The Need and Opportunities for Philosophical Studies on Religions and Religious Movements

Abstract

Today, academic studies on religions are dominated by sociology, the science of religion, and the history of religion. Not many researchers are philosophers. One can therefore say that philosophy is on the periphery of those studies. However, to understand religions, even the most precise descriptions of particular communities, their functioning, and their impact on individuals and society, are not enough. In order to learn why people join them, it is also necessary to examine their doctrines. Although theologians have long studied them, their research has met with serious accusations: theology was deemed unscientific, and theologians – not impartial. On the other hand, a philosopher can study religious doctrines without fear of such charges, as philosophy limits itself to rational considerations, does not refer to revealed truths, and does not proclaim any concept of salvation. In this text, I show what results the philosophical research of religious doctrines leads to, taking as an example doctrines of religious movements, which – in the opinion of their creators – constitute an alternative to Christianity. With the help of philosophy, the criteria for distinguishing religion/Christianity from a religious movement can be narrowed down to the inconsistencies in the doctrines of these movements and their general, irrational nature. This can be verified by pointing out serious errors, which are mostly the result of the founders’ own interpretation of biblical texts.

Keywords

• philosophy of religion
• religions
• religious movements
• religious doctrines
• veracity of doctrines
• rationality of doctrines