Christianity and Western Theism

This book explores central philosophical questions in Christian theology and doctrine through the perspectives of three of the most influential Christian thinkers: St. Augustine, St. Anselm, and St. Thomas Aquinas. Chapters analze long-contested debates around the Trinity, Original Sin, the Incarnation, Grace, Divine Foreknowledge and Free Will, the Afterlife, and Christian Exclusivity. From these topics emerge the "hard questions": How are ideas of monotheism and the Trinity reconciled? Is the doctrine of the Incarnation coherent? Why does God give grace to some and not others? How can the afterlife be understood? How should non-Christians be treated? Through a compelling comparative investigation of these ideas, Christianity and Western Theism uses the enduring concepts of three towering philosophers to show that Christian doctrine, though difficult, is coherent and, to some extent, understandable. As an engaging and accessible introduction to this topic, this book is the ideal resource for new students of Christian Thought, Christian Philosophy, Philosophy of Religion, and Medieval Philosophy.