Philosophy of Religion: An Introduction

This introductory textbook exemplifies the analytical approach to philosophy of religion that dominated Anglo-American philosophy departments in the late twentieth century. Rowe structures his exposition around core philosophical problems rather than historical development or comparative religion, establishing a framework that privileges logical analysis over phenomenological or theological considerations.

The work begins with conceptual analysis of religious language, examining whether terms like "God" possess coherent meaning. Rowe presents classical attributes of the theistic God—omnipotence, omniscience, and perfect goodness—subjecting each to rigorous scrutiny. His treatment reveals internal tensions, particularly regarding whether omnipotence can coexist with logical constraints and whether divine foreknowledge eliminates human freedom. This analytical dissection establishes the methodological tone: religious concepts must withstand the same logical standards applied to any philosophical claim.

Central to Rowe's presentation is the problem of evil, which receives extensive treatment as potentially the strongest objection to theism. He distinguishes logical and evidential versions, arguing that while theists might escape formal contradiction, the sheer quantity and distribution of suffering presents a formidable probabilistic case against an all-good, all-powerful deity. His formulation of the evidential problem, featuring instances of apparently gratuitous suffering, becomes influential in subsequent literature.

The text examines traditional arguments for God's existence—cosmological, teleological, and ontological—with characteristic analytical precision. Rowe demonstrates how each argument, despite initial plausibility, faces significant objections. His treatment of the cosmological argument proves particularly influential, introducing distinctions between dependent and self-existent beings that sharpen subsequent debate. While acknowledging the arguments' philosophical interest, he concludes none succeeds in establishing God's existence.

Rowe addresses faith and reason's relationship, considering whether religious belief requires evidential support or might be properly basic. He engages Reformed epistemology's challenge to evidentialist assumptions while maintaining that rational belief typically requires proportionate evidence. The work concludes by examining religious diversity and competing revelatory claims, suggesting these phenomena create additional epistemic challenges for any particular religious tradition.

Throughout, Rowe maintains studied neutrality while clearly sympathizing with skeptical conclusions. His accessible yet rigorous style established a template for teaching philosophy of religion in secular academic contexts. By focusing on arguments rather than advocacy, the text legitimized religious questions as proper philosophical subjects while implicitly supporting naturalistic worldviews through its emphasis on rational scrutiny and evidential standards.