 Seth's scope of reference, the subtlety of his arguments, his familiarity with the most recent advances in evolutionary biology and experimental psychology make The Idea of God a remarkable work. It represents a synthesis of profound learning that extended over almost half a century, from his days as a student until close to his retirement as a Professor. In his retirement Seth published two more substantial books, one of them a second set of Gifford Lectures, yet there is no doubt that The Idea of God is his finest work, and a major philosophical accomplishment by any standard. Issued by Britain's most prestigious academic publisher, the Clarendon Press at Oxford University, the book was widely reviewed and highly acclaimed at the time of its publication. Yet it did not long retain the attention it received at first, and subsequently sank into obscurity. In the last hundred years it has almost never been referred to. Given its merits, why should this be?