Philosophy of Religion

John Hick's Philosophy of Religion first published in the early 1960s remains a classic introduction to the philosophy of religion. I offer the following thoughts for potential readers. In this small work (approx 140 pages), Hick effectively touches on most of the leading issues within the field. Although the author has some well-known, and at times provocative, views, in this work he employs an agnostic position that is well suited to an introductory text. The approach is clearly centred on the Christian view of God, however, it does include a brief discussion of related topics such as parapsychology and religious pluralism (readers interested in the latter can see some of Hick's later work). Though I do not share all of Hick's more speculative views (expressed in other writings) - this is an outstanding starting point for readers interested in the philosophy of religion. It is clear, concise and tightly edited with good recommendations for further reading. Overall, this is an outstanding overview from one of the best communicators in the field.

Hick has provided an astonishingly lucid analysis of all the major areas of Philosophy of Religion. This text is ideal for anyone studying the subject at higher or university level, who wants a sound overview of the theistic proofs, problem of evil, miracles, and western and eastern after-life traditions. My only caveat would be that his analysis of Religious Language can sometimes be too brief and thus slightly misleading (eg his section on Language Games). As a teacher, I recommend this book very highly.