Author Description
Who or what is God? How do different religions interpret God's existence? How can we know God? Many people believe in God; not just throughout history but also in the present day. But who or what is it they believe in? Many different and sometimes conflicting answers have been suggested to this question. This Very Short Introduction explores some of the answers provided by philosophers, poets, and theologians, and considers why some people believe in God and others do not. John Bowker explores how the major religions established their own distinctive beliefs about God and how they interpret God's existence, and concludes by looking at how our understanding of God continues to evolve. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This book investigates the multifaceted question of who or what constitutes the concept of God across various historical and theological frameworks. John Bowker, a scholar of religion, utilizes a comparative approach to examine how major world religions and philosophical traditions have defined, interpreted, and debated the existence of the divine. The text provides a structured analysis of why belief persists in the modern era and how human understanding of the divine continues to shift over time.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Comparative analysis of major world religions and their specific doctrines regarding the divine
- Philosophical arguments concerning the existence and nature of God
- Historical overview of how theological interpretations have evolved
- Examination of the intersection between poetry, theology, and human belief
Scope Limits
- The text does not provide an exhaustive history of every minor religious sect
- It does not offer a definitive proof for or against the existence of God
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Readers frequently note the accessible yet dense nature of the prose, which manages to condense complex theological debates into a concise format. Experts highlight this as a foundational text for beginners seeking an objective overview of how the concept of God has been constructed throughout human history.
Page Count:
160
Publication Date:
2014-01-01
Publisher:
OUP Oxford
ISBN-10:
0191019143
ISBN-13:
9780191019142
Religion
Philosophy
Non-Fiction
God
Theology
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