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Bryan Smith

University of Oxford, Department for Continuing Education, Graduate Student

Texas A&M University, Dwight Look College of Engineering, Alumnus

Faulkner University, Great Books Honors College, Graduate Student

Houston Baptist University, School of Christian Thought, Alumnus

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Author of Faith Seeking Belief, former Chapter Director for Reasonable Faith as well as the New Canaan Society, and founding member of Christianity on Tap. I hold a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M University, an M.A. in Philosophy from Houston Christian University, and briefly pursued a Ph.D. in Humanities from Faulkner University before leaving to pursue further study through the Department for Continuing Education at Oxford University. For more information, visit www.bryannsmith.com.

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University of Cambridge

University of Oxford

Catherine Rowett

University of East Anglia

Elizabeth Laidlaw, Ph.D.

Monroe Community College

Sophie Grace Chappell

The Open University

Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro

The University of Georgia

Liberty University

Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski"

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Books by Bryan Smith

Faith Seeking Belief: A Philosophical Case for the Viability of Christian Agnosticism

Lighthouse Rock Publishing

It is a commonly held belief within Christianity that in order for one to receive salvation, one ... more It is a commonly held belief within Christianity that in order for one to receive salvation, one must necessarily exercise faith in God through Christ, and that in order for one to properly do so, one must also necessarily believe certain essential Christian doctrines to be true. It is also commonly held, in particular by the various expressions of Christianity which affirm libertarian freedom of the will, that all persons (by God’s grace) have voluntary control over whether or not they will exercise faith in God through Christ, and thereby also have voluntary control over whether or not they will believe certain essential Christian doctrines to be true. However, many contemporary philosophers (including many Christian philosophers) would argue that beliefs are not, in fact, under one’s voluntary control. As a result, some have called into question the coherence, and therefore the veracity, of affirming certain doxastic requirements as a necessary feature of one’s overall soteriology, promoting the idea that one can receive salvation by faith in God through Christ without necessarily having to believe certain essential Christian doctrines to be true. It is the aim of this treatise to build a philosophical case in support of such a position and to briefly explore its ramifications for a related position which I shall refer to as “Christian agnosticism.”

Papers by Bryan Smith

Plato, Descartes, and Doxastic Voluntarism

When it comes to the contemporary field of epistemology, perhaps no two philosophers have been as... more When it comes to the contemporary field of epistemology, perhaps no two philosophers have been as influential as that of Plato and Descartes. In his ancient Greek dialogues, Plato is arguably the first major thinker to explicitly analyze the concept of knowledge and its relationship to belief and truth, while Descartes virtually reset the stage for epistemology and the quest for certainty in the Enlightenment era, the fruits of both of which are still being felt to this day. Although one could write volumes (indeed many have) on the overall epistemology of Plato and Descartes, the aim and scope of this paper is much more modest. As such, my aim is not to unearth the nuances and intricacies of their entire system of thought, but rather to compare and contrast how their epistemology is laid out in few of their respective works, giving particularly special attention therein to the role of belief and its corresponding relationship to the will.

The Nature of Belief: Exploring Platonic Epistemology

When it comes to the modern field of epistemology, perhaps no other philosopher has been as influ... more When it comes to the modern field of epistemology, perhaps no other philosopher has been as influential as that of Plato. In his dialogues, Plato is arguably the first major thinker to explicitly analyze the concept of knowledge and its relationship to belief and truth, the fruits of which are still being felt to this day. Although one could write volumes (indeed many have) on Plato’s overall epistemology, the aim and scope of this paper is much more modest. As such, my aim is not to unearth the nuances and intricacies of Plato’s entire corpus, but rather to take a brief and specific look at how his epistemology is laid out in a few of his dialogues, giving particularly special attention to the role of belief and its relationship to the will.

Theological Fatalism: Aristotle, Boethius, and Ockham

One of the key attributes to a traditional conception of God is his being all-knowing, or omnisci... more One of the key attributes to a traditional conception of God is his being all-knowing, or omniscient. According to this attribute, God has infallible knowledge of all truths, including those truths about certain future events. In addition to this, one of the key attributes given to a traditional conception of human beings is that they have libertarian freedom of the will. That is to say, human beings have the freedom to choose to perform certain actions or not, they are not pre-determined in any way. However, many have argued that these two attributes, despite their strong intuitive appeal, are ultimately incompatible with each other. For if God is omniscient, then God infallibly knows what actions any human being will choose to perform in the future, implying that those actions are, in a sense, fated to occur. Such is the problem of theological fatalism. With that in mind, it is the aim of this paper to examine and assess the proposed solutions to the problem of theological fatalism that have been offered historically by Aristotle, Boethius, and Ockham.

God and Time: A Brief Survey

The relationship between God and Time is perhaps one of the most challenging and enriching topics... more The relationship between God and Time is perhaps one of the most challenging and enriching topics within philosophy of religion, touching a variety of related fields including not only the philosophy of time itself, but philosophy of language, philosophy of science, contemporary cosmology, and beyond. It is the purpose of this paper to i) briefly survey the field and examine the conceptual and theological strengths and weaknesses that arise from declaring either that God is eternal and/or timeless or that God is temporal and/or in time, ii) explicate the model that William Lane Craig presents for God's nature in relation to time, and iii) provide some further considerations on the topic in light of the above.

The Kalam Cosmological Argument: A Response to John Loftus

In his magnum opus Why I Became An Atheist: A Former Preacher Rejects Christianity, former evange... more In his magnum opus Why I Became An Atheist: A Former Preacher Rejects Christianity, former evangelical Christian apologist and pastor, John Loftus, offers a book-length critique of Christianity, leveling objections against virtually every major argument offered by contemporary Christian apologists. In so doing, Loftus seeks to establish a refutation of the Kalam Cosmological Argument, the locus classicus of his former mentor and teacher, William Lane Craig. It is the contention of this paper that Loftus’s attempted refutation fails.

Wunder's Blunder: A Critique of Warranted Christian Belief Meets Plantinga's Evolutionary Argument Against Naturalism

In his critical review of Alvin Plantinga’s monumental work, Warranted Christian Belief, philosop... more In his critical review of Alvin Plantinga’s monumental work, Warranted Christian Belief, philosopher Tyler Wunder levels several objections to certain portions of the book’s central argument. Although some of his objections may have some merit, it is the contention of this paper that the objection most central to Wunder’s critical review, once examined within the wider context of Plantinga’s thought (specifically his evolutionary argument against naturalism), is ultimately self-defeating and therefore fails to hit its intended mark.

A Critique of Hume's Argument Against Miracles

Perhaps the most influential critique of miracles ever given was by David Hume, the famous Enligh... more Perhaps the most influential critique of miracles ever given was by David Hume, the famous Enlightenment skeptic and empiricist from Scotland. In section X of his Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, Hume levels several arguments against both the possibility and believability of miracles. However, as influential as his arguments have been throughout the centuries, it is the contention of this paper that Hume’s arguments ultimately fall short of their intended goal.

The Epistemic Significance of Religious Diversity: A Case for Tentative Religious Belief

The overwhelming technological advances in transportation and telecommunication infrastructures, ... more The overwhelming technological advances in transportation and telecommunication infrastructures, coupled with mass migrations, as well as increasing economic and political interdependence amongst nations in the past century has served to effectively fuse disparate cultures together and close the epistemic gap between human beings across the world, creating what has been referred to by some as a “global village”. One of the prominent results of such a phenomenon has been the increasing realization of religious diversity amongst otherwise alienated people groups. No longer given the luxury of geographically isolating oneself from opposing views, religious believers of all stripes now find themselves in what can sometimes be a rather uncomfortable situation. A situation which, by its very nature, forces itself upon them, thereby demanding a response. But how is one to respond to such diversity, especially amongst epistemic peers? Although there are no doubt many options, it is the contention of this paper that, although believers may indeed be rational in maintaining their beliefs in the face of such radical diversity , they should do so with an open, self-critical, tentativeness, being willing to not only consider the possibility that their beliefs could be wrong, but to partake in an honest examination of their own beliefs as well as the beliefs of others with whom they disagree.

God and Abstract Objects: A Fictionalist Approach

The relationship between God and abstract objects has seen something of a renaissance in philosop... more The relationship between God and abstract objects has seen something of a renaissance in philosophical and theological circles of late. The age-old debate surrounding the existence and nature of universals has found a new, perhaps even more troublesome, environment for it to wreak its intellectual havoc. With varying positions having been put forth by philosophers of virtually every stripe since Plato, the increasingly prominent subculture of Christian philosophers appears to be no exception. Indeed, it seems that the context of Christian theism has added an even more complex dimension to this already overly arcane subject, as if that were even thought possible. That being said, although there isn’t unanimous agreement with regards to any particular solution to the problem, the literature does suggest somewhat of a consensus regarding the list of viable options for the Christian theist today, if anything. With that in mind, it is the primary contention of this paper to sketch a brief argument for the viability of perhaps one of the least popular options amongst theistic philosophers on the issue - the position of fictionalism.

Alvin Plantinga and the Rationality of Theistic Belief: A Response to Keith Parsons

In his article in "The Cambridge Companion to Atheism," Keith Parsons attempts to examine some of... more In his article in "The Cambridge Companion to Atheism," Keith Parsons attempts to examine some of the contemporary theistic arguments in the philosophy of religion. In doing so, he focuses his attention primarily (indeed solely) on the work of Alvin Plantinga and Richard Swinburne, “the two outstanding representatives of contemporary theistic philosophy.” Although Parsons gives a good analysis of the views inherent to each of these two contemporary intellects, it is the contention of this paper that the objections leveled against Plantinga’s argument in particular, although insightful and worthy of attention, ultimately fall short of their intended goal in undermining the rational basis of theistic belief.

Faith Seeking Belief: A Philosophical Case for the Viability of Christian Agnosticism

Lighthouse Rock Publishing

It is a commonly held belief within Christianity that in order for one to receive salvation, one ... more It is a commonly held belief within Christianity that in order for one to receive salvation, one must necessarily exercise faith in God through Christ, and that in order for one to properly do so, one must also necessarily believe certain essential Christian doctrines to be true. It is also commonly held, in particular by the various expressions of Christianity which affirm libertarian freedom of the will, that all persons (by God’s grace) have voluntary control over whether or not they will exercise faith in God through Christ, and thereby also have voluntary control over whether or not they will believe certain essential Christian doctrines to be true. However, many contemporary philosophers (including many Christian philosophers) would argue that beliefs are not, in fact, under one’s voluntary control. As a result, some have called into question the coherence, and therefore the veracity, of affirming certain doxastic requirements as a necessary feature of one’s overall soteriology, promoting the idea that one can receive salvation by faith in God through Christ without necessarily having to believe certain essential Christian doctrines to be true. It is the aim of this treatise to build a philosophical case in support of such a position and to briefly explore its ramifications for a related position which I shall refer to as “Christian agnosticism.”

Plato, Descartes, and Doxastic Voluntarism

When it comes to the contemporary field of epistemology, perhaps no two philosophers have been as... more When it comes to the contemporary field of epistemology, perhaps no two philosophers have been as influential as that of Plato and Descartes. In his ancient Greek dialogues, Plato is arguably the first major thinker to explicitly analyze the concept of knowledge and its relationship to belief and truth, while Descartes virtually reset the stage for epistemology and the quest for certainty in the Enlightenment era, the fruits of both of which are still being felt to this day. Although one could write volumes (indeed many have) on the overall epistemology of Plato and Descartes, the aim and scope of this paper is much more modest. As such, my aim is not to unearth the nuances and intricacies of their entire system of thought, but rather to compare and contrast how their epistemology is laid out in few of their respective works, giving particularly special attention therein to the role of belief and its corresponding relationship to the will.

The Nature of Belief: Exploring Platonic Epistemology

When it comes to the modern field of epistemology, perhaps no other philosopher has been as influ... more When it comes to the modern field of epistemology, perhaps no other philosopher has been as influential as that of Plato. In his dialogues, Plato is arguably the first major thinker to explicitly analyze the concept of knowledge and its relationship to belief and truth, the fruits of which are still being felt to this day. Although one could write volumes (indeed many have) on Plato’s overall epistemology, the aim and scope of this paper is much more modest. As such, my aim is not to unearth the nuances and intricacies of Plato’s entire corpus, but rather to take a brief and specific look at how his epistemology is laid out in a few of his dialogues, giving particularly special attention to the role of belief and its relationship to the will.

Theological Fatalism: Aristotle, Boethius, and Ockham

One of the key attributes to a traditional conception of God is his being all-knowing, or omnisci... more One of the key attributes to a traditional conception of God is his being all-knowing, or omniscient. According to this attribute, God has infallible knowledge of all truths, including those truths about certain future events. In addition to this, one of the key attributes given to a traditional conception of human beings is that they have libertarian freedom of the will. That is to say, human beings have the freedom to choose to perform certain actions or not, they are not pre-determined in any way. However, many have argued that these two attributes, despite their strong intuitive appeal, are ultimately incompatible with each other. For if God is omniscient, then God infallibly knows what actions any human being will choose to perform in the future, implying that those actions are, in a sense, fated to occur. Such is the problem of theological fatalism. With that in mind, it is the aim of this paper to examine and assess the proposed solutions to the problem of theological fatalism that have been offered historically by Aristotle, Boethius, and Ockham.

God and Time: A Brief Survey

The relationship between God and Time is perhaps one of the most challenging and enriching topics... more The relationship between God and Time is perhaps one of the most challenging and enriching topics within philosophy of religion, touching a variety of related fields including not only the philosophy of time itself, but philosophy of language, philosophy of science, contemporary cosmology, and beyond. It is the purpose of this paper to i) briefly survey the field and examine the conceptual and theological strengths and weaknesses that arise from declaring either that God is eternal and/or timeless or that God is temporal and/or in time, ii) explicate the model that William Lane Craig presents for God's nature in relation to time, and iii) provide some further considerations on the topic in light of the above.

The Kalam Cosmological Argument: A Response to John Loftus

In his magnum opus Why I Became An Atheist: A Former Preacher Rejects Christianity, former evange... more In his magnum opus Why I Became An Atheist: A Former Preacher Rejects Christianity, former evangelical Christian apologist and pastor, John Loftus, offers a book-length critique of Christianity, leveling objections against virtually every major argument offered by contemporary Christian apologists. In so doing, Loftus seeks to establish a refutation of the Kalam Cosmological Argument, the locus classicus of his former mentor and teacher, William Lane Craig. It is the contention of this paper that Loftus’s attempted refutation fails.

Wunder's Blunder: A Critique of Warranted Christian Belief Meets Plantinga's Evolutionary Argument Against Naturalism

In his critical review of Alvin Plantinga’s monumental work, Warranted Christian Belief, philosop... more In his critical review of Alvin Plantinga’s monumental work, Warranted Christian Belief, philosopher Tyler Wunder levels several objections to certain portions of the book’s central argument. Although some of his objections may have some merit, it is the contention of this paper that the objection most central to Wunder’s critical review, once examined within the wider context of Plantinga’s thought (specifically his evolutionary argument against naturalism), is ultimately self-defeating and therefore fails to hit its intended mark.

A Critique of Hume's Argument Against Miracles

Perhaps the most influential critique of miracles ever given was by David Hume, the famous Enligh... more Perhaps the most influential critique of miracles ever given was by David Hume, the famous Enlightenment skeptic and empiricist from Scotland. In section X of his Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, Hume levels several arguments against both the possibility and believability of miracles. However, as influential as his arguments have been throughout the centuries, it is the contention of this paper that Hume’s arguments ultimately fall short of their intended goal.

The Epistemic Significance of Religious Diversity: A Case for Tentative Religious Belief

The overwhelming technological advances in transportation and telecommunication infrastructures, ... more The overwhelming technological advances in transportation and telecommunication infrastructures, coupled with mass migrations, as well as increasing economic and political interdependence amongst nations in the past century has served to effectively fuse disparate cultures together and close the epistemic gap between human beings across the world, creating what has been referred to by some as a “global village”. One of the prominent results of such a phenomenon has been the increasing realization of religious diversity amongst otherwise alienated people groups. No longer given the luxury of geographically isolating oneself from opposing views, religious believers of all stripes now find themselves in what can sometimes be a rather uncomfortable situation. A situation which, by its very nature, forces itself upon them, thereby demanding a response. But how is one to respond to such diversity, especially amongst epistemic peers? Although there are no doubt many options, it is the contention of this paper that, although believers may indeed be rational in maintaining their beliefs in the face of such radical diversity , they should do so with an open, self-critical, tentativeness, being willing to not only consider the possibility that their beliefs could be wrong, but to partake in an honest examination of their own beliefs as well as the beliefs of others with whom they disagree.

God and Abstract Objects: A Fictionalist Approach

The relationship between God and abstract objects has seen something of a renaissance in philosop... more The relationship between God and abstract objects has seen something of a renaissance in philosophical and theological circles of late. The age-old debate surrounding the existence and nature of universals has found a new, perhaps even more troublesome, environment for it to wreak its intellectual havoc. With varying positions having been put forth by philosophers of virtually every stripe since Plato, the increasingly prominent subculture of Christian philosophers appears to be no exception. Indeed, it seems that the context of Christian theism has added an even more complex dimension to this already overly arcane subject, as if that were even thought possible. That being said, although there isn’t unanimous agreement with regards to any particular solution to the problem, the literature does suggest somewhat of a consensus regarding the list of viable options for the Christian theist today, if anything. With that in mind, it is the primary contention of this paper to sketch a brief argument for the viability of perhaps one of the least popular options amongst theistic philosophers on the issue - the position of fictionalism.

Alvin Plantinga and the Rationality of Theistic Belief: A Response to Keith Parsons

In his article in "The Cambridge Companion to Atheism," Keith Parsons attempts to examine some of... more In his article in "The Cambridge Companion to Atheism," Keith Parsons attempts to examine some of the contemporary theistic arguments in the philosophy of religion. In doing so, he focuses his attention primarily (indeed solely) on the work of Alvin Plantinga and Richard Swinburne, “the two outstanding representatives of contemporary theistic philosophy.” Although Parsons gives a good analysis of the views inherent to each of these two contemporary intellects, it is the contention of this paper that the objections leveled against Plantinga’s argument in particular, although insightful and worthy of attention, ultimately fall short of their intended goal in undermining the rational basis of theistic belief.