Philosophy of Religion (booklet)

Introduction

“... a little philosophy inclineth man’s mind to atheism, but depth in philosophy bringeth men’s minds about to religion.” [Francis Bacon, Of Atheism]

The philosophy of religion is replete with arguments that purport to prove the existence of God. Not all of these arguments have their origins in Christian philosophy; Jewish and Muslim philosophers have made significant contributions to the philosophy of religion, and both Plato and Aristotle have influenced its development. Recent decades have seen something of a revival of interest in natural theology and the philosophy of religion. Each of the classical theistic proofs has been revived and refined, presented in revised form and defended afresh. Whether any of these arguments for the existence of God is successful, of course, remains controversial. The theistic proofs section sets out to explain each of the common philosophical arguments for theism, and so to explore the case for the existence of God.