2007 Handbooks

What properties do the major religions ascribe to God? Is the concept of God coherent? What does the word 'God' mean? Indeed, what does the word 'religion' mean? What arguments have been given for and against the existence of God? Are any of these arguments any good? What is the relationship between faith and reason? Are there good reasons to believe that our existence might continue on after our deaths? Could miracles occur? What is the relationship between religion and morality? These are some of the many questions we will examine critically in this course. Our goal is to get a fix on the nature of the cosmos and our place in it. The focus of this course will be on classical Theism -- that is, the set of beliefs that the major Western Religions (roughly, Islam, Judaism, and Christianity) have in common. No particular religious perspective will be assumed.