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The New Frontier of Religion and Science: Religious Experience, Neuroscience and the Transcendent
s/t: Religious Experience, Neuroscience & the Transcendent
This is the first major response to the new challenge of neuroscience to religion. There have been limited responses from a purely Christian point of view, but this takes account of eastern as well as western forms of religious experience. It challenges the prevailing naturalistic assumption of our culture, including the idea that the mind is either identical with or a temporary by-product of brain activity. It also discusses religion as institutions and religion as inner experience of the Transcendent, and suggests a form of spirituality for today.
This is the first major response to the new challenge of neuroscience to religion. There have been limited responses from a purely Christian point of view, but this takes account of eastern as well as western forms of religious experience. It challenges the prevailing naturalistic assumption of our culture, including the idea that the mind is either identical with or a temporary by-product of brain activity. It also discusses religion as institutions and religion as inner experience of the Transcendent, and suggests a form of spirituality for today.
240 pages, Paperback
First published November 14, 2006
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May 27, 2015
I enjoy reading Hick. He writes well, so that he is easy to follow and understand even if the subjects that he addresses are not simple.
Here he addresses some of the more recent theories of religion that have come from the social sciences and neuroscience in order to refute their 'naturalist' assumptions. Hick wishes to convince the reader (through philosophical argument) that religion is the product of real encounter between humanity and the sacred, which he refers to as the transcendent or the ultimate reality. Hick uses such terms (for those unfamiliar with Hick) so that the truth of religious encounter with the sacred applies to all religions. Hick was the leading religious pluralist.
While I do enjoy reading Hick, I do profoundly disagree with him. I agree with his overall goals - which are better understanding between people of different religions that lead to more peaceful relations and more justice. I simply don't think that his way of getting there works; nor that it is intellectually tenable.
In any case, this is one of the last books that Hick wrote and if you would like to read just one with his most mature thought on religions and pluralism, then this is probably the book to read. It contains both philosophical argument, some of his personal story and some theological discussion.
Here he addresses some of the more recent theories of religion that have come from the social sciences and neuroscience in order to refute their 'naturalist' assumptions. Hick wishes to convince the reader (through philosophical argument) that religion is the product of real encounter between humanity and the sacred, which he refers to as the transcendent or the ultimate reality. Hick uses such terms (for those unfamiliar with Hick) so that the truth of religious encounter with the sacred applies to all religions. Hick was the leading religious pluralist.
While I do enjoy reading Hick, I do profoundly disagree with him. I agree with his overall goals - which are better understanding between people of different religions that lead to more peaceful relations and more justice. I simply don't think that his way of getting there works; nor that it is intellectually tenable.
In any case, this is one of the last books that Hick wrote and if you would like to read just one with his most mature thought on religions and pluralism, then this is probably the book to read. It contains both philosophical argument, some of his personal story and some theological discussion.
Displaying 1 of 1 review