The Two-Fold Task of Christian Philosophy of Religion

Abstract

Using Pierre Hadot’s idea of “philosophy as a way of life,” Bruce Ellis Benson argues that Christian philosophy of religion is ultimately about the practical task of living our lives. But he contends that this task is two-fold: it includes both theory and also practice. While analytic philosophy of religion (APR) tends to emphasize theory and continental philosophy of religion (CPR) tends to emphasize practice (admittedly, these generalizations are only true to a certain extent), APR and CPR are both part of a two-fold task. Throughout the chapter, Benson puts into question any hard distinction between theory and practice.