Since it is obviously possible that god exists and chose the second type of universe to create, the mere fact of a universe with evil in it does not disprove gods existence. When i ponder both the extent and depth of suffering in the world, whether due to mans inhumanity to man or to natural disasters, then i must confess that i find it hard to believe that god exists. The existence of sin in an age of relativism harry lee poe, author. After that first book, i found other books with more scientific evidence. Sometimes it is communicated in terms of a denial of gods existence. I was surprised to find that there was scientific evidence for the existence of god. The most weighty of the arguments against gods existence is the problem of evil. In fact, in early 2006 only sam harriss book the end of faith 2004, and. How to reconcile the existence of evil with the belief in a benevolent god has long posed a philosophical problem to the system of christian theism. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer no kindle device required.
No other work has made a more powerful case for the probability of the existence of god. God, freedom, and evil by alvin plantinga, the god delusion by richard dawkins, the existence of god by richard. While the book is brief, geisler brings all his apologetic weight to bear and the result is a pleasure to read. The problem of evil is certainly the greatest obstacle to belief in the existence of god. Dialogue on good, evil, and the existence of god by john. One of the most significant sermons of chrysostom is the one which bears the title on the devil. Jul 21, 2018 my book above has been a twenty years result of research on science and religion, with the aim to use science and logic to prove the existence of god. And one of the most striking things that distinguishes these dialogues from contemporary antireligious books like, for example, dawkinss the god delusion or hitchens god is not great, is that none of humes characters ever actually puts himself forward as an atheist or agnostic. The existence of god by richard swinburne goodreads.
Some would argue that the very existence of evil disproves the existence of god. An important new book on how we can still believe in a god of love and. Atheists such as richard dawkins and even former believers like bart ehrman answer the question simply. If you havent read some of the belowmentioned titles, then youll be guaranteed for an interesting ride along the way.
New york times hardcover nonfiction best seller list after nine weeks on the list. John hicks book, evil and the love of god, is perhaps the best known work to redress this difficulty in modern terms. The problem of evil popular writings reasonable faith. In this book, nicholas everitt reconsiders all of the major arguments for proving the existence of god and defends arguments for the nonexistence of god. Brian davies offers the first indepth study of saint thomas aquinass thoughts on god and evil, revealing that aquinass thinking about god and evil can be traced through his metaphysical philosophy, his thoughts on god and creation, and his writings about christian revelation and the doctrines of the trinity and the incarnation. Arguments for the existence of god have taken many different forms over the centuries. More recently, it has been treated as a good inductive argument against the existence of god.
A very practical and thoughtprovoking composition that addresses the challenges and inherent connection between evil and the justice of god within both a postmodern western context and a judeochristian context. The personification of evil in a figure who coexists with the goodness of god entered western religious thinking through the demonology of zoroastrianism. Many books of theology and philosophy have been written in response to epicuruss conundrums, but ehrmans isnt one of them. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. In particular, he investigates whether god is in some sense a maximizer. On analysis, there is no strict inconsistency between gods existence and the existence of evil. There is at least in theory, at least in principle, no example of evil for which god might not have some reason to allow it. Youll find 27 of the most despicable characters in fiction literature. Richard swinburne presents a substantially rewritten and updated edition of his most celebrated book. The following are selected works for further study. The existence of suffering and evil proves there is no god. Dialogue on good, evil, and the existence of god hackett philosophical dialogues by perry, john and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.
A collection of essays by philosophers, theologians, and other scholars. If god does not exist, then we are lost without hope in a life filled with gratuitous and unredeemed suffering. What is this stuff, you ask one another, says the narrator in rebecca newberger goldsteins new novel 36 arguments for the existence of god. Good against evil is one of the themes in the novel a separate peace, this theme also applies in the real world in many ways. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read dialogue on good, evil, and the existence of god. Moreover, if you believe that your existence implies you have the freedom to do as you please excepting impossible actions of course and you value that freedom, then you may even perceive it as good that evil is allowed to exist. Description friedrich wilhelm nietzsche 15 october 1844 25 august 1900 was a german philosopher, cultural critic, composer, poet, philologist, and latin and greek scholar whose work has exerted a profound influence on modern intellectual history. The second book of this series theology in public presents a great figure, st. If the hypothesis succeeds in offering a simpler, more powerful, comprehensive explanation that has the best fit with our background knowledge, then this book provides a powerful argument for the existence of god.
Two arguments for the nonexistence of god by theodore drange charles echelbarger explains the atheistic arguments of theodore drange theodore drange is one of a relatively small number of academic philosophers who have devoted a large part of their intellectual efforts over the last thirtysome years to systematically opposing theism. So paradoxically, even though the problem of evil is the greatest objection to the existence of god, at the end of the day god is the only solution to the problem of evil. Probably one of the greatest challenges faced by christianity and christians is the reality of evil and suffering. In conclusion, throughout this essay i have attempted to prove why the existence of evil within the world shows us that god does not exist. Sometimes it is communicated in terms of a denial of god s existence. Then finally i will look at problems with these theodicies and why i believe the existence of evil as well as the existence of god is incompatible. God and the problem of evil essay 1252 words bartleby. He notes that belief in god declines in society when economic development brings existential security.
The part of natural religion that hume focuses on in the dialogues is something that is often called the argument from design, which is an argument for the existence of god that starts from the way the world works and is structured. Nov 04, 2007 it appears that ehrmans argument is based on the fact that god cannot be because of the existence of evil, which is more about the nature of god. A work of fiction, and how can it still be kicking around, given how much we already know. The existence of natural evil that there is no god. After over 40 years of not believing that god exists, i was dared by a christian friend to read a book. The best books on god five books expert recommendations. The origins of morality and ethics, common to every society on earth, must then lie in human institutions, shermer concludes. The best books on the existence of god ed feser on five books. According to the logical problem of evil, it states that evil is logically incompatible with god s existence. The evidential argument from evil by daniel howardsnyder.
John chrysostom on the devil by dimitrios porpatonelis, sr. This page contains details about the nonfiction book the city of god by saint augustine published in 426. Recommended books on the existence of god natasha crain. The presence of evil in the world is considered by some to be solid evidence against the existence of god. God is responsible for evil, using it as a soulbuilder to make human beings into morally perfect creatures. Is it possible to prove or disprove god s existence. How can there be a god if suffering and evil exist. The most influential contemporary solution to this problem has been offered by philosopher john hick. If you follow the links provided to buy books from barnes and noble, youll be helping to pay for the internet infidels secular web. Are there good reasons to believe in the christian god. The problem of evil cripples reasonable belief in the god of theism and although successful theodicies have been made to subvert the problem of evil, they cannot get rid of the doubt and for some the proof that god does not exist. There seems to be some contradiction between these three propositions, so that if any two of them were true, the third would be false. He draws on recent scientific disputes over neodarwinism, the implication of big bang.
The city of god by saint augustine the greatest books. Faith in the midst of suffering and evil 9781601425799 by randy alcorn. The best books on the existence of god ed feser on five. In this new version, geisler sets out to offer, in his own words, a short, simple, readable, and comprehensive book on the problem of evil p. The entire objection hinges on the observation that true evil exists out there as an objective feature of the world. These 100 novels about religion tell stories of devout believers from. The science of good and evil by michael shermer kirkus. The existence of such evil gives us good grounds to doubt the existence of god or to deny gods existence, even though it doesnt count as a strict proof. He became the youngest ever to hold the chair of classical philology. Thats the kind of argument that an atheist would have to develop in order to get the problem of evil off the ground as an objection to theism. Swinburne gives a rigorous and penetrating analysis of the most important arguments for theism. Swinburne gives a rigorous and penetrating analysis of. Could it be that god exists, but without the characteristics that the bible attributes to him. John hicks classic evil and the god of love, first published in 1968, set the contours for all subsequent discussion of the problem.
I usually dont read books less the 300 pages because to me you cant get a good story and a plot down in anything less but existence pleasantly surprised me. What impels him is not the fascination of intellectual puzzles, but the anguish produced by what he sees when he. Reviews of books with scientific evidence that god exists. And if they are, should we conclude that such a god does not, in all likelihood, exist. Suffering, evil and the existence of god the new york times. In the early part of the work, gretchen and her friends consider whether evil provides a problem for those who believe in the. Get the knowledge you need in order to pass your classes and more. He began his career as a classical philologist before turning to philosophy. Is it possible to prove or disprove gods existence. According to the logical problem of evil, it states that evil is logically incompatible with gods existence. Mar 04, 2004 i really like existence by abbi glines. Many have thought that the reality of evil in the world makes the existence of god unlikely and religious belief irrational. I therefore do not believe that these theodocies provide a conclusive defence for the existence of evil alongside the existence of god in the world. What are the best books arguing against the existence of god.
Beside supporting evolution, both cosmic and biological, using verses from the bible and quran. The crossover fiction and nonfiction author of the halfmillionselling heaven throws down a heavy response to a spate of recent bestselling atheism books. Beyond good and evil by friedrich wilhelm nietzsche. The existence of god and the battle between good and evil 86 words 6 pages. Of all the atheistic arguments, this is the one that has been around for longest, that has had the most words written about it, and that draws the most diverse responses from christians. Main audiobooks childrens comics mysterythriller nonfiction. A couple is just plain fun evil, but be prepared to be exposed to the epitome of evil qualities. Why people cheat, gossip, care, share, and follow the golden rule. God, freedom, and evil by alvin plantinga goodreads. Existence of god quotes quotes tagged as existenceofgod showing 125 of 25 for god to prove himself on demand, physically, would be a grave disappointment, and the strongest christians should be considerably grateful that he chooses not to do so. Discuss come browse our large digital warehouse of free sample essays. Dialogue on good, evil, and the existence of god ebook written by john perry. Five views and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle. John perryauthor of the acclaimed dialogue on personal identity and immortality hackett publishing co.
For more than sixty years the rocksolid, timetested advice in this book has carried thousands of now famous people up the ladder of success in their business and personal lives. Many atheists believe that the correct answer to both of these questions is. Senor, the university of arkansas, from faith and philosophy, on the nature and existence of god is a remarkable book the book can hardly fail to be a rich source instruction, reflection, and last, but not least entertainment. The existence of god and the battle between good and evil has been a topic of much discussion for centuries. Through the philosophical scope, there is a problem of evil that challenges the existence an allpowerful god if there is evil in the world. Evil existence god abebooks abebooks shop for books. While space constraints prevent listing every possible book under each category, this bibliography attempts to list what the editor considers the best contemporary books for each topic. First, bruce langtry explores some implications of divine omnipotence, omniscience, and perfect goodness for gods providence. At times even great thinkers are baffled by the seeming contradiction between the existence of a loving god and the fact of evil.
Geis work addresses queries that arise from the gratuitous claims of empiricism in hume, unfounded assumptions in kant, presumptions of science, and the improbabilities it identifies in darwinism. The existence of god and evil essay 2232 words bartleby. Read god and the existence of evil john chrysostom on the devil by dimitrios porpatonelis available from rakuten kobo. Traditionally religion is sometimes thought as of a battle between god who represents the side of good versus the devil or satan that represents the forces of evil and influences humans to perpetrate acts of evil. From the chapters inquiry into the existence of god, the paper addresses the construction of the debate including the scientific constraints of logic which fail to admit subjective experience and the inconsistency of the existence of evil and the existence of god. It all raises questions about godwhy would an allgood and allpowerful god create a world full of evil and suffering. On the existence of god by robert geis overdrive rakuten. If terrible evil and suffering exist in the world, how can a good god exist. Plantingas response to the problem of evilthe socalled free will defense, which argues that it is possible that god could not have created a world. God and the problem of evil malden, mass blackwell, 2001. Chrysostom answers the timeless questions about the relationship between evil, demons, man and god. I am a fan of abbis writing and this is my favorite of them all. Read this essay on the existence of natural evil that there is no god. For the documentary film, see the root of all evil.
This means it is impossible for god and evil to coexist. God, the best, and evil is an original treatment of some longstanding problems about god and his actions towards human beings. Can we really know with our finite minds anything for sure about a transcendent god. The god delusion is a 2006 book by english biologist richard dawkins, a professorial fellow at.
In order to deal with these issues we must first view the logical problem of evil and human free will. The thinkers guide to god peter vardy, author, julie arliss. He has written twentysix nonfiction books as well, including heaven, the treasure principle. Are the evils in the world strong evidence against the existence of an allpowerful and allgood god. The suggestion here is that the best explanation for what we observe is the. Swinburnes classic attempt to apply bayes theorem to the hypothesis god exists is a masterful example of inductive argument. If god, why evil a new way to think about the question by. Dialogue, on the nature and existence of god is a remarkable book the book can hardly fail to be a rich.