Download Some Implications of Westphal

A2 Religious Studies: Paper 4: Implications.
Some Implications of Westphal
Question: if Westphal’s article is correct, what does this mean for our
understanding of religious belief and being human?
1. If we become more preoccupied with investigating the ‘philosophy of religion’
rather that ‘philosophical theology’, what are we leaving behind? What are
the real implications for forgetting the ‘God-bit’?
2. Deism (separating faith and reason, with God as a creator who does not
intervene) somewhat leaves us on our own. What is the point of living a
good life if God is no longer involved and is not immanent? What is the point
of religious practice other than for thanking a creator?
3. The Enlightenment (promoting reason while tradition/authority questioned)
could be considered limiting for those who do not have the capacity to
understand reason or who argue from a posteriori positions.
4. Hume and Kant’s critiques of the classic arguments for God’s existence had
great implications for understanding philosophy and theology. This opening of
this can of worms left many people’s personal beliefs and arguments in tatters
and a new way to understand and reason for God needed to be found.
5. Where Kant claims that ‘there is no knowledge of God by means of pure (a
priori) theoretical reason, we can have such knowledge by means of pure
practical reason’ we need to question whether practical reasons will suffice.
What are the Implications of not relying on logical reason but arguing from a
moral basis?
6. Kant’s two claims that ‘morality does not need religion at all’ and ; ‘morality
leads inevitably to religion,’ make us question the relationship between
religion and morality. Would religion have any function if it did not inspire
morality and how ought it to effect how we live our lives.
7. While some say that we should rely on reason, Schleiermacher suggests that
‘feeling’ is the key to understanding religion and faith. What are the
Implications for trusting our feelings?
8. Hegel on the other hand, suggests that ‘the content of religion and
philosophy are the same but the differ in form….only a thoroughgoing
reinterpretation of philosophical concepts of idea and Spirit can…provide us
with concepts suitable for doing philosophical theology’. But what are the
implications for taking a philosophical and logical approach to faith rather
than one based on feeling and experience?
Merold Westphal: Religious Experience.