A Spectrum of Worldviews: An Introduction to Philosophy of Religion in a Pluralistic World

Front Cover
Rodopi, 2006 - Philosophy - 331 pages
This book is an introduction to philosophy of religion from the perspective of a religiously pluralistic culture. It deals with introductory questions such as whether we can we understand, compare, and judge the insights of others and the ways in which people can speak and think about God. It introduces the classical themes of philosophy of religion - immanent and transcendent ideas of God and (im)personality; transcendence, good, and evil; religion, morality and society - using a distinction between cosmic, acosmic and theistic ideas of the divine. This introduction helps us discover differences and commonalities and thus helps further an emphatic and critical dialogue. This book explores how comparative theology and philosophy of religion can move beyond the dead-end roads of relativism and exclusivism.
 

Contents

ON COMPARING DIFFERENT IDEAS OF TRANSCENDENCE
21
UNDERSTANDING THE FAITH OF OTHERS
41
CAN WE EVALUATE THE FAITH OF OTHERS?
63
SYMBOLS AND METAPHORS
87
THREE VIEWS OF TRANSCENDENCE
117
GODPERSONAL ANDOR IMPERSONAL?
153
WORLDVIEW AND EVIL
179
GOD AND THE GOOD
209
DIALOGUE ON MORALITY
229
RELIGION CONFLICT AND DIALOGUE
253
BIBLIOGRAPHY
303
INDEX OF SUBJECTS
319
INDEX OF NAMES
329
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About the author (2006)

Hendrik M. Vroom is Professor of Philosophy of Religion at the Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, co-editor of this series and of Studies in Interreligious Dialogue. He has written several books on (inter)religious and social issues and has been engaged in interreligious encounters fora long time.