Research Paper on:
Reason and Religious Belief An Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion by Michael L. Peterson

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own convictions. However, these concepts remain every bit as elusive in terms of definition as they were in the days when ancient Greek philosophers contemplated their significance to the  meaning of life. A group of educators and religious philosophers, headed by Asbury College Department of Philosophy Chairman Michael L. Peterson, pondered the status of contemporary religion in a  1990 text (updated in 1997), Reason and Religious Belief: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion. The first chapter, entitled "Thinking About God: The Search for the Ultimate," considers  the definition of religion, discusses what is meant by the philosophy of religion, explores the concept of theism, describes the "religious ambiguity" that occasionally exists in life, and delineates the  task of the modern-day religious philosopher (v). Although the text points out that there are many people living today who do not practice any type of religion, it has historically  been a part of the human experience dating back to the days of Cro-Magnon societies (7). Before examining the religious experience in greater detail, it is important to first  define some key terms. First, Peterson et al. define religion as "a set of beliefs, actions, and experiences, both personal and corporate, organized around a concept of ultimate reality"  (9). The reality conjured by these beliefs, actions and experiences can be "a unity or a plurality, personal or non-personal, divine or not," and can differ from one religion  to another (9). The authors defined beliefs as "statements (i.e., propositions) that are taken as true" (9). They combine, quite simply, to supply the spiritual foundation upon which  all religions are built. These authors, the text explains, are centered around five specific areas. First, human beings find themselves in some type of moral dilemma (such as