The New Frontier of Religion and Science: Religious Experience, Neuroscience, and the Transcendent (Paperback)

'A clear and attractive defence of the importance of religious experience, with reference both to recent work in neuro-science and to a broad range of religious traditions.' - Keith Ward, Regius Professor of Divinity and head of the Faculty of Theology, University of Oxford, UK 'In this exciting new book John Hick discusses a number of fundamental and important problems about religion. The topics he focuses on range from traditional problems of religious pluralism and spirituality to recent neuroscientific criticisms of religious experience. Hick, one of the most prominent living theologians and philosophers of religion, makes a series of fascinating responses to the latest scientific challenges to religion, responses that are consistent with the position he has defended for many decades. I would recommend the book to anyone who is interested in religion, science and spirituality.' - Yujin Nagasawa, Department of Philosophy, University of Birmingham, UK 'In this sharply argued and bracing book, John Hick considers the range of human religious experience and tries to make sense of it, rejecting in particular attempts based on neuroscience to debunk it. His writing is assured, well-informed, and provocative. This book is certain to generate lively debate.' - Professor Adrian Moore, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Oxford 'This is a beautifully written book. Hick introduces not only key issues in neuroscience clearly and in an accessible way, but also offers a convincing critique of the naturalistic presuppositions of its practitioners. But this book is about more than defending religion against the onslaught of scientific humanism: it also seeks to expand his own theory of religion. In a time when the differences between religions seems more acute and threatening than ever, Hick advances a pluralistic perspective that seeks to bring together the wisdom of the world's faiths through an emphasis on the role of spiritual practice. An optimistic, provocative and profound book.' - Beverley Clack, Reader in Philosophy of Religion, Oxford Brookes University, UK '[A] major contribution to the debate on religion...' - David Hay, The Tablet 'The debate between natural sciences and religion has sharply increased. The renowned theologian and religious philosopher John Hick meets this challenge. He questions the human preconditions of recognition in view of an increasing biologistic materialism, which regards religion as mere chemical and electrical interactions of the brain.' - Reinhard Kirste, Interrligiose Arbeitsstelle 'The New Frontier, however, has a freshness about it. It is a small book that both breaks new ground and offers to those familiar with Hick's corpus a summary the current state of his remarkable life-work...a readily accessible book...' - Michael A. Chester Religious Studies '...it is provocative and deeply stimulating...Hick has provided an important and accessible contribution to the science-theology debate which will broaden outlooks and challenge assumptions.' - Mark Harris, Oriel College '...provides a fascinating overview of the whole of Hick's religious and philosophical convictions and the way his thinking has broadened and developed through a life-time of reading and debating.' - Paul Badham, Theology

If you take for granted the widespread assumption of our culture that matter constitutes the totality of reality, this book will challenge that assumption. The pervasive materialist or physicalist presupposition of so much thinking is not scientifically established but is a basic article of naturalistic faith. Professor Hick argues that the widely held belief that consciousness is identical with or a by-product of the functioning of the brain is unsustainable. There is non-physical as well as physical reality. It is entirely possible that there is a divine realm transcending the material universe but encountered in religious experience. He looks carefully at the epistemological implications of this. But Hick also challenges many traditional religious beliefs. He distinguishes between religion as human institutions, which have done as much harm as good in the world, and religion as the inner spiritual response to the Transcendent. Whereas institutional religion has divided humanity, spiritual or mystical experience can unite people of every part of the world.