The New Frontier of Religion and Science: Religious Experience, Neuroscience, and the Transcendent [Hardcover]

This is the first major response to the challenge of neuroscience to religion. It considers eastern forms of religious experience as well as Christian viewpoints and challenges the idea of a mind identical to, or a by-product of, brain activity. It explores religion as inner experience of the Transcendent, and suggests a modern spirituality.PART I Religion as Human Institutions Spirituality and Mysticism What is Religious Experience? 'By Their Fruits You Will Know Them' PART II The Neurosciences' Challenge to Religious Belief Caveats and Questions Mind-Brain Identity? Current Naturalistic THeories The Alternative Possibility Freewill? PART III The Epistemological Problem The Epistemological Solution Any Particular Religion? Responses to Religious Diversity A Philosophy of Religious Pluralism Pluralism and the Religions Spirituality for Today After Death? Summarising Conclusion Bibliography Index

'A clear and attractive defence of the importance of religious experience, with reference both to recent work in neuro-science and to a broad range of religious traditions.' - Keith Ward, Regius Professor of Divinity and head of the Faculty of Theology, University of Oxford, UK

'In this exciting new book John Hick discusses a number of fundamental and important problems about religion. The topics he focuses on range from traditional problems of religious pluralism and spirituality to recent neuroscientific criticisms of religious experience. Hick, one of the most prominent living theologians and philosophers of religion, makes a series of fascinating responses to the latest scientific challenges to religion, responses that are consistent with the position he has defended for many decades. I would recommend the book to anyone who is interested in religion, science and spirituality.' - Yujin Nagasawa, Department of Philosophy, University of Birmingham, UK

'In this sharply argued and bracing book, John Hick considers the range of humal[