Possibilities for the Philosophical Discourse on Religion

Abstract

If we refer to the discussions of religion in various fields as the “discourse on religion,” then philosophy has served to expand the horizons of modern discourse on religion by thematizing and objectifying religion in a reflective manner. Positing religion as the Other of philosophy, this thematization of religion has also contributed to the construction of the identity of philosophy itself. We can identify four epochs or phases of philosophy’s discourse on religion: 1. enlightenment discourses; 2. alienation theories; 3. post-metaphysical discourses; 4. post-secular discourses. These epochs or stages are differentiated through the changing characteristics of three factors, namely: conceptions of religion, the “truth value” of religion, and the plausibility structure of religion. In our present era of post-secularity, the field of philosophy is being challenged to respond to claims about the “truth and validity” of religion, especially with respect to “religions of difference.”