Religious Perplexities

Lawrence Pearsall JacksProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.2

Word count: 92K words
Chapters: 10

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Religious Perplexities by L. P. JacksAuthor: Jacks, L. P. (Lawrence Pearsall), 1860-1955,Language: English, Class: BR: Philosophy, Psychology, Religion: Christianity, Release Date: May 31, 2010

Editor's review

This book is an essayistic discussion of religious perplexities by the British thinker and educator L. P. Jacks, belonging to the literature of Christian philosophy and religious thought. The author does not rush to offer doctrinal answers but treats the difficulties of faith as experience deserving serious examination: the tension between traditional belief and rational thought, the sense that religious language has lost its force in the modern context, the distance between personal experience and institutional religion. The writing is speculative rather than a tightly systemized theological treatise; it reads more like an elder candidly exchanging views with the reader. For Chinese readers today, its value lies in showing a way of thinking about faith that does not evade doubt, and it can also serve as a reference for understanding the religious intellectual atmosphere of early twentieth-century Britain. Read it slowly, take notes, and set the author's questions against your own experience rather than seeking a unified conclusion.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in philosophy of religion and the relation between faith and reason
Those undergoing doubts of faith who wish to see an honest discussion
Students of literature and history interested in early twentieth-century British religious thought
Readers accustomed to essayistic speculative writing who are willing to read slowly

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking a systematic theology textbook or a catechism
Readers expecting definite conclusions and a practical guide to faith
Readers who prefer light narrative and lack patience for abstract discussion

Reading tips

Read section by section, pausing after each part to write down your own questions and responses.
Do not treat the author's views as conclusions; take them as starting points for questions and set them against your own experience.
A brief acquaintance with the religious and intellectual background of early twentieth-century Britain before reading helps grasp the context of the discussion.
If the English original proves difficult, read introductory material first, then return to the original and work through it paragraph by paragraph.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

To which discipline does this book belong, theology or philosophy?

The book is classified in the Christian field, and its content is closer to philosophy of religion and intellectual essays. The author discusses the relation between perplexities of faith and rational thought, not systematic theological doctrine or church practice, so it may also be placed within religious thought writing in the broad sense.

Can I understand it without a background in religious studies?

Yes. The book proceeds in essay form and does not depend on a tightly knit theological system, so general readers can follow the main discussion. If basic Christian concepts are unfamiliar, learn some foundational terms first; while reading, focus on how the author poses questions rather than memorizing conclusions.

Is the discussion in the book still meaningful to contemporary readers?

The book deals with tensions between faith and reason and between personal experience and institutional religion, problems not confined to any one era. Contemporary readers may not share the author's background and wording, but they can use his way of questioning to reflect on their own structure of belief, so it retains reference value.

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About the author

Lawrence Pearsall Jacks Author · British · 1860–1955

Lawrence Pearsall Jacks (1860–1955) was a British educator, philosopher and Unitarian minister. In 1902 he founded The Hibbert Journal and served as its editor for many years, and from 1915 to 1931 he was principal of Manchester College. He wrote works including Revolt Against Mechanism, championing liberal education and a world outlook, and was an important voice in British intellectual life between the two world wars. Three of his works are included here, touching on both the observation of human nature and religious reflection: Mad Shepherds, and Other Human Studies sketches the lives of shepherds and human character in a gentle, thoughtful essay style; Religious Perplexities confronts difficulties of faith; and All Men are Ghosts unfolds speculative imagination. Often classed as inspirational reading, these works are plain in tone and hope to lead readers toward self-reflection and growth.