For many people today only a vacuum exists where once there was a reconciling force between Man and God. The result is confusion, and the author of this forceful book places the responsibility as much with the Church as with the skeptics, because the Church still clings to outworn metaphysical tenets which modern man cannot accept. Yet, when seen not as "factual" statements, but as a means of religious communication through images, Christian orthodoxy can be shown to be pragmatically and psychologically true, and essential to balanced living. This, the author maintains, is especially evident in the realms of prayer and the Eucharist.--From publisher description.

"Argues that the fundamental reason for church-state conflict is our aversion to questions of religious truth. By trying to avoid the question of religious truth, law and religion has ultimately reached a state of incoherence. He asserts that the answer to this dilemma is to take the agnostic turn: to take an empathetic and imaginative approach to questions of religious truth, one that actually confronts rather than avoids these questions, but without reaching a final judgment about what that truth is"--Jacket.

What is agnosticism? Is it just the 'don't know' position on God, or is there more to it than this? Is it a belief, or merely the absence of belief? Who were the first to call themselves 'agnostics'? These are just some of the questions that Robin Le Poidevin considers in this Very Short Introduction. He sets the philosophical case for agnosticism and explores it as a historical and cultural phenomenon. What emerges is a much more sophisticated, and much more interesting, attitude than a simple failure to either commit to, or reject, religious belief. Le Poidevin challenges some preconceptions and assumptions among both believers and non-atheists, and invites the reader to rethink their own position on the issues. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Agnosticity is a new word created by the author with the hope that it will cause the reader to take a fresh look at how Agnostics think. Volume 1 reflects agnostic concerns surrounding Christian doctrine and is the first of a series intended to analyze the belief systems of major organized religions around the world. Christianity was chosen first because it accounts for the religious preference of about three of ever four American adults. Using his twenty-seven years as a Special Agent for the FBI as a springboard, the author draws on his experience in deductive reasoning to justify the agnostic point of view. This book is written so that the average person can easily understand the doubts that agnostics struggle with in trying to decide the existence of God. Instead of requiring a PhD. in religious studies, the author appeals to the common sense and rational thought that is inborn in most everyone. A primary goal of the author is to portray the Agnostic in a more favorable light and that there is nothing evil with admitting that a sure knowledge of God may not be so sure after all. Almost every page will result in readers re-evaluating their belief in God and the tenants of Christianity. Whether agreeing or disagreeing, the reader will never regard Christian dogma exactly the same way again.

We live in an age of skepticism. Our society places such faith in empirical reason, historical progress, and heartfelt emotion that it’s easy to wonder: Why should anyone believe in Christianity? What role can faith and religion play in our modern lives? In this thoughtful and inspiring new book, pastor and New York Times bestselling author Timothy Keller invites skeptics to consider that Christianity is more relevant now than ever. As human beings, we cannot live without meaning, satisfaction, freedom, identity, justice, and hope. Christianity provides us with unsurpassed resources to meet these needs. Written for both the ardent believer and the skeptic, Making Sense of God shines a light on the profound value and importance of Christianity in our lives.

American Agnostic argues that the true worth of an American should not be based on an individual's faith or uncertainty in the reality of a biblical God. American Agnostic is an atempt by author Raymond A. Hult to bridge the unfortunate gap of mistrust and disrespect that too often currently exists in America between members of the Christian majority and the agnostic minority. Hult places the responsibility for achieving a mutually respectful understanding equally on the shoulders of both those who fervently believe in the Christian God and those who are as yet still unsure. He tries to show that moral behavior is more often than not unrelated to a person's religious persuasion. American Agnostic engages Christians and agnostics in a frank discussion of the main differences of opinion that separate both groups in regard to the authenticity of the Bible and the reality of the God as presented therein. Drawing on his transformation from a devout Christina leader to a questioning agnostic, the author recounts in detail the thought process that led to his gradual change of belief. He respectively defends this change as reasonable and deserving of serious consideration. He seeks to portray the agnostic in a more favorable light and that there is nothing inherently evil with admitting that a sure knowledge of God may not be so sure after all.