What social conditions and intellectual practices are necessary in order for religious cultures to flourish? Paul Griffiths finds the answer in "religious reading" --- the kind of reading in which a religious believer allows his mind to be furnished and his heart instructed by a sacred text, understood in the light of an authoritative tradition. He favorably contrasts the practices and pedagogies of traditional religious cultures with those of our own fragmented and secularized culture and insists that religious reading should be preserved.

Exploring Religious Diversity analyzes the philosophical questions raised by the fact that many religions in the world often appear to contradict each other in doctrine and practice.

• Analyzes the philosophical questions raised by the fact that many religions in the world often appear to contradict each other in doctrine and practice.
  
• Evaluates the fundamental philosophical underpinnings of the debates between religious and non-religious approaches to religious diversity.
  
• Contains a glossary that defines the book's key...

Exploring Religious Diversity analyzes the philosophical questions raised by the fact that many religions in the world often appear to contradict each other in doctrine and practice.

• Analyzes the philosophical questions raised by the fact that many religions in the world often appear to contradict each other in doctrine and practice.
  
• Evaluates the fundamental philosophical underpinnings of the debates between religious and non-religious approaches to religious diversity.
  
• Contains a glossary that defines the book's key...

This substantial anthology is a comprehensive, authoritative collection of the classical and contemporary readings in the philosophy of religion, providing a survey and analysis of the key issues, figures and concepts.

• Comprises the most comprehensive and authoritative collection of the classical and contemporary readings in the philosophy of religion.
  
• Provides a survey and analysis of the key issues, figures and concepts.
  
• Examines religious identity, theism and divine attributes, explanations of religion, and theistic arguments.
  This substantial anthology is a comprehensive, authoritative collection of the classical and contemporary readings in the philosophy of religion, prov...

This substantial anthology is a comprehensive, authoritative collection of the classical and contemporary readings in the philosophy of religion, providing a survey and analysis of the key issues, figures and concepts.

• Comprises the most comprehensive and authoritative collection of the classical and contemporary readings in the philosophy of religion.
  
• Provides a survey and analysis of the key issues, figures and concepts.
  
• Examines religious identity, theism and divine attributes, explanations of religion, and theistic arguments.
  This substantial anthology is a comprehensive, authoritative collection of the classical and contemporary readings in the philosophy of religion, prov...

What is it like to be a Buddha? Is there only one Buddha or are there many? What can Buddhas do and what do they know? Is there anything they cannot do and cannot know? These and associated questions were much discussed by Buddhist thinkers in India, and a complex and subtle set of doctrinal positions was developed to deal with them. This is the first book in a western language to treat these doctrines about Buddha from a philosophical and thoroughly critical viewpoint.

The book shows that Buddhist thinkers were driven, when theorizing about Buddha, by a basic intuition that Buddha must...

Description: An Apology for Apologetics argues that a vigorous apologetics is a vital component of any sound effort at interreligious dialogue. Griffiths shows that a spirited defense of each religious tradition must be made by people who are both committed to their "truth" and open to serious criticisms by members of other faith traditions. He demonstrates why and how such a recognition of the necessity of interreligious apologetics (the "NOIA principle") runs counter to the underlying presuppositions of many proponents of interreligious dialogue. Griffiths raises the specter of an...

The appetite for knowledge--wanting to know things--is very strong in humans. Some will sacrifice all other goods (sex, power, food, life itself) for it. But this is not a simple appetite, and this book treats some of its complications, deformations, beauties, and intensities. Christian thinkers have traditionally distinguished between good and bad forms of the appetite for knowledge, calling the good ""studiousness"" and the bad ""curiosity."" The former is aimed at joyful contemplation of what can be known as gift given; the latter seeks ownership and control of what can be known as...

""This book is a fascinating journey--from Augustine's total ban on lying, through the compromises of philosophers like Plato and Aquinas, to the radical espousal of truth's impossibility in Nietzche. Griffiths takes us into the heart of Augustine's theology to show how the act of duplicity disfigures the image of God in us and exposes human sinfulness. From that perspective, all discussion of lying that is merely based on morality, justice, compassion, or humanism is shown to be inadequate, and truthfulness becomes a gift of God's grace."" -- Frances Young, University of Birmingham (England)...