ABSTRACT

Questions about how to negotiate belief and non-belief in social and public spheres are attracting an increasing amount of attention from academics in a range of disciplines, and from concerned members of the public. This volume addresses the emergence of ‘new atheism’ and the developing ‘spiritual but not religious’ phenomenon. Avoiding simplistic accounts of atheism, and of religious belief, it provides readers with insight into a wide range of nuances within theism and atheism, as well as spiritual practice and faith. The chapters by an international panel of contributors focus on topics such as: a typology or cartography of atheisms and agnosticism; contrasting types of atheism within Christianity and Buddhism; questions about cognitive and doxastic stances in atheisms; theist rejections of and atheist embracing of ‘God’; and atheist aesthetics. Reaching beyond the Christian tradition, the book will be of particular interest to scholars of the philosophy of religion, as well as religious studies and theology more generally.

chapter |13 pages

Introduction

Atheisms and the Power to Be Confronted
ByHarriet A. Harris

chapter 1|15 pages

A Quantum of Solace and a Heap of Doubt

ByCarl-Reinhold Bråkenhielm

chapter 2|15 pages

Stepping Stone to Atheism? The Instability of Agnosticism

ByRobin Le Poidevin

chapter 3|21 pages

A New Theist Meets Two Atheists

ByJeanine Diller

chapter 4|10 pages

Can an Atheist Display Religiously Significant Attitudes?

ByMax Baker-Hytch

chapter 5|15 pages

Doxastic and Nondoxastic Atheisms

ByChristopher Jay

chapter 6|36 pages

Atheists and Idolaters

The Case of John Wren-Lewis (1923–2006)
ByStephen R. L. Clark

chapter 7|16 pages

How to Not Think about God

ByMichael McGhee

chapter 8|15 pages

Atheist Aesthetics

A Critical Response
ByDaniel Gustafsson

chapter 9|16 pages

Belief, Unbelief and Mystery

ByKaren Kilby