The Case For Religion

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 256 pages
• Published by: Oneworld Publications December 4, 2007
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 1851685456
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-1851685455
• Book Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.7 x 0.7 inches
• Weighs: 13.6 ounces

From Publishers Weekly
Author, scholar and former Oxford don Ward uses his broad knowledge to make the argument for religion as a necessary and reasonable exercise for humans who are aware of the transcendent. He looks at what major figures in other disciplines-anthropology, sociology and psychology-have historically said about why humans practice religion. He then briskly sketches the world's major religions and reviews the effect of the European enlightenment on religion, showing how it gave rise to historical and critical thinking and the valuing of experience as a means of knowing. Religion is too persistent, pervasive, positive and profound to be merely foolish, he suggests, but to fail to acknowledge the possibilities it contains for destruction is "a failure of spiritual perception of the first order." Ward is prodigiously well read, moving easily from Sumerian creation accounts to German philosophy to contemporary English philosopher John Hick. He is understandably better at the history of Western ideas than of developments within non-Western traditions, but is always aware that religion is historically a universal practice and now a global reality. In today's "increasingly self-aware global community of communities," the Anglican priest concludes, a coexistence of diverse faith traditions can provide religious leadership toward "human flourishing." Ward's previous book (God: A Guide for the Perplexed) was chattier and more accessible. By comparison, this book is not for the casual reader, but is ideal for serious students of religion who aren't afraid of philosophy.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Review
"All those who know Keith Ward's work will be eager to read his book on such an urgent issue in our time: the ongoing importance of religions despite their failings." -- Professor Dr Hans Küng - University of Tübingen

"Brilliant, highly readable, and genuinely illuminating. This is a book both for the religious and for those who regard themselves as non-religious, and each will find fascinating surprises in it." -- John Hick - University of Birmingham, author of 'Philosophy of Religion'

"Keith Ward brings his comprehensive mind and his penetrating pen to the crisis faced by all traditional religious forms" -- John Shelby Spong - author of 'Christianity for a new world.'

All those who know Keith Ward's work will be eager to read his book on such an urgent issue in our time: the ongoing importance of religions despite their failings. -- Professor Dr Hans Küng - University of Tübingen

Brilliant, highly readable, and genuinely illuminating. This is a book both for the religious and for those who regard themselves as non-religious, and each will find fascinating surprises in it. -- John Hick - University of Birmingham, author of 'Philosophy of Religion'

John Hick - University of Birmingham, author of 'Philosophy of Religion'"Brilliant, highly readable, and genuinely illuminating. This is a book both for the religious and for those who regard themselves as non-religious, and each will find fascinating surprises in it."Professor Dr Hans Kung - University of Tubingen"All those who know Keith Ward's work will be eager to read his book on such an urgent issue in our time: the ongoing importance of religions despite their failings."Publishers Weekly - "Ideal for serious students of religion."Spectator - "Professor Ward will convince most reasonable readers that human nature would be poorer if the religious impulse were denied. He puts into more intelligent words than most of us could muster what it is which would be lost if we all became material atheists."

Keith Ward is Professor of Divinity, Gresham College, London and Regius Professor of Divinity, Emeritus, of the University of Oxford. He is author of the best-selling /God: A Guide for the Perplexed/, also published by Oneworld. -- A.N. Wilson, Spectator

Reader Reviews
This review is from: The Case for Religion (Hardcover) While one may not agree with some of the conclusions and analysis offered in this book, nonetheless, it is a truly mind opening read. Hard core fundamentalists, be they religious or secular, should give this work a fair try. Fantastic book, far reaching and probing into the conepts of religion and humanity. Word of caution: it does require some mental work to get through it, but it is well worth it!