How to Think about God

by Mortimer J. Adler

Subtitled “A Guide for the 20th-Century Pagan,” you might expect to find some great arguments against atheism. Instead, you will find a lot of running around about different arguments that, at best, prove that a non-personal Supreme Being exists. Though this is certainly not the Christian concept of God, it can be a useful step in discussion with a non-believer. Just don’t expect to find any great faith-building arguments for the loving, merciful God that you know.

According to the editor’s blurb: “Dr. Adler, in his discussion, extends and modernizes the argument for the existence of God developed by Aristotle and Aquinas. Without relying on faith, mysticism, or science (none of which, according to Dr. Adler, can prove or disprove the existence of God), he uses a rationalist argument to lead the reader to a point where he or she can see that the existence of God is not necessarily dependent upon a suspension of disbelief. Dr. Adler provides a non-dogmatic exposition of the principles behind the belief that God, or some other supernatural cause, has to exist in some form (emphasis added). Through concise and lucid arguments, Dr. Adler shapes a highly emotional and often erratic conception of God into a credible and understandable concept for the lay person.”

If you like philosophy and want another argument for the existence of a higher power; by all means, read this book. If you want a better argument for the God that you have come to know; or if you just don’t like philosophy, logic and syllogisms, stay away!

Editors
Standing-Alone.com

The Editors do not advocate everything taught by the authors of the books we review. Like us, these authors are fallible humans and those who choose to read these books should measure them by the bible, the one true standard.