Continental Philosophy of Religions

Catalog description

This course will provide a historical overview of how key philosophical thinkers have thought about religious themes within the philosophical tradition broadly known THE CURRICULUM 150 as Continental philosophy, beginning with Spinoza and ending with contemporary postmodern thinkers. We will engage with key questions of the modern period emerging from the challenge to traditional religious forms and belief systems, such as: What is the nature and existence of God? Can we understand God through rational thought? How do we make sense of evil? How is God reconcilable with a belief in human freedom? How do we make sense of religious pluralism and the existence of multiple belief systems? Does God actively work within human history? What is left of morality if we do not maintain a traditional belief in God? We will think about such questions comparatively and historically, discussing key thinkers and ideas from philosophical movements such as German idealism, phenomenology, existentialism, feminism, psychoanalytic theory, and poststructuralism and deconstruction. By the end of the course, students will have a broad understanding of the historical development of the field of Continental philosophy of religions, which should support further work in philosophy for interested students. Though primarily focused on Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish thinkers, as well as atheist and agnostic thinkers from these cultural backgrounds, there will be opportunities for students to explore the field of philosophy of religions within a Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Eastern Orthodox Christian, or other religious framework, if so interested. The Emergence of Christianity