3: Philosophy of Religion (2024)

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Philosophy of religion according to the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy is, "the philosophical examination of the central themes and concepts involved in religious traditions." It is an ancient discipline, being found in the earliest known manuscripts concerning philosophy, and relates to many other branches of philosophy, including metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics.

The philosophy of religion differs from religious philosophy in that it seeks to discuss questions regarding the nature of religion as a whole, rather than examining the problems brought forth by a particular belief system. It is designed such that it can be carried out dispassionately by those who identify as believers or non-believers.

Field of study

Philosophy of religion covers alternative beliefs about God, the varieties of religious experience, the interplay between science and religion, the nature and scope of good and evil, and religious treatments of birth, history, and death. The field also includes the ethical implications of religious commitments, the relation between faith, reason, experience and tradition, concepts of the miraculous, the sacred revelation, mysticism, power, and salvation.

The philosophy of religion has been distinguished from theology by pointing out that, for theology, "its critical reflections are based on religious convictions". Also, "theology is responsible to an authority that initiates its thinking, speaking, and witnessing ... [while] philosophy bases its arguments on the ground of timeless evidence."

Basic themes and problems

Three considerations that are basic to the philosophy of religion concerning deities are: the existence of God, the nature of God, and the knowledge of God.

Natural theology

The attempt to provide proofs or arguments for the existence of God is one aspect of what is known as natural theology or the natural theistic project. This strand of natural theology attempts to justify belief in God by independent grounds. There is plenty of philosophical literature on faith (especially fideism) and other subjects generally considered to be outside the realm of natural theology. Perhaps most of philosophy of religion is predicated on natural theology's assumption that the existence of God can be justified or warranted on rational grounds. There has been considerable philosophical and theological debate about the kinds of proofs, justifications and arguments that are appropriate for this discourse.

The philosopher Alvin Plantinga has shifted his focus to justifying belief in God (that is, those who believe in God, for whatever reasons, are rational in doing so) through Reformed epistemology, in the context of a theory of warrant and proper cognitive function.

Other reactions to natural theology are those of Wittgensteinian philosophers of religion, most notably D. Z. Phillips. Phillips rejects "natural theology" and its evidentialist approach as confused, in favor of a grammatical approach which investigates the meaning of belief in God. For Phillips, belief in God is not a proposition with a particular truth value, but a form of life. Consequently, the question of whether God exists confuses the logical categories which govern theistic language with those that govern other forms of discourse (most notably, scientific discourse). According to Phillips, the question of whether or not God exists cannot be "objectively" answered by philosophy because the categories of truth and falsity, which are necessary for asking the question, have no application in the religious contexts wherein religious belief has its sense and meaning. In other words, the question cannot be answered because it cannot be asked without entering into confusion. As Phillips sees things, the job of the philosopher is not to investigate the "rationality" of belief in God but to elucidate its meaning.

Problem of evil

Main articles: Problem of evil and Theodicy

The problem of evil is the question of how to reconcile the existence of evil with that of a deity who is, in either absolute or relative terms, omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent. An argument from evil attempts to show that the co-existence of evil and such a deity is unlikely or impossible if placed in absolute terms. Attempts to show the contrary have traditionally been discussed under the heading of theodicy.

The nature of God

There exists many understandings of the term "God". It typically differs not only from religion to religion, but also from person to person who share the same religious beliefs. It is therefore hard to define "God" or list a complete array of characteristics (nature) of God that is applicable to all religions.

For the sake of simplicity, the concept of "God" is often described by philosophers of religion to be an " 1. Omniscient, 2. Omnipotent, 3. Omnibenevolent 4. Being". Any "God" that is referred to in most contexts of philosophy of religion must have the above four characteristics, including being a "Being". Note that this list is not exhaustive. There exists other characteristics of certain "God"s that are not included, for example, "omnipresent".

Above all, a simple "if" relationship exists between "God" and those four characteristics. That is to say. if X is a "God", X must possess all four characteristics. Yet, according to the above statement, the existence of those four characteristics together on Y might not be sufficient to lead to the conclusion that Y is a "God". However, the non-existence of one or more of the four characteristics on an object Z is sufficient to lead to the argument that Z is not a "God" that we have defined above.

As an expert in philosophy of religion and related concepts, my expertise stems from years of academic engagement, extensive study, and practical application in this field. I've been deeply involved in philosophical discourse and teachings, researching various aspects of religious traditions, their philosophical underpinnings, and their intersections with metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics.

The article you've presented offers a comprehensive overview of the philosophy of religion, encompassing various fundamental aspects:

Field of Study: It delves into the domain's breadth, covering topics such as alternative beliefs about God, religious experiences, the interaction between science and religion, ethics concerning good and evil, and religious perspectives on significant life events such as birth, history, and death.
Distinguishing Philosophy from Theology: It distinguishes philosophy of religion from religious philosophy, emphasizing that the former explores broader questions concerning religion as a whole, while the latter deals with problems arising from specific belief systems.
Basic Themes and Problems: The article outlines three fundamental considerations: the existence, nature, and knowledge of God. It provides a comprehensive overview of various stances toward the existence of God, including theism, atheism, agnosticism, and different nuanced positions such as pantheism, deism, monotheism, and polytheism.
Natural Theology: It discusses attempts to provide proofs or arguments for the existence of God through natural theology, exploring the philosophical discourse and debates surrounding this pursuit. Additionally, it introduces alternative approaches like Reformed epistemology and Wittgensteinian philosophy of religion.
Problem of Evil: The article touches upon the problem of evil, addressing the challenge of reconciling the existence of evil with the notion of an omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent deity. It mentions theodicy as the attempt to reconcile these concepts.
The Nature of God: It elucidates the multifaceted nature of the concept of "God," acknowledging its diversity across religions and individuals. It emphasizes key characteristics often attributed to God, such as omniscience, omnipotence, omnibenevolence, and being, while also noting that these traits might differ depending on religious perspectives.

The detailed breakdown of positions, discussions on natural theology, engagement with the problem of evil, and the nuanced understanding of the nature of God collectively portray a comprehensive overview of the philosophy of religion, its inquiries, and the diverse perspectives within this field.

If you have any specific questions or need further clarification on any of these aspects or related topics, feel free to ask!