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This study explores how successful Alvin Plantinga is in his contention that belief in God can be obtained and maintained in a basic way that attains and retains rationality for reflective persons. Plantinga indeed calls into question any confident presumption that theistic belief is epistemically irresponsible. He not only seriously challenges the necessity for propositional evidence to be available for such belief to be justified, he also supplies significant support for the conclusion that it remains legitimate even if it faces a preponderance of contrary considerations. However, Plantinga does not convincingly demonstrate that basic theistic belief merits privileged status by virtue of a character sufficiently analogous to paradigmatic perceptual, memory and ascriptive beliefs. Nor does he adequately argue its independence from the bearing of evidentialist concerns, especially regarding its background moorings. He needs to do more work to show the full warrant for theistic belief.

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The sixteenth-century Reformation in Germany is often viewed as having made a radical change by breaking with the thinking of the past and starting something new. One example given is the Reformation's perceived rejection of philosophy (that is, philosophy's method, subject matter, and purpose), although the regard for philosophy has often been assessed only on the basis of second-order data. Past research has looked at various individuals' keeping or breaking with the preceding era and at the question of continuity between individuals within the Reformation movement of the sixteenth century. This interdisciplinary study examines the regard for philosophy and both the keeping and breaking of the whole movement, by considering how philosophy is used in The Book of Concord, which contains Reformation documents from the earlier and later sixteenth-century that were widely accepted and given authoritative status. The specific Book of Concord uses of philosophy considered are second-order statements about philosophy and its cognates and about logic, as well as first-order uses of organization by [ancient Greek topoi] ("topics") or loci ("places") and of argumentation by both induction (namely, example and analogy) and deduction. The study's taking philosophical uses as indicators of regard for philosophy has been called for in previous research and is relatively unique. Another significant contribution of this study is a detailed treatment of syllogisms used in arguing, for example, for the Reformers' position that justification, or righteousness before God, is only on account of faith in Jesus Christ. The study also considers the Reformers' formal distinction between justification and sanctification, or holy living, as a case study for philosophy in service to theology as its handmaiden in a ministerial role. More than finding an inexplicable, eclectic use, the dissertation concludes that The Book of Concord where necessary rejects philosophy and logic but nevertheless at the same time makes use of them, except where the use of such methods contradicts or goes beyond the Reformers' understanding of God's revelation in the Bible. Such rejection but simultaneous use both keeps and breaks with the preceding medieval period and continuous within the Reformation movement of the sixteenth century.

This thesis is an analysis and examination of the concept of Faith as understood, experienced, and held by John Wesley: Throughout this study, the question, "Is this Faith possible" lingers, depicting the serious quest of heart and mind to understand Wesley's theology and his empirical view of Faith, as found in the eighteenth-century Revival in England and in Methodism. The problem of the usage of Faith, and the confusion of Freedom, in the life of the "true Christian" in Society, forms the basis of this discussion. The concepts Faith, Freedom, and Society are each examined in this work: The Spirit of the Age, as depicted by the thought of Kant the "transcendentalist" in Europe; of Locke the English empiricist; and of Edwards the Calvinist in America, give insight into the struggle in the pursuit of Freedom. These difficulties are met by the unique ministry of Wesley, who would not compromise man's "unalienable right" to be Free, especially in the light of "salvation by faith." In this analysis and consideration I look at Wesley's concepts of Faith, Freedom, and his understanding of Society, in the light of his theology and ethics, as well as the milieu of the eighteenth century; the implications of these are considered, taking note of, the influence and the impact of Wesley's ministry and writings upon almost all of the eighteenth-century English population, as well as the overflow of the same into the wider world. What happened through his ministry stresses the truth that, what he knew as Faith, was very different from the orthodox and traditional views. More than ever, this needs to be understood today. Wesley's experience of Faith, in his Freedom with regard to Society, is as relevant today as it was then. This thesis sets out to clarify some of the problems: What Wesley had found, history cannot deny. / Philosophy, Practical & Ststematic Theology / D. Th. (Theological Ethics)

This thesis is an analysis and examination of the concept of Faith as understood, experienced, and held by John Wesley: Throughout this study, the question, "Is this Faith possible" lingers, depicting the serious quest of heart and mind to understand Wesley's theology and his empirical view of Faith, as found in the eighteenth-century Revival in England and in Methodism. The problem of the usage of Faith, and the confusion of Freedom, in the life of the "true Christian" in Society, forms the basis of this discussion. The concepts Faith, Freedom, and Society are each examined in this work: The Spirit of the Age, as depicted by the thought of Kant the "transcendentalist" in Europe; of Locke the English empiricist; and of Edwards the Calvinist in America, give insight into the struggle in the pursuit of Freedom. These difficulties are met by the unique ministry of Wesley, who would not compromise man's "unalienable right" to be Free, especially in the light of "salvation by faith." In this analysis and consideration I look at Wesley's concepts of Faith, Freedom, and his understanding of Society, in the light of his theology and ethics, as well as the milieu of the eighteenth century; the implications of these are considered, taking note of, the influence and the impact of Wesley's ministry and writings upon almost all of the eighteenth-century English population, as well as the overflow of the same into the wider world. What happened through his ministry stresses the truth that, what he knew as Faith, was very different from the orthodox and traditional views. More than ever, this needs to be understood today. Wesley's experience of Faith, in his Freedom with regard to Society, is as relevant today as it was then. This thesis sets out to clarify some of the problems: What Wesley had found, history cannot deny. / Philosophy, Practical and Ststematic Theology / D. Th. (Theological Ethics)