Understanding Natural Theology: Mapping the Terrain of Recent Approaches

by Christopher R. Brewer

Overview

If God is the creator of all, might creation itself not provide us with ways of seeing God that enrich our understanding--that connect our desire for God with our life in creation?

Natural theology has been a feature of Christian thinking for centuries, but it has also been misunderstood and maligned. What exactly is natural theology, and how might it help us in our pursuit to know and understand God?

In Understanding Natural Theology, theologian and scholar Christopher R. Brewer considers several different versions of natural theology and their proponents, including David Brown, Alvin Plantinga, C. Stephen Evans, Thomas F. Torrance, and even Karl Barth, a noted critic of natural theology. Through this study, readers will come to understand not only what natural theology is but also how it can serve in our collective pursuit to understand God.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780310522706
Publisher:	Zondervan Academic
Publication date:	02/17/2026
Sold by:	HarperCollins Publishing
Format:	eBook
Pages:	176

About the Author

Christopher R. Brewer (PhD, University of St Andrews) is an honorary research fellow in the School of Divinity at the University of St Andrews and principal with One Brewer Consulting. He previously served as a program officer of the Templeton Religion Trust and now serves as principal advisor for its Art Seeking Understanding program strategy. He is also the editor-in-chief for giffordlectures.org, which promotes the study of natural theology, and he is the editor of several books, including Christian Theology and the Transformation of Natural Religion: From Incarnation to Sacramentality: Essays in Honour of David Brown.

Table of Contents

Introduction: A Spectrum of Natural Theologies Type 1: Natural Theology as Natural Religion Chapter 1: Natural Theology as Natural Religion: Definition Chapter 2: Natural Theology as Natural Religion: David Brown Type 2: Natural Theology as Proof/Argument Chapter 3: Natural Theology as Proof/Argument: Definition Chapter 4: Natural Theology as Argument: Richard Swinburne Type 3: Natural Theology as Natural Signs Chapter 5: Natural Theology as Natural Signs: Definition Chapter 6: Natural Theology as Natural Signs: C. Stephen Evans Type 4: Natural Theology as Christian Natural Theology Chapter 7: Natural Theology as Christian Natural Theology: Definition Chapter 8: Natural Theology as Christian Natural Theology: T.F. Torrance Type 5: Natural Theology as Theology of Nature Chapter 9: Natural Theology as Theology of Nature: Definition Chapter 10: Natural Theology as Theology of Nature: Karl Barth Conclusion: Understanding Natural Theology