Kant's Philosophy of Religion—A Provocation to the Historical Religions1

Abstract

In this chapter, the author opposes a traditional line of interpretation, according to which Kant’s enlightened philosophy of religion supposes that harmony is possible between his conception of religion within the limits of reason and the historical religions of revelation, at least coexistence without conflict. Kant holds up the idea that moral rational religion marks the completion of his systematic reflection of morals. However, the historical religions of revelation stand in opposition to the concept of a moral rational religion. They cannot claim a position within the system of pure practical reason. According to Kant, human beings don’t have a sensorium for the reception of supernatural messages. Inversely, it is impossible that human beings affect God. Hence for him all phenomena of an explicit worship must be irrational phenomena. Faced with pretended Holy Scriptures, he contends the superiority of reason over these scriptures. He rejects specific religious statutory laws because they necessarily include the potential of violent conflicts among different historical religions. In the long run, there is no other reasonable goal in history than the end of this type of religion. By means of increasing enlightenment, which is not itself violent but intellectually offensive, this goal can be reached.