Letters to Doubting Thomas: A Case for the Existence of God

by C. Stephen Layman

When people encounter an argument for or against God's existence, it often raises more questions than it answers. In Letters to Doubting Thomas, C. Stephen Layman offers a fresh, insightful approach to the issue of God's existence--a way to organize what can seem like a blizzard of claims and concepts--bringing clarity to a debate often mired in confusion.Layman explores the evidence for the existence of God in a series of fictionalized letters between two characters--Zachary, a philosopher, and Thomas, an old college friend who appeals to Zach for help in sorting out his thoughts about God. As their correspondence grows, Zachary leads Thomas through an informal and highly readable comparison of Naturalism (the belief that there is no God and that ultimate reality is physical reality), and Theism (the idea that there is an almighty, perfectly good God). In engaging letters that break down complex philosophical arguments into easily digestible bits, the two friends delve into such weighty topics as the reliability of religious experience, various arguments for God's existence (such as the cosmological, design, and moral arguments), the question of free will, and the problem of evil. A piece at a time, they build an argument that shows that Theism, on balance, provides a better explanation of the world and human life than does Naturalism.Here then is a highly accessible account of the major arguments for and against the existence of God, capturing some of the best new insights of modern philosophy in a marvelously clear and engaging format.

Genres: Philosophy, Religion, Christianity

287 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 7, 2006

Reviews

[Jaxson Houghton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Book!!!!!
I really enjoyed it. It was very precise and technical while also easier for a layman (no pun intended) to understand.

[Jake · Rating 3 out of 5]

All things considered, this was a respectable case for the existence of God. A perk of the book is that Layman defends the broad theistic conception of God, so it is not bogged down by doctrinal messages as many other books on God's existence tend to be. Layman's discussion of basic principles of logic and the inference to the best explanation were pretty good, as well.

Also, Layman's writing style is very clear and entertaining.

One downside, for me, was the book's layout. The structure is essentially, as the title suggests, a letter between two friends. While this style was charming at first, it quickly got annoying as the conversational banter distracted from Layman's presentation of the arguments.

Overall, a very good introductory book on arguments in favor of theism,and one I would recommend to atheists and theists alike.