A fascinating exploration of religious belief as the key to understanding ourselves and other people, societies, and cultures
When we explore the problem of God, we are exploring issues that force us to dig down into the very foundation of who we are, why we are who we are, and why we believe what we believe. Does God exist? What do we mean by ""God""? Why believe?
The Problem of God explores the challenges of religious belief and spirituality through the lenses of both historical and contemporary sources from religious traditions around the globe, including the Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Confucian, and Daoist traditions. This book engages with the fundamental concerns of belief in God, including the existence of God, the nature of God, different forms of theism and alternatives to theism, warranted belief, and the challenges posed by the problem of evil, pain and suffering, modern science, atheism, and religious pluralism. Cline invites readers to consider different religious beliefs through compelling stories that foster an understanding of human actions and motivations throughout history.
The curious and the spiritually hungry will benefit from discovering that there is not one problem of God but many, and that understanding the spiritual dimension of human life holds the key to better understanding ourselves and one another.
By:
Erin M. Cline
Foreword by:
Otto Hentz
Imprint: Georgetown University Press
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions:
Height: 229mm,
Width: 152mm,
Spine: 21mm
Weight: 417g
ISBN: 9781647126841
ISBN 10: 1647126843
Pages: 212
Publication Date: 02 March 2026
Audience:
Professional and scholarly
,
Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
Acknowledgments Foreword by Otto Hentz, SJ Introduction Part I: Does God Exist? 1 Classical Arguments for God's Existence: The Teleological Argument 2 Classical Arguments for God's Existence: The Cosmological Argument 3 Classical Arguments for God's Existence: The Ontological Argument 4 A Hindu Proof of God's Existence Part II: What Do We Mean by ""God""? Varieties of Theism and Other Religious Ultimates 5 The Bhagavad Gita and Hindu Views of God 6 Confucian Views of Tian (""Heaven""), Ancestor Spirits, and Ritual 7 Daoist Views of the Infinite Dao: Theism, Deism, and Agnosticism 8 Augustine's God: Overcoming Estrangement and Engaging Mystical Experience Part III: Why Believe? Challenges to Faith and Responses 9 The Problem of Evil and Theodicy 10 The Problem of Evil and Atheism 11 The Problem of Evil and God's Omnipotence 12 Pascal's Wager 13 The Problem of Religious Pluralism 14 Religious Experience and Conversion Conclusion Guide to Further Reading Index
Erin Cline is the Paul J. and Chandler M. Tagliabue Distinguished Professor in Interfaith Studies & Dialogue at Georgetown University. She is also a senior research fellow at the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs and is the author of numerous books, including A World on Fire: Sharing the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises with Other Religions (2018).
