The analogy of religion

Joseph Butler's 'The Analogy of Religion' presents a philosophical defense of Christianity by arguing that human nature and the moral order of the world are better explained by Christian doctrines than by deist objections.

Butler examines human experience, the regularity and irregularity of nature, and moral government to show Christianity's explanatory power.

Written in response to rising skepticism and deism, the book seeks to show that apparent imperfections do not disprove divine providence.

Butler's style is measured and his argument influential in Christian apologetics, affecting both theologians and philosophers.

The work remained a central reference in debates over religion and reason throughout the 18th and 19th centuries.