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The article discusses Nicholas Wolterstorff's explanations for the flourishing of philosophical theology in analytic philosophy by taking Arthur Norman Prior's (1914–1969) development of tense-logic into account. Prior's work challenged the prevailing anti-metaphysical norms in analytic philosophy and introduced an alternative understanding of the relationship between logic and metaphysics. Prior's application of tense-logic to an analysis of the concept of existence in quantified tense-logic and his exploration of future contingency in branching time semantics provide a strong reason for why analytic philosophy naturally incorporates philosophical theology. These considerations lead us to modify Wolterstorff's emphasis on the importance of meta-epistemology for the resurgence of philosophical theology. A development in logic was necessary. Furthermore, Prior's importance questions the assumption that philosophical theology was a consequence of theistic philosophers seeking ways to defend theistic beliefs in analytic philosophy. This is not true for Prior. His invention of tense-logic and discussion of omniscience was driven by an existential interest in finding answers to philosophical problems concerning divine foreknowledge and human freedom which ultimately led him to reject his Christian beliefs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay reflects on the concept of the death of God as part and parcel of modern philosophical theology: a genre of thinking that came into existence with Hegel's announcement of the "speculative Good Friday" as the most natural expression of die Religion der neuen Zeiten, "the religion of modern times". In my interpretation, the death of God not only does not spell the end of the era of atheism but, on the contrary, inaugurates a new era of characteristically modern theism that steers away from theological absolutism. The new theos is no longer conceived as the eternal omnipotent Absolute but as the Derridean diminished Infinite: contracted and self-negated—even "unto death". Such God, however, although coming to the foremost visibly in modernity, is not completely new to the monotheistic religions, which from the beginning are engaged in the heated debate concerning the status of the divine power: is it absolute and unlimited or rather self-restricted and conditioned? I will enter this debate by conducting a comparison between the two traditional models of divine self-restriction—Christian kenosis and Jewish-kabbalistic tsimtsum—and then present their modernised philosophical variants, most of all in the thought of Hegel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the philosophical and theological projects of Karl Rahner and Edmund Husserl, focusing on their transcendental approaches and their attempts to reconcile transcendentality with intersubjectivity. Rahner draws on the influences of Kant and Heidegger, while Husserl's phenomenology is criticized for its solipsistic tendencies. Rahner integrates the intersubjective aspect more fully into his transcendental project, while Husserl's understanding of intersubjectivity remains limited. Rahner's understanding of sin and original sin is discussed, highlighting his use of the transcendental to contribute to the theology of sin. Rahner argues that freedom is a transcendental condition of possibility that determines both knowing and existence, and explores the intersubjective dimension of transcendental freedom. He suggests that sin and original sin are influenced by historical and concrete decisions, and that the transcendental can be modified by historical conditions and intersubjective relations. Critics find flaws in Rahner's use of the transcendental, but his work offers a unique perspective on the relationship between theology and philosophy. [Extracted from the article]

This article explores the Catholic doctrine of original sin and different defenses of this doctrine. It focuses on Eleonore Stump's interpretation of Thomas Aquinas's idea of a stain on the soul as a defense of original sin. Stump argues that moral wrongdoing leaves a stain on the soul, which can explain why all human beings are in a morally lamentable condition without being culpable or deserving punishment. The article also addresses objections to this defense and discusses its compatibility with contemporary scientific knowledge. Overall, Stump's defense challenges traditional interpretations and defenses of the doctrine of original sin. [Extracted from the article]

This article examines the theological perspective of Henri de Lubac on the doctrine of original sin in Catholic theology. De Lubac challenges the traditional understanding of original sin by critiquing the "pure nature" theory and emphasizing the natural desire for the beatific vision. The article explores the historical development of the doctrine, including interpretations from the book of Genesis and the New Testament, and discusses the views of theologians such as Augustine, Irenaeus, and Origen. De Lubac's perspective suggests the potential for a renewed understanding of original sin that aligns with the broader context of creation and redemption. [Extracted from the article]

Copyright of Contemporary Islamic Thought / Al-Fikr al-Islāmī al-Muʿāṣir is the property of International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article is a book review of "Naming God: Addressing the Divine in Philosophy, Theology, and Scripture" by Janet Soskice. The book explores the treatment of divine names in Scripture and in key thinkers such as Philo, Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, and others. The author argues that naming God is not simply about delineating attributes, but rather about the existential response to a call from God. The book offers fresh readings of Scripture and a doxologically shaped philosophical theology, challenging readers to reconsider the relationship between language, calling, and the transcendent. [Extracted from the article]

While the debate on God's eternity as timeless and/or temporal is a fascinating topic in itself, especially in philosophical theology, the discussion of time and temporality has a hermeneutical systematic potential for the articulation of Christian theology. In this article, I explore the hermeneutical systematic dimensions of time and timelessness for Christian theology in Augustine's Confessions (Book XI) in dialogue with contemporary articulations of divine timelessness and temporality, as delineated by Allan Padgett and William Craig. The study identifies how timelessness and temporality are hermeneutically and systematically shaped and serve as presuppositions for related concepts in anthropological and cosmological approaches that inform different views about the relationship of God with His creatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the book "Christ, the Logos of Creation" by John Betz, which explores the concept of analogical metaphysics and its relationship to theology and philosophy. Betz argues that analogical metaphysics can overcome criticisms from thinkers like Heidegger and Barth, and that specific Christian doctrines shape and reshape the analogy of being. The article acknowledges that these claims are contested and that Betz aims to persuade various groups with his arguments. Betz also explores the possibility of reconciling different theological perspectives and highlights the importance of understanding the analogia entis for ecumenical relations. The text concludes by examining the potential for rapprochement between different theological ideas. [Extracted from the article]

In this paper, we argue that under certain assumptions, Islamic theism moves in the direction of a multiverse. We present several arguments in two major categories. The first is based on the divine attribute of everlastingness: if God's everlasting attributes are expressed in the creation and the universe has a finite past, then God created a multiverse. The second category involves perfect being theology: if some of God's attributes express themselves in the creation, and God has every compossible perfection, then we should expect God to create a multiverse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay seeks to scrutinize Kierkegaard's critical philosophical theology. The intent is to demonstrate how his religious thought, especially on God's relation to the world and to the human being, can contribute to generating a cogent response to the challenges presented by our accelerating secular world. Apart from the narrative on the Dane's passionate reflections, I employ two other narratives to facilitate this inquiry into Kierkegaard. The first of these facilitating narratives comes from highlighting the work on the concept of resonance by the social theorist Hartmut Rosa. Rosa's rich analysis of our contemporary situation provides a persuasive case for the accelerating pace of our secular world, the complex dynamics of alienation that are at play within it, and the need for social transformation that creates space for increasing resonance within personal and social relationships and structures. The second facilitating narrative centers on the notion of dancing in God, which I believe holds promise for effectively communicating moving, bodily, rhythmic, passionate, and responsive thoughts and actions concerning God's engagement in our contemporary world. I hope to show that these three complementary discourses together provide a provocative religious discourse and vision that can prove helpful in addressing many of the challenges of our time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides an overview of John Rawls' work in political philosophy, particularly his book "A Theory of Justice," and its relevance to contemporary political and constitutional crises. It discusses the challenges faced by liberal democratic societies in the 21st century and argues for the continued importance of Rawls' ideas. The article also mentions other works by Rawls and ongoing scholarly discussions on his contributions to political philosophy. It concludes by outlining the topics covered in a special issue of the Journal of Social Philosophy, including voting regulations, welfare state capitalism, property-owning democracy, liberal democratic socialism, and the distinction between ideal and nonideal theory. The text offers a comprehensive analysis of Rawls' ideas, presenting different perspectives and addressing objections and alternative viewpoints. [Extracted from the article]

Within contemporary Christian philosophical theology, there are three broad theories of providence being debated. These are theological determinism, Molinism, and open theism. Of course, there are nuances amongst proponents of each theory, but the nuances are not terribly important for my purposes in this essay. I will argue that the basic conceptual machinery of each theory seems to entail divine temporality. Since open theists are already committed to divine temporality, there is nothing for me to argue there. Things get interesting when I consider theological determinism and Molinism. There are proponents of each view who already affirm divine temporality, but there are also proponents of each view who affirm divine timelessness. What I will argue is that theological determinism and Molinism are incompatible with divine timelessness. In order to make my case, I will start by defining some terms. Then, I will offer some arguments related to acting for a reason, divine freedom, and so-called logical moments in the life of a timeless God. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the phenomenon of joint attention and its relevance in understanding the modes of awareness of the presence of God. It explores the perspectives of Eleonore Stump and Andrew Pinsent, as well as the challenge raised by Donald Bungum, with the aim of reaching a better understanding of a distinct way of being 'moved by God in a divine way'. According to Stump and Pinsent, joint attention can deepen our understanding of our relationship with God, emphasizing the importance of sharing attention with Him and making better sense of the way humans may be moved in a divine way. However, Bungum challenges this view by suggesting the possibility of closeness without explicit awareness. The paper concludes by emphasizing the need for a nuanced understanding of awareness and the presence of God in our spiritual lives, for our connection with God can manifest in diverse ways different from traditional accounts of explicit awareness. We suggest that a view of joint attention centered in action may be more suitable for an attempt to make sense of what 'to be moved in a divine way' amounts to. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is a book review of "Thomas Aquinas and Teilhard de Chardin" by Donald J. Goergen. The book explores the contribution of these two major figures in Catholic thought to the development of a renewed Christian humanism. It argues that the answers to the questions of what it means to be human and what it means to live in Christ converge, and that Christian faith offers an authentic and life-enhancing understanding of humanity. The book compares the thought of Aquinas and Teilhard in terms of their theology of creation, theological anthropology, and Christology, and also relates their ideas to contemporary thinkers and calls for a renewal of Christian humanism. [Extracted from the article]

The article analyzes the genesis and transformation of the concept of «religious experience» in the philosophical and theological heritage of V. S. Solovyov. It is proposed to reconstruct the content and meaning of the concept of «religious experience», initially perceived by V. S. Solovyov, later reworked by him in the context of the general logic of the history of Russian religious studies. In the course of the study, the authors raise the question of whether the concept of «religious experience» is possible in the works of V. S. To comprehend Solovyov in the theoretical space of the revealed contradiction of two positions: as a historical and philosophical phenomenon and as a semantically organized concept of fundamental importance for Russian religious philosophy. As a result, it is shown: the influence of the existential experience of the thinker on the formation of the semantic diversity of the concept of «religious experience»; the presence of polemical potential in the genesis of this concept, since V. S. Solovyov uniquely reworks the ideas of Yu. F. Samarin and P. D. Yurkevich. The fundamental importance of the ideas of Yu. F. Samarin and P. D. is shown. To understand the origins of the spectrum of meanings of the concept of «religious experience» in the ideological heritage of V. S. Solovyov. To this end, the characteristics inherent in a purely personal principle in the form of a «personal revelation» are revealed, which is the basis for accepting religious experience as the most reliable. In the late period of his work, the philosopher uses a method of describing religious experience as an experience of feelings, the authors of the article suggest that this is an original approach to the transformation of the system and the ideological heritage of the famous thinker F. Schleiermacher, which has a theological significance. Within the framework of the proposed methodology, the thesis is expressed that the ideological content of the concept of «religious experience» is not only the basis for defining related concepts such as mystical experience, but also has a cognitive potential in its meaningful meaning in relation to individual religious experience. Thus, the fact of the transformation of F.’s ideas is uniquely presented. Schleiermacher in Russian religious studies, namely, the possibility of understanding the nature of «religious experience» is stated based on the meanings given by the author himself (in our case, Solovyov) to the experience of experience that changes a person’s worldview. This shows the value aspect of the «religious experience».

The Dominican theologian Durand of Saint-Pourçain (ca. 1275–1334), breaking from the wide consensus, made a two-pronged attack on concurrentism (i.e., the theory according to which God does more than conserving creatures in existence and co-causes all their actions). On the one hand, he shows that the concurrentist position leads to the unacceptable consequence that God is the direct cause of man's evil actions. On the other hand, he attacks the metaphysical foundations of concurrentism, first in the version offered by Thomas Aquinas and Giles of Rome, and then in a more general way. Against Thomas and Giles, he challenges Neoplatonic assumptions about causality and being. More generally, he establishes that God's action and a creature's action can be neither identical nor different, and thus cannot both be direct causes of the same effect. Without claiming that Durand's series of objections are definitely unanswerable, we may at least observe that they have generally been underestimated (which earned him the lowly role of the mere foil of the concurrentist view in the history of philosophy) and are able to do considerable damage to concurrentism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay returns to a largely forgotten achievement of mid-twentieth-century philosophical theology, Richard Kroner's Culture and Faith (1951) and the "philosophy of faith" presented therein. It focuses on Kroner's idea of religious imagination as the inspired medium of revelation. It considers implications of this idea with regard to religious epistemology and theological language. In doing so, it puts Kroner in conversation with John Caputo, Iain McGilchrist, and Kroner's friend and colleague Paul Tillich. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Naming God: Addressing the Divine in Philosophy, Theology and Scripture" by Janet Soskice explores the historical tradition of divine names and the shift towards a focus on divine attributes in early modern philosophy and theology. Soskice examines key ancient and medieval authors such as Philo of Alexandria, Gregory of Nyssa, Augustine of Hippo, Dionysius the Areopagite, and Thomas Aquinas to understand how divine naming is rooted in biblical ethos. The book emphasizes the personal and dynamic nature of divine naming, contrasting it with the impersonal approach of natural theology. Soskice argues for a re-consideration of philosophical theology as a lived and embodied spiritual practice. [Extracted from the article]

This article explores St. Thomas Aquinas's understanding of divine unity in relation to the Trinity. Aquinas argues that the unity of God is not exclusively numerical and that it denies certain kinds of discourse. The article discusses the implications of divine unity for contemporary theology and suggests that a fully relational picture of reality is more coherent and compatible with theological integrity. The text concludes by suggesting that a properly "Trinitarian" ethic should be developed based on these principles, emphasizing mutual involvement and obligation. The author, Archbishop Rowan Williams, highlights the brevity of Aquinas's Summa Theologica and how it allows for creative interpretation and exploration of revealed truth, emphasizing the importance of critical thinking and discipleship in the pursuit of knowledge and growth. [Extracted from the article]

"The Trinity: On the Nature and Mystery of the One God" by Thomas Joseph White, O.P. is a book that delves into the Christian mystery of the Trinity. It explores the similarities between contemporary and medieval Trinitarian theologies, with a focus on the Thomistic tradition and the theology of St. Thomas Aquinas. The book also examines the connection between the immanent Trinity and the economic Trinity, as well as the relationship between philosophy and theology. It seeks to reconcile the return to the sources movement with Thomism, emphasizing the continuity between the New Testament, Church Fathers, and councils. Additionally, an article discusses the concept of living Thomism, which involves studying Aquinas' work in its historical and cultural context and applying it to contemporary issues. It argues for the importance of understanding the Trinity in a metaphysical framework and emphasizes the need for a balanced partnership between philosophy and theology. [Extracted from the article]

The article explores the encyclical "Humani generis" by Pope Pius XII and its relevance to evangelization. It discusses the encyclical's emphasis on preserving and defending Catholic doctrine while presenting it in a way that is understandable and persuasive to contemporary society. The article also addresses the historical context and debates surrounding the encyclical, highlighting the need for a balanced approach to reform and ressourcement in the church's theology and philosophy. It emphasizes the importance of doctrinal fidelity and a robust concept of human reason in evangelization. The article concludes by advocating for a careful and nuanced approach to change and development in the church. [Extracted from the article]

The famous controversy between Marsilio Ficino and Giovanni Pico della Mirandola is known to regard the proper use of Platonism in humanist and Christian context. With special attention to Pico's Commentary on a Canzone, the point of disagreement with Ficino, which is not at all obvious, is examined through a close reading. The result is that Pico sees the temptation of a pantheistic and anthropocentric understanding of the relationship between the human realm and God. Whereas Ficino engaged in making pagan philosophy amenable to Christian theology, Pico was concerned with upholding the otherness of the divine. For the humanist agenda, Ficino made plausible that the human world is divinized, while Pico called for the ascent to God. In Pico's view the Neoplatonists secularized the divine, as was evident in Ficino's philosophical theology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renaissance magic was an attempt to supply Platonism with a philosophy of nature that could compete with Aristotelian physics. It was expected to heal the increasing breach between science and faith. However, the basic presupposition of every magic worldview, the notion of a living universe, favors immanentism and arguably hastened the rise of secularism. Secularism, it should be noted, was not an identifiable set of theories but a process towards modernity with its correspondent philosophical theology. Three different stages in that development can be shown in the philosophical systems of three famous Renaissance magicians: Henry Cornelius Agrippa, Giordano Bruno, and Tommaso Campanella. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the article "Postmortem Opportunity: A Biblical and Theological Assessment of Salvation After Death," theologian James Beilby explores the question of the destiny of those who never heard the gospel of Christ or heard a distorted version of it. Beilby argues for his own version of a postmortem opportunity theory, in which individuals who never heard the gospel or heard a distorted version of it will be given a chance to repent and believe in Christ after death. He supports his arguments with interdisciplinary research, including philosophy, biblical studies, and church history. While Beilby's work is thought-provoking and challenges long-held beliefs, it is important to note that he argues from within the Arminian tradition and does not thoroughly address how his theory could fit within other theological traditions. [Extracted from the article]

This article is a response to a critique of the compatibility of evolutionary theory with the Christian faith. The author argues that creation involves both active and passive aspects, with beings depending on God for their existence. They defend the idea of cooperation between God and creatures in the origination of new species through evolution. The text discusses the views of St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Augustine on the origin of new species and the role of divine intervention. It also explores the concept of substance and substantial forms, the role of God's direct intervention in evolution, and the analogical character of being a substance. The article concludes by discussing the concept of "educing" substantial forms from the potentiality of matter in the context of speciation. Overall, the article presents a perspective rooted in Aristotelian-Thomistic metaphysics and offers insights into the relationship between potentiality and actuality in the context of evolution. [Extracted from the article]

I address a puzzle in Pascal's Pensées. While Pascal emphasized that God is hidden, he also seemed to think that signs of God are everywhere in nature. How does he reconcile these two claims? I offer a novel solution which emphasizes the role of love and what I call "second‐personal" significance, and which results in a distinctively Pascalian account of religious experience of nature. By distinguishing implication from various senses of 'proof', I explain why, though deeply significant, such experiences cannot play the role of proving God's existence, and how they are compatible with God's hiddenness. Neither theism nor atheism is assumed by this account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this essay, I argue that 'poetics'—defined as 'poet‐criticism', a practitioner's firsthand reflection on poetic composition (poiēsis) and verse technique (technē)—makes possible for philosophical theology something that has heretofore been overlooked. I contend that Martin Heidegger's rendition of the poetic 'afflatus', which travesties technē variously as an eidetic, violent, and inauthentic aspect of poiēsis, has exerted an outsized influence on contemporary theology's engagements with poetry. The upshot is a tendentious dualism between poiēsis and creatio, through which the interdisciplinary movement known as 'theopoetics' currently deconstructs the doctrine of creation ex nihilo. I show that the quietism of theopoetics is merely the reverse face of Heidegger's residual voluntarism. The neglected late essays of the poet‐critic Geoffrey Hill demonstrate that mastery in verse technique, far from conforming to Heidegger's caricature, entails an erotically motivated co‐operation between the poet and their medium. Hill's poetics is shown to be consonant with the metaphysics of creation and theological anthropology expressed in the writings of Nicholas of Cusa. I ultimately defend the continued relevance of the analogy between human poiēsis and creatio ex nihilo by appealing to Cusanus's exposition of technē as partaking in the triune co‐inherence of God. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the topic of whether non-human animals will be present in heaven. The author presents the argument that only rational beings are capable of attaining the eternal state of blessedness that heaven represents, and that animals are not suited for this state. The author supports this viewpoint by discussing theological and philosophical perspectives on the afterlife and the nature of animal existence. It is important to note that this argument is based on Christian, particularly Catholic, philosophical theology and does not consider the possibility of alternative realms or forms of blessedness for animals. The article concludes that the inclusion of animals in heaven is unlikely and contradicts the concept of supernatural merit and heavenly bliss. [Extracted from the article]

Deuteronomy 23:3, says: "No ... Moabite may enter the assembly of the Lord". This verse is motivated by a discriminatory tendency embedded in the ontology of the Deuteronomist. Interestingly, Deuteronomy 23:3 was used by Ezra-Nehemiah to discriminate against the "Moabites" during the Second Temple. Such ontology is countered by the author of Ruth in the narrative of Ruth during the Second Temple. This demonstrates an ontological "war" within the Bible itself. The primary contestation lies in whether God is exclusive or inclusive. This development necessitates a hermeneutics of suspicion. In the course of history, the "theology" of Deuteronomy has been used to grossly violate the human dignity of many God-fearing African people and many other people of the South for colonial purposes. To exacerbate the situation, there were persistent attempts from some quarters to universalise such a discriminatory biblical perspective. This would feed into the centre–periphery arrangement, with the centre feeding the periphery with such hermeneutics. For this reason, African scholars are implored to be very vigilant against ardent pressures put on the biblical texts by ontological, epistemological, and contextual biases of interpretations. Accordingly, Andrew Mbuvi identifies African Biblical Hermeneutics perfectly when he says it seeks to undo "the very construct of the 'centre-periphery' binary by allowing the possibility of multiple centres"). Kenneth Ngwa, thus, rightly asserts that African Biblical Hermeneutics considers African epistemologies and conditions "to be invaluable and legitimate contexts and resources in biblical interpretation"), drinking from our own wells). In consequence, this paper intends to set a dialogue between Deuteronomy 23:3 and Ruth 4:18–22. This paper aims to examine the understanding of God behind these verses. This paper will then compare the two theologies with the African philosophical concept of God. Harnessing the African concept of Ubuntu, this paper will de-ideologise the two texts and thus will provide a recommendation concerning the two texts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article, titled "Four Majestic Philosophical Thoroughbreds and a Deranged Donkey," is a response paper in the American Journal of Theology & Philosophy. The author reflects on the title of the essay and discusses Lisa Landoe Hedrick's perspective on generality and justice. They address critiques from colleagues and question how to incorporate Lisa's challenge into their philosophical practice. The text explores different perspectives on power dynamics, feelings, ultimacy, and goodness in philosophy, and highlights the importance of considering diverse perspectives to gain a deeper understanding. The author also discusses the concept of a "good God" and the problem of theodicy, exploring the views of various thinkers and offering their own approach to addressing suffering. [Extracted from the article]

This article examines the work of Wesley J. Wildman, specifically his integration of science, philosophy, theology, and religion. It discusses the influence of historical figures like Aristotle and Spinoza on Wildman's ideas and compares his approach to that of Aristotle, emphasizing the importance of a methodical approach to nurturing virtues. The article also explores the shortage of theological ethics in Wildman's writings and critiques his lack of examination of how metaphysics and ethics intertwine in diverse philosophies and religions globally. It concludes by suggesting that the connection between Wildman's ground-of-being theology and ethical praxis could be strengthened. [Extracted from the article]

This article provides an overview of the work of Wesley J. Wildman, a respected figure in philosophy, theology, and the scientific study of religion. The authors highlight Wildman's original and integrative thinking and encourage readers to explore his writings from a multidisciplinary perspective. The article is divided into three sections, focusing on Wildman's philosophy, theology, and scientific study of religion. It also emphasizes the importance of nurturing the next generation of scholars interested in American religious and philosophical thought. Additionally, the article discusses a volume titled "Religion in Multidisciplinary Perspective" and the responses it received from younger scholars, who offer their own perspectives and critiques on Wildman's work. The aim of the special issue is to foster deeper conversations and strengthen multidisciplinary inquiry in the fields Wildman has contributed to. [Extracted from the article]

This document provides brief biographical information about several authors in the field of theology and philosophy. F. LeRon Shults is a professor at the University of Agder and has published extensively on topics such as philosophy of science and the cognitive science of religion. Lisa Landoe Hedrick is an assistant professor at the University of Chicago and has written a book on the problem of mind and world in Analytic Philosophy. Demian Wheeler is an associate professor at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities and specializes in American liberal theology. Bin Song is an assistant professor at Washington College and focuses on Asian and comparative philosophy, particularly Confucianism. Robert Cummings Neville is a professor emeritus at Boston University and has published numerous books in philosophy, religion, and theology. Wesley J. Wildman is a professor at Boston University and has written books on the simulation of worldviews and a novel. [Extracted from the article]

Copyright of Revista Iberoamericana de Estudios de Desarrollo is the property of Revista Iberoamericana de Estudios de Desarrollo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article aims to show that, if S5 is the logic of metaphysical necessity, then no state of affairs in any possible world constitutes any non-trivial evidence for or against the existence of the traditional God. There might well be states of affairs in some worlds describing extraordinary goods and extraordinary evils, but it is false that these states of affairs constitute any (non-trivial) evidence for or against the existence of God. The epistemological and metaphysical consequences for philosophical theology of assuming that S4 or Kσρ is the logic of metaphysical necessity are equally untenable. S4 guarantees that God does not exist if there is the slightest evidence against the existence of God. And Kσρ guarantees that God might survive the loss or acquisition of any essential property at all. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much of historic Christian philosophical theology has affirmed that God not only exists, but is Existence itself. Nowadays, this claim is widely rejected as unintelligible by theists and non-theists alike. I argue in contrast that if there is such a thing as Existence itself, that thing must be a maximally excellent being, which is what many philosophers call God. This is because Existence would itself need to exist, which is only possible if Existence exists in a paradigmatic way, that is, as a perfect instance of existence. My argument thus offers both a defence of the coherence of the claim that God is Existence itself, and a new way of arguing for theism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I argue that the story of God's commanding Abraham to sacrifice Isaac can be read as a variant of Kavka's (1983) Toxin Puzzle. On this reading, Abraham has no reason to kill Isaac, only reason to intend to kill Isaac. On one version of the Kavkan reading, it's impossible for Abraham, thus situated, to form the intention to kill Isaac. This would make the binding an impossible story: I explore the ethical and theological consequences of reading the story in this way. Finally, I suggest that analytic philosophers may have more to contribute to interpretative projects in philosophical theology than generally practised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avicenna scholars unanimously agree that Avicenna takes the position that God is not classifiable according to the Aristotelian scheme of the ten categories. However, Avicenna scholars are in little agreement about precisely why God evades categorial classification. Scholars report numerous and, at times, mutually inconsistent arguments purportedly made by Avicenna. In this study, I argue that Avicenna has only one argument as to why God is not in the category of substance—the Essence-Being Distinction Argument—and that he makes this argument consistently throughout his major philosophical encyclopediae. Having clarified this argument, two consequences follow. First, we can study this argument to learn not only about God in Avicenna's philosophical theology but also about the nature and structure of the categories in Avicenna's metaphysics. I argue that Avicenna's Essence-Being Distinction Argument reveals a route by which one may arrive at a real distinction between essence and being from a philosophical, rather than a theological premise. Second, Avicenna's Essence-Being Distinction Argument, along with the prevalence and consistency thereof, suggests that God has an essence for Avicenna and that texts, wherein Avicenna denies that God has an essence, are exceptional and should not govern our broader interpretation of Avicenna's philosophical theology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent theological scholarship, there has been a wave of interest in the tradition of spiritual sense and marginal social identities within analytic and philosophical theology. In this article, I explore the theologies of spiritual sense in analytic theology (AT) to highlight part of the reason for the predominance of cisgender heterosexual voices in the field. Many feminist voices in AT express a common concern for a lack of integration between the mind, the body, and spiritual sense, which has enshrined the post-enlightenment cisgender heterosexual 'man of reason'. Through an exploration of these feminist voices (Sarah Coakley and Michelle Panchuk), I argue that the field does not simply need more diverse voices but also voices of spiritual sense that undo a straight cisgender elitism. This elitism has kept the field from widely examining the anthropological questions of sexuality and gender, ethics, and theodicean dilemmas of desire and faith. By opening analytic philosophical approaches to spiritual sense, the field releases noetic control that has two consequential outcomes. Firstly, the field revalorizes pneumatology and ethics. Secondly, as a consequence of this, the field can see those who were previously unseen and heard, and, therefore, AT can develop into a sensing and thinking discipline capable of perceiving the queer or other in its midst. Spiritual sense and its priority for bodily and cruciform realities of suffering and desire can move the field from homogeneity to embracing the diverse ethical concerns of sexuality, gender, and race, and subaltern or queer subjectivities which are yet to be represented well in its midst. Using a distinctly neo-Augustinian approach, I argue that Augustine's philosophy of the amor dei, with its emphasis on analytic clarity and inner spiritual sense, can redeem the eyes of AT's heart. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the connections between pantheism, panpsychism, and secularism in the Renaissance period. It challenges the traditional Enlightenment narrative that assumes the eradication of pantheism and panpsychism with the rise of secularism. The article argues that the Renaissance was a complex and diverse era, with the existence of Christian Humanism and the influence of Hermeticism. It also discusses the renewed interest in panpsychism in contemporary philosophy of mind. The article suggests that secularism in the Renaissance was not solely the result of deliberate decisions by intellectuals, but rather a product of various factors and conflicting interests. It explores the relationship between philosophy, theology, and science during this period and the tensions that arose. The article concludes by highlighting the ongoing tension between the secular and the sacred, the rational and the revealed, in modern culture. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses Nicholas Wolterstorff’s explanations for the flourishing of philosophical theology in analytic philosophy by taking Arthur Norman Prior’s (1914–1969) development of tense-logic into account. Prior’s work challenged the prevailing anti-metaphysical norms in analytic philosophy and introduced an alternative understanding of the relationship between logic and metaphysics. Prior’s application of tense-logic to an analysis of the concept of existence in quantified tense-logic and his exploration of future contingency in branching time semantics provide a strong reason for why analytic philosophy naturally incorporates philosophical theology. These considerations lead us to modify Wolterstorff’s emphasis on the importance of meta-epistemology for the resurgence of philosophical theology. A development in logic was necessary. Furthermore, Prior’s importance questions the assumption that philosophical theology was a consequence of theistic philosophers seeking ways to defend theistic beliefs in analytic philosophy. This is not true for Prior. His invention of tense-logic and discussion of omniscience was driven by an existential interest in finding answers to philosophical problems concerning divine foreknowledge and human freedom which ultimately led him to reject his Christian beliefs.

In this paper, we argue that under certain assumptions, Islamic theism moves in the direction of a multiverse. We present several arguments in two major categories. The first is based on the divine attribute of everlastingness: if God’s everlasting attributes are expressed in the creation and the universe has a finite past, then God created a multiverse. The second category involves perfect being theology: if some of God’s attributes express themselves in the creation, and God has every compossible perfection, then we should expect God to create a multiverse.

This paper examines the phenomenon of joint attention and its relevance in understanding the modes of awareness of the presence of God. It explores the perspectives of Eleonore Stump and Andrew Pinsent, as well as the challenge raised by Donald Bungum, with the aim of reaching a better understanding of a distinct way of being ‘moved by God in a divine way’. According to Stump and Pinsent, joint attention can deepen our understanding of our relationship with God, emphasizing the importance of sharing attention with Him and making better sense of the way humans may be moved in a divine way. However, Bungum challenges this view by suggesting the possibility of closeness without explicit awareness. The paper concludes by emphasizing the need for a nuanced understanding of awareness and the presence of God in our spiritual lives, for our connection with God can manifest in diverse ways different from traditional accounts of explicit awareness. We suggest that a view of joint attention centered in action may be more suitable for an attempt to make sense of what ‘to be moved in a divine way’ amounts to.

The philosophical God of Spinoza is branded as a pantheistic God so often that, regarding at least Western philosophy and philosophical commentaries, Spinozism seems to be practically synonymous with pantheism. Since the times of German idealism, there have also been attempts at a panentheistic reading, which are still alive to this day. The article analyses both theological models in their core claims to adequately qualify Spinoza’s theological system while considering the established levels of philosophical-theological interpretation. By identifying systemic pantheism and essentialist panentheism in his system, it is argued that both accounts or readings of Spinoza’s theory might be correct in their own way, provided that the models behind them are correctly applied to their respective levels of thought.

Since the early 20th century, two new disciplines emerged in the tradition of analytic philosophy: meta-ethics and political epistemology. Nevertheless, debates on such questions go back to the ancient Greeks and, in particular, to the debates between Plato and Protagoras. This article elucidates the controversy between Plato and the influential sophist Protagoras from the perspective of contemporary meta-ethics and political epistemology. It argues that the main motivation of Plato's philosophical endeavors is to overcome Protagoras's skeptical claims that no moral facts and no moral knowledge applicable to political issues exist. The paper defends the thesis that there exists a deep disagreement between Protagoras and Plato on the existence of moral facts and moral knowledge. A deep disagreement is a disagreement that cannot be resolved through the use of reasons and arguments. Applying the foundationalist approach Robert J. Fogelin proposes in his seminal paper "The Logic of Deep Disagreements", this article argues that the deep disagreement between Protagoras and Plato exists because their political thought is based on "underlying principles" that clash. While Plato's political philosophy rests on his religious and theological convictions, the political thought of Protagoras is based on his skepticism, relativism, and agnosticism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the early career of E. L. (Eric) Mascall, Anglican Catholic priest, theologian and philosopher of religion, late of Christ Church Oxford and King's College London. Mascall spent the years between 1937 and 1945 teaching at Lincoln Theological College, in a time of acute political and intellectual unsettlement and (in due course) world war. Mascall rebelled against the previously dominant liberalism of the 1930s while also rejecting both Barthian Protestantism and certain currents in Orthodox theology, both of which were products of the same turmoil. The article documents his turn instead to the natural theology of Thomas Aquinas, and examines both its sources and its particular articulation in Mascall's work. Even though relatively few in England followed Mascall down this particular path, his formation in the 1930s and 1940s reveals much about the temper of the moment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Again, Wielenberg's fascinating I argument from psychopathy i from moral psychology against Divine Command Theory (DCT) focuses on the pathology known as psychopathy - a perennial interest for those concerned with abnormal and moral psychology. Furthermore, if the argument does present a serious problem for DCT, then it does so for Wielenberg's own view, Robust Normative Realism (RNR), just as much as for DCT. In the penultimate chapter, Martin Jakobsen's "A Christological Critique of Divine Command Theory" revisits DCT by presenting a theological critique of Divine Command Theory. [Extracted from the article]