Plurality. Rationality, and Christian Faith

This is the beginning of putting some of my old writings online. The basic idea is a personal project, to recover or dig up my old writings, with the help of scanning technology, and share them.

The following paper was the final version of a longer paper I wrote on the subject of the rationality of religious belief. The original paper, which I completed for a NEH Younger Scholars program, focused on William James and William Alston.

Plurality. Rationality, and Christian Faith

Eric P. (Holm) Lemonholm

November 8, 1993

Introduction

This paper is an exploration of three related topics: Christian faith, rationality, and the present pluralistic situation. The problem can be posed in many different ways, including the following: Given the reality of the competing religions and philosophies of our present situation, how is it reasonable or rational to be a Christian? How can one find truth amidst the conflicting truth-claims of the various belief systems? How can one combine the requirements of both faith and reason? There is a plurality of religions in the world; how can one be a Christian in the midst of this plurality, and how should one treat people of other faiths? This paper will examine several answers to these questions. Continue here.