Does religious belief infect philosophical analysis?

Abstract

One popular conception of natural theology holds that certain purely rational arguments are insulated from empirical inquiry and independently establish conclusions that provide evidence, justification, or proof of God's existence. Yet, some raise suspicions that philosophers' and theologians' personal religious beliefs inappropriately affect these kinds of arguments. I present an experimental test of whether philosophers' and theologians' argument analyses are influenced by religious commitments. The empirical findings suggest that religious belief affects philosophical analysis and offer a challenge to theists and atheists, alike: re-evaluate the scope of natural theology's conclusions or acknowledge and begin to address the influence of religious belief.