Epistemology as Theology An Evaluation of Alvin Plantinga' s Religious Epistemology

262 Pages·4.206 MB·English

by  James Beilby

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EPISTEMOLOGAYS T HEOLOGY
AlviPnl antiinsag rag uaobnleyo ft hem ositn fluepnhtiilaols oopfh ers
ourt imeM.u cho fhis carehears b eend evotteode xplaiannidn g
defendtihniegn tellaecccteupatla obfCi hlriitsybt eilainRe efc.e nhtelhas y
develoapc eomdp rehenrsiigvoer,ao nudds i,s tincCthirvieslrtyei laing ious
epistemology.
Thibso opkr esethnetd se velopomfeP nlta ntsir neglai'g eipoiusst emology
befocroen sriidnePgl antsin gmaa't urree ligeipoiusst emoilndo egtya il.
LocatPilnagn timnogsart'e sc ewnotr ki nt hec onteoxfhist theological
assumpthisio nsp,r eviwooursk o nr eligeipoiusst emoalnoding yt,h e
contoefxt thc eu rrdeenbta otvee hro wk nowlesdhgoeu bledc haracterized,
Beilbblye nthdeso logaincdap lh ilosopdhiicsaclu stsoio ofnfa e urn ique
perspeocntP ilvaen tsiin nfglau'e nptrioaplo sal.
ASHGATEN EW THINKING INR ELIGION,
THEOLOGYA ND BIBLICASLT UDIES
TheA shgaNteew CritiThcianlk inignR eligiThoeno,l ogya ndB ibliSctauld ies
seribersi nhgisgh q ualrietsye amrocnho grappuhb lisbhaicnikgn tfoo cus
fora uthoirnst,e rnatliiobnraalar nides st,u deancta,d emaincdr esearch
readeHresa.d ebdya nin ternatieodniatlo ardivails boorayro dfa cclaimed
scholsaprasn nitnhgeb readotfrh e ligsitouudsi tehse,o laongdyb iblical
studitehsio,sp en-enmdoendo graspehr iperse secnuttst ingr-eesdegaer ch
frobmo tehs tablainsdnh eewda uthino rtsh fei eWlidth.s pecifaolciyusestt
clecaorn texptrueasle ntoafct oinotne mporreasreyab rocohki,s nt hsee ries
takree search inton ewimd piorretcatanintod on pse tnh ef ietlodn ew
critical detbhadeti es cwiiptilhnaiin rn eeoa,fs r elated asntdiu nkd eyy,
arefaoscr o ntemposroacriye ty.
SeriEedsi toriBaola rd:
JefAfs tlPeryo,f esNsEoIrC,UE K,
DaviJads pUenri,v erosfGi ltays gUoKw ,
JameBse ckfUonridv,e rosfWi atryw iUcKk ,
Raymond WiWlalbiaasmChso ,l leCgrea,w fordUsSvAi lle,
Geoffrey Samuelo,fN eUwnciavsAeturlsseti,rt ayl ia
RichaHrudt cUhn,i verosfQui eteyn slaAnuds,t ralia
PauFli ddUensi,v erosfOi xtfyo rUdK,
Anthony ThUinsievletroosnfNi, ot tyt ingUhKa m,
TimG orringe, UnoifEv xeertsUeiKrt ,y
AdriTahna tcChoelrl,oe fgS etM arakn dS tJohUKn ,
AlaTno rraSntcMea,r yC'osl leUgnei,v erosfSi tAt nyd rewUsK,
JudiLtihe Kui,n gCso llLeogned oUnK,
Terrance TilleoyfD, a yUtniovne,r sUiStAy
MiroslavY aVlDoeil vfi,n ity School, USA
Stanley Grenz, BaaynldTo rru eUtnitv eSresmiintayr y Waco, USA
VinceBrumnmt erU,n iverosfUi ttrye cThhteN, e therlands
GerhaSradu tUenri,v erosfBi otnynG ,e rmany
OtheTri tlienst heS eries:
MetaphyassiC chsr istology
An Odyssoeyft hSee frlfo mKa nta ndH egetloS teiner
JonaSeclh ickler
ErnanM cMullainndC ritiRceaall iisntm h Sec ienTchee-olDoigya logue
PauLla ureAnlclee n
EpistemaosTl hoegoyl ogy
An EvaluatoifAo lnv iPnl antisnR geal'i gious
Epistemology
JAMEBSE ILBY
BethCeoll leUgSeA,
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LONDONA NDN EWY ORK
Firpsutb lis2h0e0d5b yA shgaPtueb lishing
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JameBse ilhbayas s serhtiemsdo rarli guhntd etrh Ceo pyriDghets,i gnasn d
PateAnctts1, 98 8t,ob ei dentiasft iheaedu thoofthisr work.
Allr ighrtess ervNeod p.a rotf t hibso okm ayb er eprinotrer de produocre d
utiliisnae ndy f oromr b ya nye lectronmiecc,h aniocrao lt,h emre ansn,o wk nown
or hereaftienrv enteidn,c ludipnhgo tocopyainndgr ecordionrg i,n any
informasttioorna ogrer etrievsayls tewmi,t hopuetr missiinow nr itifrnogm the
publishers.
Notice:
Produocrtc orporantaem emsa yb etr ademarokrsr egisttreardeedm araknsd,a re
useodn lfyo ird entificaantdie oxnp lanawtiitohno iuntt etnoit n fringe.
BritLiisbhr Caartya logiunPi unbgl ication Data
BeilJbaym,eK s.
Epistemaoslt ohgeyo l:oa gney valuaotfAi lovniP nl antirneglai'gsi ous
epistemology.n-e(wcA rsihtgtiahctiaenl ki inrn egl igtihoeno,la ongdy
biblsitcuadli es)
l.PlanAtlivnig2na. ,K nowlTehdegoeor,fy ( Religion)
IT.i tle
230'.092
LibroafrC yo ngrCeastsa loging-inD-aPtuab lication
BeilJbaym,eK s.
Epistemaso ltohgeyo l:oa gney valuaotfAi lovniP nl antirneglai'gsi ous
epistemIoJ laomgeByse ilby.
p.c m.-(Ashngeawct rei ttihinkincga li nr eligtihoeno,l aongdy ,
biblsitcuadli es)
Inclubdiebsl iogrraepfheirce(anplc. e s)a ndi ndexes.
ISB0N- 7584362--(34h ardc:oa vlekpr.a per)
1.P lantiAnlgvai2,n.K . n owledTghee,oo rfy( ReligIiT.oi ntI)lI eS..e ries.
B931.P425040B54 5
21.09'2 -dc22
2005031 266
ISBN1 3: 978-0-75(4h6b-3k8)3 2-2
Contents
Preface vii
Acknloewdegnetms xi
Abbreviations xiii
PARTI : THED EVELOPMEONFTP LANTINGA'S
REILGIOUESP ISMTOELOGY
1 TheB ackgrotuoPn ldan tinRgeal'isg Eipoiusst emology 3
2 PlantinEgaar'Rlsey l igEipoiusst emology 33
3 TheW arraTnrti loPglya:n tiCnugrar'ePsnr to posal 69
PARTI I:A NE VALUATIOOFNP LANTGIAN'S
REILGIUOSE PIESMTOLOGY
4 Plantoinnth geaT asokfR eligEipoiusst emology 103
5 PlantinTghae'osor fyE pisteWmaircr ant 143
6 TheE xtenAd/eCdM odealn dW arranCtherdi sBteilaine f 179
Biobglriaphy 217
PaIrW:to rbkyAs l vPialnni tnga 217
PaIIr:tW oroknPsa l nntg'iaRse luisEg piiosltoegym o 226
Name SaujnbedIc ntd ex 243

Preface
AlviPnl antiinsug nad oubtoendelo yft hew orldm'oss tr espected
philosopThiemreMs a.g azihnaes c allheidm ' Amerilceaa'dsi ng
philosoofpG hoedar'n da f ellpohwi loshoapcsha elrl heidm' thger eatest
philosoofpt hhleear cs etn yt'.uT rhipsr aimsieg hste eemx travabguaitnt t ,
isw ell-foPulnadnetdi.hn agnsao 'otsn lwyr itatp erno digaimoouuson nt
manyt opihcissw, o rki nm etaphypshiiclso,s oopfrh eyl igainodn ,
epistemioslc oognys idbeyrm eods pth ilosotpohb eebr ost ghr ound­
breakainndgd efiniCtoinvsee.q uean ctolnys,i deorfah tiitsoh no ught
mightta kmea nyd ifferent adliolrft e hcetwmio orntsh,w hTihlibeso. o k,
howeviesarc ,o nsideorfhia str ieolni geipoiusst emology.
Beyonidte sx cellPelnacnet,i pnhgial'oss owpohrikci asdl i stinctive
becauistie s w rittferno amn u nabashCehdrliys tpioainno tfv iew.
Plantihnagssa o ugthotc ounttehrep revaimliinndsg e tth arte ligious
beliaerifers ratiinto hnaeab ls eonfcp er oposietviiodneoanrlac reg uments.
Thipsr esuppogsiivtreiisos tneo w haPtl antcianlg'alt she ev identialist
objecttobi eolnii neG fo d'H. isst rikoirniggl(iyan nahdli ghcloyn tentious)
respoinsts heab te liineG fo dc abne ' propbearsliiycdt 'o ;en so nte etdob e
baseodna rgumeonrtp sr oposietviiodneainlnco er detrob er ational,
justiofriw eadr,r anCtoends.e quePnltalnyt,id negeam tsh et asokf
producairnggu mefnotGrso d'esx istentcaesu-ksa u aclallyl 'enda tural
theol-otgoyb 'e neithneerc essnaorrsy u fficfioeren pti stemically
acceptCahbrliesb teilaine f.
ForP lantitnhgeeap ,i stveimaibci olfti hteeyv identoibajleictstoti on
beliineG fo di sn oatm ereplhyi losocpuhriicoaHslii sct oyu.n tetrhiinsg
objecftlioofwnrs o ams ingolvee r-artchheimtnehg ap te rvaadleolsfh is
acadewmoirctk h:de e feonfst ehh ei stCohrriics wtoiralnd vOineeow f.t he
fundamebnutradleo nfts h ivso luimset od emonsttrhafetu en damentally
apologfeotciuocsfa lolf h isw orkA. s ecobnudr diesnt os howt hat
Plantinpghai'lso sopwhoirckia sld rivepnr imarbiyl tyh eological
assumptainodcn osm mitmPelnatnst.ii snn ogatap hiloswohpohw eorr ks
onr eligiouhse i tsao C phirciss,tt hiauatsn e tsh teo oolfsp hilostoop hy
clarhiiffsay i Tthhet. i tolfte h ivso luwmaes c hosienan n e fftoorc to nvey
thfiusn damefnatacabtlo Pulta ntiwnograkT'.hs o steh amti sunderosrt and
faitloa pprectihaett hee olorgoiocotafslP lantipnhgial'oss woiplhly
invarimaibslcyo nhsitasrr ugeu mecnltasi,am nsdc, o nclusions.
viii EpistaeTsmh oeloolgoyg y
Desptihtfeea ctth aPtl anthiinmgsaie sal sfp ersongarlalcyia osau nsy
persIo'nve ev emre ta,n dd esptihtfeea ctth ahta rsrhh etoarnidbc i ting
sarcaasrwmeh olalbys efnrtoh mi wsr itihnisgsc, h olahraspshr iopv oked
thier aen di ncredoufml aintiyyn t haec adewmoirclU dn.d oubttehdiilssy ,
causbeydP lantiwniglal'isn tgonq eusess tiidoenaa nsd v aluteask ebny
manyi nt haec adetmoyb eb eyoqnude stBiuotmn a.n yo ft hael lergic
reactsicohnoslh aarvtseoP lantiwnograak'r bsea soendm isconceopft ions
hipsr eocjtI.na typicgarlalcyim oouvseP ,l antiisna glaw awyisl ltion g
blamteh esoen 'expository ionna hdiespq aurartca yt'h tehra n
'hermeneiuntaidceaqluo antc hype' a rotfh idse tracNteovresr.t heless,
mosotf t hmei sunderstoafPn ldainntgispn rgeoacj'atsr ibseec auosfte h e
uniquely intenradtiusorcfhei i pwslo irnkOa.fr tyep nh ilosofpahtieolr s
fully aptphrete chieaotleco ognitcoeafPxl lt a ntiansgsau'msp tions and
theologianss/crheollfiaagtriiosulo n udse rstthapenh di loscoopnhtoiefcn atl
hiasr gumeBnetcsa.uo sfte h ueb iquimtiosuusn derstoafPn ldainntgisn ga's
thougghitv,te hnce h oice betweetnom ous cphte inmdoeine n xgp osition
andt omou cthi moenc ritiIhq auveee,r roendt hsei doeft he former.
Whilteh ipsre ocjitsu ltimaetveallyu aatnidcv rei tIim cuaslmt,a kiet
cletahraI at m s ympatwhiettthih cbe a sciocn toaunrdms a noyf t hdee tails
ofP lantipnrgeoacj'tTs.h iissp erhanposts urprifsoiarn n gu mbeorf
reasoFnisra.sn tdm, o sotb viouPsllayn,t iisna cg aar epfhuill osohpeh er;
doenso tm akeo bviomuiss taaknedst hed eptahn dr igoorfh is
argumentoafttileoenna veevse hni csr itiimcpsr esSseecdo.nI ds,h are
manyo fh isb asipch ilosopchoimcmailt meLnitksPe.l antimnyg a,
philosotprhaiichnaailbsn e ge lna rgientl hyae n altyrtaidci Atsia ro ens.u lt,
thset yolfte h ibso omki rrPolrasn tianngaal'ysat pipcraolFa ocerhx .a mple,
Io ccasiountaillnliuyzm eb erperdo posiatnidpo rnosp osivtairoinaabll es
(perSs boenl iebveelBsi. e.)fI.. d os ob ecauIb seel itehviiesst hcel earest
wayt ot retahtie s sureasi sbeyPd l antirneglai'gesip oiusst emIoh laovgey,.
howevreerf,r afirnoeumds inlgo gical symbcoalnbs ew- rtihteitsnee n
prowsiet nhol ososfc laraintdwy i tmhi nimwaolr dinTehsefs i.nr aela son
I am sympathweittiPhcl antiwnograki' sst haIt s harhei rse ligious
commitmeInf tisnt;dh Ceh riswtoiralnd vtioeb web otihn tellleyc tual
viabalnede xistenstaitailslfTyyh ienrigesI. ,b elineovg eo,o da,l l-things­
considreeraestdoor n ee jcCth ristainadmn aintgyyo orde astooan csc eiptt.
Theologwihciatllhelte ye ,r 'mb roaedvlayn geplriocbaalab'pl pyl tiome ys
theoloIg dyi,s luiskien igta si ti so ftemni susaendd f requently
misunderbsottbohyot dh,o wsheo h appuislteyh tee romft hemsealnvde s
thosweh oa nathemtahteli azbee( lIi.ts i nteretshtaPitln agn titnogoa
eschetwhse l abe'elv ange.)l' iBcutal listaignrge emeinsnt esi ther
interensotrpi rnogd ucCtoinvsee.q ueinntt hlibyso, o Ikw ildle velao p
Preface ix
critoifqP ulea ntirneglai'gesip oiusst emaollboaegs iyyt,m patchreittiicq ue.
Iw ilalr guteh atth earreae r anogfes uccesasnfdsu ulb staonbtjievcet ions
toP lantirneglai'gesip oiusst emology.
Thes icxh aptoeftr hsiv so lucmaebn e g roupiendtt ow os ectieoancsh
represeadn itfifnegtr aesInknCt. h apt1e,2r ,as n d3, m yp rimafroyci usts o
understthaaenn dt ecetdoea nntdds e velopomfPe lnatn tirneglai'gsi ous
epistemoIlnCo hgayp.t 1e,Ir p rovitdheec ontefxotur n derstanding
Plantinga's religIid oiussc hueisppssei rsstoeanmnaodpll r oogfye.s sional
develophmiemsna tj,o arr eoafsr eseaarncdwh r itianngdt, h cee ntral
featuorfhe itssh ougthhtah ta veen durtehdr oughhioasuc ta decmairce er.
Chapt2ei rsa d iscusosfPi loann tienagrarl'eysl igeipoiusst emoals ogy,
seepnr imairniG loyad n Odt hMeirn dansd ' ReasaonndB eliienGf o d'. I
examiannede valutahvteae r iiomupso ratsapnetoc fht ists r eatomfet nhte
epistsetmaitcou fbs e liineG fo di,n cluhdiicsnr gi tioqfeu vei dentialism
andc lassical fouhnidcsal tatiihmoa nbtae lliiinesG fmo ,dc abne p roperly
basiacn,dh icso nstorfut ahler oloef' defeaftoebrre sl'ii enGf o dI.
conclwuidtesh o mei nitoibasle rvaotnit ohnens a tuarned t asokf
Plantinga's E'pRiesftoermmoaeltdot ghyis'st agCeh.a pt3e irs a
descriopftP iloann ticnugrar'ersne tl igeipoiusst emoIl boeggyit.nh e
chaptweirta h c onsideorfat thiteor na nsition ePpliasntteimnoglao'gsy
underwiennt th em idt ol at1e9 80Is t.h epnr ovitdheec ontextual
backgrofoumrny dd iscusosfhi ioesnp istemboyld oigsyc usssoimnoegf
thees senatsipaeloc ftt shd ee baitnce o ntempeopriasrtye mHoalvoignyg.
'stehtse t agIed ,i's cPulsasn tinga'sT r'iWlaoVrgoryla.un'm1t e,W arrant:
ThCeu rrDeenbtai tsPe l,a nticnrgiat'oisfqt uheme o spto pultahre oroife s
knowlevdogleu;m 2e,W arraannPdt r opFeurn ctiisao pnr,e sentation of
Plantipnrgeaf'esre rpeids temoalnodvg oyl;u m3e,W arraCnhtreids tian
Beliiste hf,ae p plicoaftt hiaoetnp istemtootl hotego yp oifbc e liineG fo d.
Twoo ft hmeo sitm poratsapnetoc fht ists h outghhatet m erignte h ceo urse
oft hdiiss cusasrhieio csno ntentthiaboten l iineG fo di sp ropebralsayin cd
hicsl atihmat th eirspe a rietpyi,s temsipceaalklbiyen tgw,eb eenl iineG fo d
ando thceorm monalcyc epbteeldfi oerfm ipnrgo cesses.
The puropfCo hsaep t4e,5 r,as n d6i spr imaerviallyu aItnCi hvaep.t4 er
Is urvtehyve a rioefpt oys sicbrliet ioqfPu leasn tiwnograak'n sdd iscuss
himse thodoIlnoo gtyh.we orr dIsd ,i scwuhsysP lantianpgpar'osa ches
religeipoiusst emaoshl eod goyea sn ds pecifwihcyha ele lsyc henwast ural
theolIongC yh.a pt5e,Irc onsiidnge rre adteeprts ho moef t hdee taoifl s
Plantinga's eWphiislIted e imsoclauonsgdsay n.a lytzheie n temalism­
extemadliisstmi nmcytp iuornp,oi ssne o tto a djuditchaidtsee b abtuett,o
understPalnadn tinmgoat'isv atfiooren n dorsainn ge xtemalist
epistemIot lhoegdnyi .s ctuhsnesa tuorfPe l antibnrgaano'dfse pistemic