Introduction to Philosophy of Religion
This is the home page for my Philosophy of Religion students.
Philosophy of religion differs from Religious Studies and Theology in important ways.
In Religious Studies the doctrines, rituals, and cultures of religious traditions are studied from something akin to a sociological point of view. While the specific beliefs of religions are analyzed and dissected in religious studies, the beliefs themselves are not meant to be endorsed and approved, or conversely, disparaged and condemned. This means that it would be inappropriate for a professor of Religious Studies to professionally condemn a religious belief because, say, it lacked coherence or moral worth.
While philosophers of religion would do well to "tread lightly" when analyzing religions, philosophers of religion are merely doing their jobs when they critique religious beliefs for coherence and moral worth. Philosophers of religion are supposed to analyze the reasons for religious belief and to then pass judgment on those reasons. Its not that professors of religious studies cannot pass judgment on these same issues, indeed everyone including those in religious studies do pass judgments on religious matters. The difference is just that passing judgment is not in the "job description" of religious studies while it is in the "job description" of philosophy of religion.
On the other hand, theologians are almost professional beleivers. To be a theologian means to blend philosophy, religious studies and faith. The addition of faith is important because it is not just a personal addition but a professional addition. A theologian who is also an atheist is in the wrong profession. One cannot be a theologian without faith. And so, theologians are not as professionally objective as those in religious studies or philosophy of religion. This is not to say that those in religious studies or philosophy of religion cannot be biased! I only mean that their professions do not require them to have a bias.
So, philosophers of religion are the group professionally able to critique and pass judgment on religious belief without bias. But, are we capable of living up to our professional ideals? I would like to think that some of us do live up to this ideal but it would be foolish of me to presume that we all succeed at objectivity about religious belief. The most I feel comfortable in claiming about myself is that I pursue objectivity. Being an open minded but fairly critical philosopher of religion is one of my goals. I think that I often come close to success but I also realize that I can never fully succeed. Wisdom is found in the pursuing, not in the finding.