Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book considers John Hick's view of religious belief as experiencing-as and proceeds to consider some of the defences he made on behalf of religious language against the prevalent positivist mood of the middle of the twentieth century. It looks at the next major concern which followed Hick's early epistemological work: the problem of reconciling the fact of evil and suffering with the existence of a loving God. The book also looks at the philosophical arguments that surrounded Hick's suggestions concerning disembodied existence and resurrection bodies. According to Hick, the idea of soul-making requires an extension of the normal human lifespan, for human beings are rarely perfected in a single life. Hick draws a distinction between philosophical and theological-experiential modes of discourse. Thus, a great deal of criticism has focused on Hick's ability to reconcile his pluralistic hypothesis with his earlier work.