical Theology, When Faith is Not Enough, 101 Key Philosophical Terms and Their Importance to Theology and The Story of Ethics.