In this two-part series I will sketch and defend Alvin Plantinga’s proposal that evolution should not be taught as “the sober truth” in state schools. In Part I, I will sketch Plantinga’s position and the arguments he provides for it; in Part II, I will look at what should be taught and then I’ll defend […]
Entries Tagged as 'Religion in Public Life'
Evolution should not be taught in State Schools: A Defence of Plantinga Part I
June 30th, 2009 55 Comments
Tags: Alvin Plantinga · Evolution · Public Policy · Public Schools · Religion in Public Life · Robert Pennock · Science and Religion · State Schools
MandM on Opposing Views in Religion and Society
April 30th, 2009 Comments Off on MandM on Opposing Views in Religion and Society
We were contacted a while back by Opposing Views and asked if we would consider allowing them to link to us. We had a look at their site, liked what we saw and said yes. We are now featured on their Religion and Society page as a recommended site. “Dr Matthew Flannagan” is also officially […]
Tags: Religion in Public Life
Stop Being a Christian and Start Being a Person
March 16th, 2009 1 Comment
No, not a call to give up Christianity – we just listened to Dr Glenn Peoples’ latest podcast, it is worth hearing. Excellent commentary on Christian sub-culture and our willingness to accept sub-standard music, scholarship, etc just because those offering it to us are part of our club. Glenn calls us to critically assess whatever […]
Tags: Religion in Public Life
Rest In Peace Richard Neuhaus
January 12th, 2009 Comments Off on Rest In Peace Richard Neuhaus
It is with sadness that I have just read that Richard John Neuhaus died on Thursday the 8th of January at age 72. There are various obituaries hereFor those New Zealand readers who won’t know. Neuhaus was a Lutheran turned Catholic priest who wrote and commented extensively on issues of religion and public life. His […]
Some More Thoughts on Religion and Public Life: Robert Audi’s Critique of Wolterstorff
January 6th, 2009 12 Comments
In two earlier posts, I discussed John Rawls’ defence of the contention that theological premises should be bracketed or excluded from public discourse. In particular, I appropriated the criticisms of Rawls’s position made by Nicholas Wolterstorff. In “Wolterstorff on Religion, Politics, and the Liberal State” in Religious Beliefs in the Public Square, Robert Audi argues […]
Tags: John Rawls · Nicholas Wolterstorff · Philosophy of Religion · Religion in Public Life · Robert Audi
Rawls on Religion and Public Life Part 2
December 27th, 2008 Comments Off on Rawls on Religion and Public Life Part 2
In part 1, I outlined Rawls’ position on Religion and Public Life and now I will offer some critical comments on this position drawing from Nicholas Wolterstorff. There are numerous problems with Rawls’ contention here. Wolterstorff sums some of them up. Suppose, then, that someone has followed that strategy; she has analyzed our political mentality […]
Tags: John Rawls · Nicholas Wolterstorff · Philosophy of Religion · Religion in Public Life
Rawls on Religion and Public Life Part 1
December 26th, 2008 Comments Off on Rawls on Religion and Public Life Part 1
In a two part series I will reflect on John Rawls’ widely celebrated discussion on religion and public life. In part 1, I will outline Rawls’ position and then in part 2 I will offer some critical comments on this position drawing from Nicholas Wolterstorff. One common line of argument for excluding theological premises from […]
Tags: John Rawls · Nicholas Wolterstorff · Philosophy of Religion · Religion in Public Life
A common objection to belief in the God of the Bible is that a good, kind, and loving deity would never command the wholesale slaughter of nations. In the tradition of his popular Is God a Moral Monster?, Paul Copan teams up with Matthew Flannagan to tackle some of the most confusing and uncomfortable passages of Scripture. Together they help the Christian and nonbeliever alike understand the biblical, theological, philosophical, and ethical implications of Old Testament warfare passages.
