Book Review

Natural Theology for the Young: Demonstrations of the Creator’s Existence Derived from Created Beings, Prepared for Publication by Recep Alpyağıl and Abdulkadir Öztürk, Konya: Çizgi Publishing, 2025.

Abstract

This study examines the new edition of Thomas H. Gallaudet's work, "Natural Theology for Young People" (1832), based on the Armenian-script Turkish version, and evaluates the text from multiple perspectives. This edition, meticulously prepared by Abdulkadir Öztürk and Recep Alpyağıl, is noteworthy both for its visibility as part of a historical translation tradition and as one of the first and rare examples in Turkish to explicitly bear the title "Natural Theology". The work fills an important gap in Turkish literature. Written in the form of a dialogue between a mother and her son, the text appeals to young readers and shares similarities with William Paley's "Natural Theology" in various respects. Gallaudet relies heavily on the argument from design by analogy. The text is significant as an early natural theology work aimed at young people, notable for its extensive use of contemporary scientific literature, its reflection of period-specific terminology due to its nature as a translation, and its pedagogical structure that encourages reasoning practice among young readers.