Humanities
Conceptual analysis and human meaning
The humanities—philosophy, history, literature, art—explore meaning, value, and the human condition. These disciplines provide evidence that cannot be captured by empirical methods alone, yet is essential for a complete picture of reality.
Philosophy
Classical Arguments
The great philosophical arguments for God's existence—cosmological, teleological, moral, ontological—have been refined over centuries and remain powerful in contemporary formulations.
- Cosmological: Why is there something rather than nothing?
- Teleological: Why is the universe fine-tuned for life and intelligibility?
- Moral: What grounds objective moral obligations?
- Ontological: Is the concept of a maximally great being coherent and necessary?
The Problem of Reason
If naturalism is true, our cognitive faculties evolved for survival, not truth. This creates a self-defeating problem: we cannot trust our reasoning to establish naturalism. Theism, by contrast, grounds reason in a rational Creator.
History
The Historical Jesus
Historical investigation confirms key facts about Jesus of Nazareth: his existence, teaching, crucifixion, and the early belief in his resurrection. The origin of Christianity requires explanation.
The Development of Civilization
The historical development of science, human rights, and moral progress has deep roots in theistic worldviews. The idea that nature is rational and knowable, that humans have inherent dignity, emerged from religious soil.
Literature & Art
The Argument from Beauty
Great art and literature point beyond themselves to transcendent beauty and meaning. The human capacity to create and appreciate beauty suggests we are made for more than mere survival.