The following abstract references my book published May 2016: The Impact of Reason on Faith, Ethics and Belief. Wilmington, DE: Vernon Press, 2016. It is available at Vernon Press: http://vernonpress.com/title?id=92 and Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Impact-Reason-Ethics-Belief-Philosophy/dp/1622730577
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this book is to examine the credibility of the theological claims of ethics, faith, and belief from a philosophical perspective. The Abrahamic and Mosaic covenants of the Old Testament, the Jesus of the synoptic gospels, and Paul’s writings serve as the frame of reference in examining a biblical expression of reason and structured logic. The clash of philosophy and theology is evident with theological presuppositions that are based on spiritual insight and divine revelation but which have no philosophical basis of proof. Uncovering the identity of YHWH in the manuscripts and religious practices of Canaanite culture clearly associated YHWH with the polytheism of the Ugarit texts. YHWH was one of the seventy sons of the Canaanite Most High God El and took on a unique identity that was rooted in El and the polytheistic nature of the pantheon of gods. Theological truths stand within the context of faith and reason stands apart from faith and infers only that which can be proven based on evidence. That which is knowable by faith cannot be known by reason since reason cannot validate that which is not proven to exist.