The New Frontier of Religion and Science : Religious Experience, Neuroscience, and the Transcendent

s/t: Religious Experience, Neuroscience & the Transcendent This is the first major response to the new challenge of neuroscience to religion. There have been limited responses from a purely Christian point of view, but this takes account of eastern as well as western forms of religious experience. It challenges the prevailing naturalistic assumption of our culture, including the idea that the mind is either identical with or a temporary by-product of brain activity. It also discusses religion as institutions and religion as inner experience of the Transcendent, and suggests a form of spirituality for today. If you take for granted the widespread assumption of our culture that matter constitutes the totality of reality, this book will challenge that assumption. The pervasive materialist or physicalist presupposition of so much thinking is not scientifically established but is a basic article of naturalistic faith. Professor Hick argues that the widely held belief that consciousness is identical with or a by-product of the functioning of the brain is unsustainable. There is non-physical as well as physical reality. It is entirely possible that there is a divine realm transcending the material universe but encountered in religious experience. He looks carefully at the epistemological implications of this. But Hick also challenges many traditional religious beliefs. He distinguishes between religion as human institutions, which have done as much harm as good in the world, and religion as the inner spiritual response to the Transcendent. Whereas institutional religion has divided humanity, spiritual or mystical experience can unite people of every part of the world Front Matter....Pages i-xii Front Matter....Pages 1-1 Religion as Human Institutions....Pages 3-13 Spirituality and Mysticism....Pages 14-26 What Is Religious Experience?....Pages 27-38 ‘By Their Fruits You Will Know Them’....Pages 39-51 Front Matter....Pages 53-53 The Neurosciences’ Challenge to Religious Experience....Pages 55-66 Caveats and Questions....Pages 67-80 Mind/Brain Identity?....Pages 81-91 Current Naturalistic Theories....Pages 92-105 The Alternative Possibility....Pages 106-111 Free Will?....Pages 112-123 Front Matter....Pages 125-125 The Epistemological Problem....Pages 127-136 The Epistemological Solution....Pages 137-145 Any Particular Religion?....Pages 146-153 Responses to Religious Diversity....Pages 154-161 A Philosophy of Religious Pluralism....Pages 162-171 Pluralism and the Religions....Pages 172-180 Spirituality for Today....Pages 181-190 After Death?....Pages 191-200 Concluding Summary....Pages 201-206 Back Matter....Pages 207-228 This Is The First Major Response To The Challenge Of Neuroscience To Religion. It Considers Eastern Forms Of Religious Experience As Well As Christian Viewpoints And Challenges The Idea Of A Mind Identical To, Or A By-product Of, Brain Activity. It Explores Religion As Inner Experience Of The Transcendent, And Suggests A Modern Spirituality. Religion As Human Institutions -- Spirituality And Mysticism -- What Is Religious Experience? -- 'by Their Fruits You Will Know Them' -- The Neurosciences' Challenge To Religious Experience -- Caveats And Questions -- Mind/brain Identity? -- Current Naturalistic Theories -- The Alternative Possibility -- Free Will? -- The Epistemological Problem -- The Epistemological Solution -- Any Particular Religion? -- Responses To Religious Diversity -- A Philosophy Of Religious Pluralism -- Pluralism And The Religions -- Spirituality For Today -- After Death? John Hick. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 214-224) And Index. This response to the new challenge of neuroscience to religion takes account of eastern as well as western forms of religious experience. Hick challenges the prevailing naturalistic assumption of our culture, including the idea that the mind is either identical with or a temporary by-product of brain activity. It also discusses religion as institutions and religion as inner experience of the Transcendent, and suggests a form of spirituality for today. From publisher description