Philosophy

Philosophy Study Guide

● If you believe in an all-powerful, all-good supernatural being, how is it possible to account for the existence of evil in the world? ● Is reason relevant to religious faith? If we as individuals can become more enlightened regarding religion, then we can share this more informed perspective with others; by doing so, we can evaluate their understanding in an effort to create a more peaceful, tolerant world. The philosophy of religion seeks not to indoctrinate, convert, or assert the legitimacy of one religion over another. Rather, the philosophy of religion explores the reasons for and the nature of religious belief across cultures and societies. 3.2 What is Religion? The twentieth-century philosopher Fredrick Streng wrote about religious life across the world’s religions. In his textbook, Ways of Being Religious , he searches for a definition of religion that encompasses all of the world’s religion. In his essay, he asks the following: ● Does your definition reduce religion to what happen to be acquainted with by accident of birth and socialization? ● Does your definition reflect a bias on your part positive or negative toward religion as a whole, or toward a particular religion? ● Does your definition limit religion to what it has been in the past, and nothing else, or does your definition make it possible to speak of emerging forms of religion? ● Does your definition have sufficient precision? Streng’s essay suggests the variety of approaches that exist for thinking about religion focus on two different ideas: The idea that religion is a projection upon the universe of our human hopes, fears, and ideals; and on the other side is the idea that religion is a human response to a transcendent reality. Streng encourages us to consider developing a definition that is not excessively limited or biased, offering his own definition of religion as a means towards ultimate transformation. 3.3 Feuerbach: God is a Human Projection Many religions assert that God created humans in God’s image. The German philosopher Ludwig Feuerbach contended the reverse is true—that is humans created God in their own image. This is because there is at the center of ourselves, known as estrangement meaning, we are divided into two selves: our actual selves (the way we are) and our idealized selves (the way we would like to be). Our unconscious solution is to unconsciously project our idealized perfection (what we ought to be) as a divine being (God). At the same time, we project our own actual existence as one of sin and imperfection in comparison with this perfect being. Feuerbach’s goal was not to destroy traditional religion but to transform it into a secular humanism that he called realized Christianity. He believed this would liberate humans to turn their attention from worshipping a God that existed only as a projected image and redirect their attention and devotion to all humankind. This new religion would be secular because it was not supernatural in nature and humanism because it is devoted solely to

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