Saints as Divine Evidence

In Saints As Divine Evidence, Robert MacSwain explores 'the hagiological argument' for God, that is, human holiness as evidence for the divine being. Providing an overview of the contested place of evidence in religious belief, and a case study of someone whose short but compelling life allegedly bore witness to the reality of God, MacSwain surveys sainthood as understood in philosophy of religion, ethics, Christian theology, church history, comparative religion, and cultural studies. With epistemological and hagiological frameworks established, he then further identifies and analyzes three distinct forms of the argument, which he calls the propositional, the perceptual, and the performative. Each version understands both evidence and sainthood differently, and the relevant concepts include exemplarity, inference, altruism, perception, religious experience, performativity, narrative, witness, and embodiment.  MacSwain's study expands the standard list of theistic arguments and moves the discussion from purely logical and empirical considerations to include spiritual, ethical, and personal issues as well.

• Brings together analytic philosophy of religion with a wide range of other disciplines, including Christian theology, church history, comparative religion, and cultural studies
• Provides case studies of various people thought to be saintly, including less well-known figures such as Hugh Lister and Etty Hillesum, as well as one whose posthumous moral reputation has been severely damaged, namely Jean Vanier
• Provides an expansion of the standard list of theistic arguments, moving this discussion from purely logical and empirical considerations to spiritual, ethical, and personal ones as well