Comments due by 11:59pm Tuesday, October 1.
This week we started considering fideism, looking at how it might be characterized and why one might be attracted to such a view on faith and reason issues.
Consider this article, and accompanying TED talk located just above the article, by Diane Benscoter. She discusses religious extremism and the brain. She relays her own experiences with a religious cult. She wonders how she got duped.
Relate what she has to say here to fideism. Do her story and corresponding reflections raise any worries for fideism?
Interact with each other and challenge each other. Get after the issues and learn from one another. As always, be gracious, charitable, and humble.
Friday, September 27, 2013
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Peter van Inwagen on the Role of Philosophy in Religion
Comments due by 11:59pm Sunday (9/15).
We have been discussing in class faith and reason issues. In particular, we have been considering together whether the cognitive component of religious faith--one's religious beliefs--are subject to some rational standard and, if so, what that standard might be.
In this video interview, prominent Christian philosopher Peter van Inwagen (Notre Dame) discusses whether philosophy can illuminate religious belief, whether philosophy has anything helpful to say regarding say religious belief.
What do you make of van Inwagen's claims here? Is he right about the role or function of philosophy with respect to religious belief?
As always, be sure to challenge and push one another. Take advantage of this opportunity to think together in community, to cultivate good habits of thinking and the practice of sustained reflection upon matters of incredible significance. And be sure to be gracious, charitable, and humble throughout.
We have been discussing in class faith and reason issues. In particular, we have been considering together whether the cognitive component of religious faith--one's religious beliefs--are subject to some rational standard and, if so, what that standard might be.
In this video interview, prominent Christian philosopher Peter van Inwagen (Notre Dame) discusses whether philosophy can illuminate religious belief, whether philosophy has anything helpful to say regarding say religious belief.
What do you make of van Inwagen's claims here? Is he right about the role or function of philosophy with respect to religious belief?
As always, be sure to challenge and push one another. Take advantage of this opportunity to think together in community, to cultivate good habits of thinking and the practice of sustained reflection upon matters of incredible significance. And be sure to be gracious, charitable, and humble throughout.
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
McGrath, Wierenga, and Schellenberg on Faith and Reason
Comments due by 11:59pm this Sunday (9/8).
In class we are moving to consider the relationship between faith and reason.Certainly we hear quite a lot about faith and the importance (or danger) of faith. We hear from some that faith and reason are at odds, that faith is best conceived of as something like belief in the absence of, or even opposed to, the evidence. Others seem to think that faith can be quite reasonable or rational, and they then offer us reasons for thinking that the content of their faith is true.
How are we to think about such things?
To help us toward that end, let's consider three brief interviews on the topic of faith and reason. First, here's an interview with Alister McGrath (Professor of Theology at King's College, London).
Second, here's an interview with Ed Wierenga (Professor of Philosophy and of Religion at the University of Rochester).
Third, and finally, here's an interview with J.L. Schellenberg (Professor of Philosophy at Mount Saint Vincent University).
There's certainly a lot to think about here in all of these interviews. Which claims struck you in each video? Which arguments did you find compelling? What objections might you have to some of the positions advanced? Were there some common themes found in each video? If so, what are those themes? After watching these videos, has your view of the relationship between faith and reason changed any? How so? How do you now think about faith and reason (even if your view did not change upon watching the videos)?
Push each other. Challenge each other. Demand reasons and arguments. Offer arguments. Raise objections. Ask questions. Learn from each other. And, as always, do so in a way that is gracious, charitable, and humble.
In class we are moving to consider the relationship between faith and reason.Certainly we hear quite a lot about faith and the importance (or danger) of faith. We hear from some that faith and reason are at odds, that faith is best conceived of as something like belief in the absence of, or even opposed to, the evidence. Others seem to think that faith can be quite reasonable or rational, and they then offer us reasons for thinking that the content of their faith is true.
How are we to think about such things?
To help us toward that end, let's consider three brief interviews on the topic of faith and reason. First, here's an interview with Alister McGrath (Professor of Theology at King's College, London).
Second, here's an interview with Ed Wierenga (Professor of Philosophy and of Religion at the University of Rochester).
Third, and finally, here's an interview with J.L. Schellenberg (Professor of Philosophy at Mount Saint Vincent University).
There's certainly a lot to think about here in all of these interviews. Which claims struck you in each video? Which arguments did you find compelling? What objections might you have to some of the positions advanced? Were there some common themes found in each video? If so, what are those themes? After watching these videos, has your view of the relationship between faith and reason changed any? How so? How do you now think about faith and reason (even if your view did not change upon watching the videos)?
Push each other. Challenge each other. Demand reasons and arguments. Offer arguments. Raise objections. Ask questions. Learn from each other. And, as always, do so in a way that is gracious, charitable, and humble.
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