Kant’s Notion of Divine Being considered in contrast with Schleiermacher’s

―An attempt to inquire into what it is to believe in Christian religion ―

Abstract

This essay is concerned with a theoretical contrast between the notions of “religion” of Kant and those of Schleiermacher, his contemporary thinker and critical reader of his treatises. In the philosophy of religion of Kant, where his “rational religion” puts forward several discussions of God, his concept of “deity” is characterized by attention to human desires and God’s support of human autonomy. On the other hand, Schleiermacher is critical of the portrayal of human beings as active, autonomous subjects; humanity is seen merely as passive and receptive. By comparing the notions of divinity of the two philosophers, this essay tries to establish two different views on the nature of “belief” in Christian religion.