Continental Philosophy of Religion Elements in the Philosophy of Religion Series

This Element presents key features from the writings on religion of twelve philosophers working in or influenced by the continental tradition (Hegel, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Heidegger, Rosenzweig, Tillich, Derrida, Caputo, Levinas, Hadot, Jantzen, and Anderson). It argues for a hybrid methodology which enables transformational religious responses to the problems associated with human existence (the existential problems of meaning, suffering, and death) to be supported both by reasoned argument and by revelation, narrative philosophy, and experiential verification.

1. What is Continental philosophy of religion?; 2. The nature of faith – Hegel and Kierkegaard; 3. The non-existence of God – Nietzsche and Heidegger; 4. Twentieth-century existentialism – Rosenzweig and Tillich; 5. Re-visioning religious language – Derrida and Caputo; 6. The existential problem of evil – Nietzsche, Levinas and Hadot; 7. Feminist philosophy of religion – Jantzen and Anderson; 8. Concluding reflections.