This book represents conversations between philosophers and theologians on several issues of current theological interest. God, the church, theological authority, atonement, the Holy Spirit, religious ethics, the problem of evil, and other topics are debated by top-notch theologians and philosophers of various theological and philosophical persuasions. Since contemporary philosophers and theologians seldom communicate professionally, this book represents a fascinating and highly unusual cross-disciplinary conversation.

Notes on the Contributors - Introduction - PART 1: CLASSICAL THEISM AND THE THEOLOGICAL GIVEN - The Centrality of Theism for Christianity; P.Badham - Notes on a Monstrous Illusion; D.Z.Phillips - The Invisibility of the Church in American Theology and The Issue of Catholic Reality; J.Verheyden - Toward a Church Both Visible and Catholic; A.Min - Tradition, Scripture and Theological Authority; S.T.Davis - Authority, Scripture, and Tradition: A Barthian Comment; F.Rogers - PART 2: CHANGING CONCEPTIONS OF THEOLOGICAL DOCTRINES - Is the Doctrine of the Atonement a Mistake?; J.Hick - Atoning Transactions; R.M.Adams - The Holy Spirit and The Trinity; W.P.Alston - The Third Person of the Trinity; J.Runzo - The Contextualization of God; M.Suchocki - Contextualization and The Experience of God; A.Steuer - PART 3: THE ETHICAL AND SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF THEOLOGY - Religious Ethics After Ethics After Babel: MacIntyre's Tradition Versus Stout's Bricolage; P.L.Quinn - Religion in Public Discourse, But Not in Public Policy; R.Rice - Chalcedonic Christology: A Christian Solution to the Problem of Evil; M.M.Adams - Theodicy and Divine Omnipotence; J.B.Cobb,Jr - The Place of Phronesis in the Methodology of Theology; L.Zagzebski - The Role of Virtue in Epistemic Practices; N.Murphy - Index