Triangulating Religion, Belief, and Faith in the Twenty-First Century - Hardcover

by Bradford McCall (Author)

This book gives the reader the ability to make new inroads to understanding how faith, belief, and religion not only differ but also how they can contribute to comparative theology. These three topics, broadly covered herein, can heighten the understanding of the Sacred by those who study them. As to a few preliminaries, what is faith? Further, what is belief? Which one comes first in a person's journey toward the Sacred? Moreover, does religion factor into these two terms, and if so, where and how? Does Augustine's well-worn line "faith seeking understanding" mean anything today? If it does, would it mean belief comes prior to faith and/or religion? One can argue both sides of this debate and still be considered "orthodox," seemingly. Perhaps it is the case that belief precedes faith most of the time, but not all of the time. Perhaps it is the other way around. What, exactly, is the demarcation between belief and faith? Many a person believes a thing to be true in their very bones; such a stance borders on what is commonly referred to as faith. Is religion the combination of belief and faith together into a coherent system of thought, or is it emergent from the two, existing as a separate mental (or spiritual) entity? Explore these questions and more!

Author Biography

Dr. Bradford L. McCall holds a B.S. in Biology (2000), four Master's in Religion or Philosophy (2005)-M.Div. from Asbury Theological Seminary; 2011-MA in Church History and Doctrine from Regent University [Thesis: Charles Sanders Peirce, Theology, & Teleology: A (Late-)Modern Synthesis]; 2017-MA in Systematic Philosophy from Holy Apostles College and Seminary [Thesis: A Modern Relation of Science & Theology Assisted by the Evolutionary Developmental Philosophy of Peirce]; 2020-MA in Religious Studies from Claremont School of Theology [awarded on the successful passage of the Comprehensive Exams Areas delineated below]), and a PhD in Comparative Theology from Claremont School of Theology in Claremont, CA, wherein his interdisciplinary dissertation was entitled Contingency and Divine Activity: Toward A Contemporary Conception of Divine Involvement in an Evolutionary World, which was successfully defended 22 September, 2021. His Doktor vater & dissertation chair was the distinguished Dr. Philip Clayton (Claremont School of Theology). The other members of his committee were similarly distinguished in their areas of expertise: Dr. Ingolf U. Dalferth (Claremont Graduate University) and Dr. Roland Faber (Claremont School of Theology). McCall has written nearly 40 peer-reviewed Journal Articles and has written or is in the process of writing nearly a dozen books, including: A Modern Relation of Theology and Science Assisted by Emergence and Kenosis (Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2018); as ed. God and Gravity: A Philip Clayton Reader on Science and Theology with an Autobiographical Chapter by Philip Clayton (Eugene, OR: Cascade, 2018); Evolution: Secular or Sacred? (Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2020); The God of Chance & Purpose: Divine Involvement in a Secular Evolutionary World (Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2022); Macroevolution, Contingency and Divine Activity: Divine Involvement Through Uncontrolling, Amorepotent Love in an Evolutionary World (Eugene, OR: Pickwick, 2023); as ed., Reading Ruse: Michael Ruse on Darwinism, Science, & Faith, with an Autobiographical Chapter by Michael Ruse (Eugene, OR: Cascade, 10/2024); Theological Briefs: Triangulating Religion, Belief, & Faith in the 21st Century (Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2024); Theological Briefs: The Advent of Grace (Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2025); and as ed., Ruminating on Ruse: Key Themes in the Evolutionary Naturalism of Michael Ruse (Eugene, OR: Cascade, 2025); Theological Briefs: A Christian Natural Theology of Chance & Contingency--Towards An Evolutionary Telos for Late-Modern Theology (Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2025): Under Review; as ed., The Peacocke's Tale: An Arthur R. Peacocke Reader on Science & Faith, with a Foreword by Philip Clayton (Eugene, OR: Cascade, 2026): Under Review.