Philosophy of Religion and the Future of Religion

Abstract

No religion is more deserving of philosophical attention than all others, and philosophy of religion should reflect a broad understanding of the religious experience of humanity. The field should also include within its purview these topics: future directions religion might and should take; whether religion can make progress; what this progress might consist in and how it might be facilitated; whether we human beings may be at an early stage in our religious development; and whether there may be skills or capacities or dispositions or the like we do not possess now but could possess in the future, and that might help us to make religious progress. So part of the focus of this essay is on expanding the scope of the field. However, as we pursue religious progress we should narrow our focus somewhat and pay special attention to traditions that are above a certain normative threshold, some elements of which I introduce. Drawing on recent work by John Bishop, I propose that a religion merits special attention in this context when moral progress is reflected in its metaphysical posits. Avoiding excessive confidence in our assertions about religious matters and avoiding denigrating attitudes to religious outsiders are also elements that may reasonably be considered essential for being above this threshold. Being above the relevant threshold and therefore qualifying for special attention as we pursue religious progress will be a matter of scoring highly in terms of all relevant elements.