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I express myself with caution, lest I should be mistaken to vilify reason; which is indeed the only faculty we have wherewith to judge concerning anything.-from The Analogy of ReligionElegantly written and forceful in its arguments, this rebuttal to pre-Darwinistic Deism, first published in England in 1736, is a compelling defense of Christianity bursting with humanity and compassion, from the perspective of the era's limited understanding of biology, geology, cosmology, and other advanced sciences we take for granted today. This annotated edition, prepared in 1875 by an American theologian, is a must-read for anyone hoping to understand the foundations of the war contemporary fundamentalist...
Joseph Butler's The Analogy of Religion (1736) is an important work in terms of its historical influence and its contemporary relevance. In it, Butler defends Christian belief against many well-known objections: for instance, that the evidence for Christianity is weak; that it is impossible to believe in miracles; that if God existed he would have revealed himself clearly to everyone. The problems Butler discusses are current in contemporary philosophy of religion, but his answers are often ignored, or given short shrift. Butler argues that by examining this world we have reason to believe its Creator is both benevolent and just; that virtue will be rewarded and vice punished. Even if we have doubts, we would be well advised to take Christianity seriously, given what is at stake. The work includes seminal discussions of life after death, personal identity, and the structure of our ethical thought. In addition to extensive notes, David McNaughton's edition includes a detailed synopsis, a selection from the correspondence between Butler and Samuel Clarke, and an oveview of philosophical influences on Butler's thought.
Reprint of the original, first published in 1872.