This 3-volume work is the result of many years of earnest and serious investigation, undertaken in the first instance for the regulation of personal belief of the author. His main object has been conscientiously and fully to state the facts of the case, to make no assertions the grounds for which are not clearly given, and as far as possible to place before the reader the materials from which a judgment may be intelligently formed regarding the important subject discussed. Fear of the results of investigation, in author's opinion, should deter no man, for the issue in any case is gain: emancipation from delusion, or increase of assurance. That which is true in Religion cannot be shaken; that which is false no one can desire to preserve._x000D_ Contents:_x000D_ Miracles in Relation to Christianity_x000D_ Miracles in Relation to the Order of Nature_x000D_ Reason in Relation to the Order of Nature_x000D_ The Age of Miracles_x000D_ The Permanent Stream of Miraculous Pretension_x000D_ Miracles in Relation to Ignorance and Superstition_x000D_ The Synoptic Gospels:_x000D_ Clement of Rome – The Epistle of Barnabas – The Pastor of Hermas_x000D_ The Epistles of Ignatius – The Epistle of Polycarp_x000D_ Justin Martyr_x000D_ Hegesippus – Papias of Hierapolis_x000D_ The Clementines – The Epistle to Diognetus_x000D_ Basilides – Valentinus_x000D_ Marcion_x000D_ Tatian – Dionysius of Corinth_x000D_ Melito of Sardis – Claudius Apollinaris – Athenagoras – The Epistle of Vienne and Lyons_x000D_ Ptolemæus and Heracleon – Celsus – The Canon of Muratori – Results_x000D_ The Fourth Gospel:_x000D_ The External Evidence_x000D_ Authorship and Character of the Fourth Gospel_x000D_ The Acts of the Apostles:_x000D_ The External Evidence_x000D_ Evidence Regarding the Authorship_x000D_ Design and Composition_x000D_ Primitive Christianity_x000D_ Stephen the Martyr_x000D_ Philip and the Eunuch. Peter and Cornelius_x000D_ Paul the Apostle of the Gentiles_x000D_ The Direct Evidence for Miracles:_x000D_ The Epistles and the Apocalypse_x000D_ The Evidence of Paul_x000D_ The Resurrection and Ascension:_x000D_ The Relation of Evidence to Subject_x000D_ The Evidence of the Gospels_x000D_ The Evidence of Paul_x000D_ Conclusions

The cognitive science of religion is a rapidly growing field whose practitioners apply insights from advances in cognitive science in order to provide a better understanding of religious impulses, beliefs, and behaviors. In this book Ilkka Pyysiäinen shows how this methodology can profitably be used in the comparative study of beliefs about superhuman agents. He begins by developing a theoretical outline of the basic, modular architecture of the human mind and especially the human capacity to understand agency. He then goes on to discuss examples of supernatural agency in detail, arguing that the human ability to attribute beliefs and desires to others forms the basis of conceptions of supernatural agents and of such social cognition in which supernatural agents are postulated as interested parties in social life. Beliefs about supernatural agency are natural, says Pyysiäinen, in the sense that such concepts are used in an intuitive and automatic fashion. Two dots and a straight line below them automatically trigger the idea of a face, for example. Given that the mind consists of a host of such modular mechanisms, certain kinds of beliefs will always have a selective advantage over others. Abstract theological concepts are usually elaborate versions of such simpler and more contagious folk conceptions. Pyysiäinen uses ethnographical and survey materials as well as doctrinal treatises to show that there are certain recurrent patterns in beliefs about supernatural agents both at the level of folk-religion and of formal theology.

This study is the result of many years of earnest and serious investigation, undertaken in the first instance for the regulation of personal belief of the author. His main object has been conscientiously and fully to state the facts of the case, to make no assertions the grounds for which are not clearly given, and as far as possible to place before the reader the materials from which a judgment may be intelligently formed regarding the important subject discussed. Fear of the results of investigation, in author's opinion, should deter no man, for the issue in any case is gain: emancipation from delusion, or increase of assurance. That which is true in Religion cannot be shaken; that which is false no one can desire to preserve. Contents: Miracles in Relation to Christianity Miracles in Relation to the Order of Nature Reason in Relation to the Order of Nature The Age of Miracles The Permanent Stream of Miraculous Pretension Miracles in Relation to Ignorance and Superstition The Synoptic Gospels: Clement of Rome – The Epistle of Barnabas – The Pastor of Hermas The Epistles of Ignatius – The Epistle of Polycarp Justin Martyr Hegesippus – Papias of Hierapolis The Clementines – The Epistle to Diognetus Basilides – Valentinus Marcion Tatian – Dionysius of Corinth Melito of Sardis – Claudius Apollinaris – Athenagoras – The Epistle of Vienne and Lyons Ptolemæus and Heracleon – Celsus – The Canon of Muratori – Results The Fourth Gospel: The External Evidence Authorship and Character of the Fourth Gospel The Acts of the Apostles: The External Evidence Evidence Regarding the Authorship Design and Composition Primitive Christianity Stephen the Martyr Philip and the Eunuch. Peter and Cornelius Paul the Apostle of the Gentiles The Direct Evidence for Miracles: The Epistles and the Apocalypse The Evidence of Paul The Resurrection and Ascension: The Relation of Evidence to Subject The Evidence of the Gospels The Evidence of Paul Conclusions

Vols. for 1871-76, 1913-14 include an extra number, The Christmas bookseller, separately paged and not included in the consecutive numbering of the regular series.

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Vols. for 1871-76, 1913-14 include an extra number, The Christmas bookseller, separately paged and not included in the consecutive numbering of the regular series.

Philip Schaff's monumental work, 'The History of the Christian Church: Vol.1-8', is a comprehensive and detailed exploration of the development of Christianity from its inception to the Reformation era. Schaff delves into the theological, social, and political aspects of the church, providing a scholarly and engaging account of key events and personalities. His writing style is both accessible to a wide audience and academically rigorous, making this set of volumes a valuable resource for students and scholars alike. The detailed footnotes and bibliography also demonstrate Schaff's meticulous research and deep knowledge of the subject matter. This work is a cornerstone in the study of church history and remains a seminal text in the field. Schaff's dedication to documenting the evolution of the Christian Church is evident in this comprehensive and insightful series. Anyone interested in understanding the roots and growth of Christianity will find these volumes essential reading.