God created man in his own image; but did man perhaps return the compliment? The question of God's existence has been a pivotal issue for every civilization. Those with faith in God want assurance that their belief is justified, and atheists want confirmation that God is nowhere to be found. When we reflect on religion, we want to know the reasons for belief in God, or whether belief is only a comforting delusion. In an age of science, will religion persist or will it be edged out of our consciousness and become a historical curiosity?Burton Porter approaches the notion of God in an open, yet critical way, examining the argumentation used by centuries of human society to support or reject the existence of God. With minimum assumptions and maximum objectivity, Porter debates whether the religious view does, in fact, diagram reality. He examines the roles that God and religion have played in the ethics, art, and actions of many diverse cultures to conclude that, at the very least, the consideration of the existence of a higher power is fundamental to us all.

Burton F. Porter explores the philosophical question of the existence of God in an open, yet critical, way, examining the argumentation used by centuries of human society to support or reject divinity. He examines the roles that God and religion have played in the ethics, art, and actions of many diverse cultures to conclude that, at the very least, the consideration of the existence of a higher power is fundamental to our human experience.

Introduction: What Has Athens To Do With Jerusalem?Chapter 1. When Religion First Trembled into ExpressionChapter 2. National Religions of the AncientsChapter 3. The Nature of the Western GodChapter 4. An Array of Alternative BeliefsChapter 5. Classic Arguments For Gods Existence - And Their CriticismsChapter 6. The Evidence of Common SenseChapter 7. If God is Good, Why Do People Suffer?Chapter 8. Other Explanations That Have Been ProposedChapter 9. How Can Religious Claims Be Established?Chapter 10. Famous Challenges to FaithChapter 11. The Stormy Relations between Science and ReligionChapter 12. How Religion Relates to SocietyChapter 13. Immortality: A Diversity of BeliefsChapter 14. Religion Today - Its Multiple Forms