A Plausible God: Secular Reflections on Liberal Jewish Theology (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9780823226818)

At least since the seventeenth century, the traditional God of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam has been under pressure to conform to the scientific worldview. Across the monotheistic traditions there has emerged a "liberal" conception of God compatible with a thoroughgoing naturalism. For many, this liberal "new" God is the only credible God. But is it a useful God? Does belief in so malleable a deity come from, or lead to, different political, moral, psychological, or aesthetic phenomena from atheism?

A Plausible God evaluates the new God by analyzing the theology of three recent Jewish thinkers --Mordechai Kaplan, Michael Lerner, and Arthur Green--and compares faith in the new God to disbelief in any gods. Mitchell Silver reveals what is at stake in the choice between naturalistic liberal theology and a nontheistic naturalism without gods. Silver poses the question: "If it is to be either the new God or no God, what does--what should--determine the choice?"

Although Jewish thinkers are used as the primary exemplars of new God theology, Silver explores developments in contemporary Christian thought, Eastern religious traditions, and "New Age" religion. A Plausible God constitutes a significant contribution to current discussions of the relationship between science and religion, as well as to discussions regarding the meaning of the idea of God itself in modern life.

Author: Mitchell Silver
ISBN-10: 0823226816
ISBN-13: 9780823226818
Publisher: Fordham University Press
Language: English
Published: 11/15/2006
Pages: 200
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 0.97lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.63d

Review Citation(s):
Univ PR Books for Public Libry 01/01/2007 pg. 1 - Recommended/Special Interest