Authenticity of Faith by Richard Beck
Is faith simply a form of wishful thinking? Is belief in God merely a consoling illusion? So argued Sigmund Freud in The Future of an Illusion. And the force of Freud's argument continues to be felt as it features prominently among critics of religion such as the New Atheists. But was Freud right? Until now, few have directly examined the plausibility of Freud's argument. But here, in a groundbreaking analysis inspired by the religious types described by William James in his seminal The Varieties of Religious Experience, Richard Beck explores the motivational dynamics among summer Christians and winter Christians. Further, across a variety of laboratory studies, Beck examines how Christians variously engage with art (exploring what Beck has dubbed The Thomas Kinkade Effect), doctrine (from the Incarnation to beliefs regarding the activity of the devil), and religious difference in a pluralistic world. In each instance, Beck analyzes the underlying motivations of the religious types, sifting through the varieties and illusions of religious experience.Richard Beck is a renowned writer and speaker who teaches psychology at Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas. Trains, Jesus, and Murder: The Gospel According to Johnny Cash and Stranger God: Meeting Jesus in Disguise are two of his many publications. His study has been published on a variety of themes, including the psychology of swearing and why Christian bookstore art is so poor. Beck conducts a weekly Bible study for inmates at a maximum-security prison. Richard is a resident of Abilene, Texas.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780891123507 |
| ISBN 10 | 0891123504 |
| Title | Authenticity of Faith |
| Author | Richard Beck |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Leafwood Publishers & Acu Press |
| Year published | 2012-01-01 |
| Number of pages | 274 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |