What's the difference between theology and the philosophy of religion?

Hillary

Theology, as the name suggests, is the knowledge of God or gods. I remember when I visited university to attend one of the few colleges I visited during my study, that I took great joy in visiting the empty classrooms on the top floor of the university. On the 15th floor you had a great sight over the city, and in the light of the undergoing Sun, lightening up the small specks of dust in the empty classes, you could feel somehow how it was to be God, looking at the silent, small busy world below, full of people heading home from work or other unknown locations. I never got to know if it was a coincidence that the theology department was seated on the top floor. I thought it to be strange that there was a theology department in a university überhaupt. It could be though that it has to do with the university being based on the Christian belief. The study is called "religion and theology", while on the other major university, non-religious and far removed from mine, the study is called, get this, "science of religion". I'm not sure if both studies are the same as far as content or intention is considered. The upper-floor experience was great though, and once in a while I sneak in to visit empty college after hours. The button besides the elevator is single: "I wanna go down"...

Now, philosophy of (theist) religion is about gods just the same. But the two are not the same, obviously. Still, the philosophy of science is not an anthropological study of religion. Anthropology investigates religions of foreign cultures. Without actually believing in the gods investigated. The philosophy of religion is usually limited to the western omnipotent monster as it originated in ancient Greece from the multitude of gods. The pantheist vision was replaced by the One Omni God Xenophanes had in mind ("Xenophanes espoused a belief that "God is one, supreme among gods and men, and not like mortals in body or in mind." He maintained there was one greatest God.") which finely resonated with the idea cooked up in his time of a man- ndependent reality (Plato's mathematical realm) possible to be investigated and only approximately knowable (in Plato's case by math, another Greek invention, closely related to logic). An attitude still alive in modern times (Popper, for example, as testified by many scientists).

Is the philosophy of religion an anthropology of western religion? Is the relation that philosophy of religion has with theology the same as the relation the the philosophy of science has with science? Is the philosophy of religion the philosophy of God or gods?.
Any thought is welcome! Spit it out!

SpaceDweller

I'm not expert in definitions but I think philosophy of religion considers wide range of religions including all concepts of religion such as faith, dogma, God etc.
Theology on another hand is only about specific religion and only about dogma or doctrine based on scriptures.

Angelo Cannata

Here is the difference: theology is done from the inside of a religion: you must be a believer, belonging to that religion, in order to produce theology. An atheist or a Muslim cannot do Christian theology, a Christian cannot do Muslim theology. Theology is this: you belong to a religion and you try to build a structured understanding of your religion.
Instead, anybody can produce philosophy of any religlion, because, as a philosopher you are independent and you are free to produce your philosophical understanding of that religion, from the point of view of your philosophy. In this case, what you are doing is not theology: in philosophy of religion you can even question in full every meaning of that religion. An atheist can do a philosophy of Christianity, interpreting the phenomenon of Christian religion from his point if view.
In your philosophy of Christian religion you can even claim that God does not exist. Instead, if you are in the context of Christian theology, saying that God does not exist is a nonsense, a contradiction, it just means that you are not doing Christian theology.

180 Proof

For fucks' sake ...

Is the philosophy of religion an anthropology of western religion? — Hillary

No.

Is the relation that philosophy of religion has with theology the same as the relation the the philosophy of science has with science?

No.

Is the philosophy of religion the philosophy of God or gods?.

No.

... "theology" in relation to "philosophy of religion" is as apologetics in relation to hermeneutics, respectively. :victory:

Hillary

For my two shekels, "theology" in relation to "philosophy of religion" is as apologetics in relation to hermeneutics, respectively. — 180 Proof

To return the shekels, isn't it the other way round, i.e., "theology" is the "hermeneutics", and the "philosophy of religion" the "apologetics"?

↪Angelo Cannata

Indeed. Theology is the science of gods. And like a philosopher of science does not need to believe in science neither does a philosopher of religion have to believe in gods.

Paulm12

I will say as with any set of academic fields, they tend to be delineated based on the research that people who self-identify in the field (or who are hired in these departments) publish as opposed to any hard boundaries between the two. It can be hard to delineate between chemistry and chemical engineering (same subject matter, plenty of research could be published in a journal from either one, etc), theology and philosophy of religion have plenty of overlap as well.
Just as I like to say that musical genres exist to categorize produced music as opposed to produce categorized music, the same could be said about philosophy of religion and theology.

180 Proof

isn't it the other way round, i.e., "theology" is the "hermeneutics", and the "philosophy of religion" the "apologetics"? — Hillary

No. :sweat:

Hillary

↪180 Proof

I knew it! :lol:

Hillary

↪180 Proof

Well, it depends. Apologetics is the defense of gods. Hermeneuticss is about the interpretation of the gods.

180 Proof

Hermeneuticss is about the interpretation of ~~the gods~~. — Hillary

No, hermeneutics is the philological-critical discipline of interpreting (ancient) texts such as "sacred scriptures" (in which "gods", etc are featured characters) canonized by religions in order to function as foundations for ecclesiastical dogmas. On the other hand, theology (a subset of classical metaphysics) is about "the gods or God" as if they are not empty names (which, of course, they are).

Another analogy you might grok, lil troll, comes to mind – theology : "Sauron" :: phil. of religion : Lord of the Rings :fire:

Hillary

No, hermeneutics is the philological-critical discipline of interpreting (ancient) texts such as "sacred scriptures" (in which "gods", etc are featured characters) canonized by religions in order to function as foundations for ecclesiastical dogmas — 180 Proof

Helleluya, brother Proof! 180 shekels right in the pocket!

Grmblbbgrrr.... deer god....for fucks' sake...

Hillary

Another analogy you might grok, lil troll, comes to mind – theology : "Sauron" :: phil. of religion : Lord of the Rings — 180 Proof

What the fuck...? Sauron would be the dark philosopher of religion, shining himself as the dark Lord into Frodo Balins, the true Lord of Rings and enlightened Hobbit, possessing the knowledge of the Sauron God. His theology enabled him beat the God beast hiding behind philosophy.

is about "the gods or God" as if they are not empty names (which, of course, they are). — 180 Proof

which is the question. The gods ontology is what philosophy of religion is about. Not the answer.

Sauron and the Lord... For dear fucks' sake...

javi2541997

↪Hillary

Christianity is a religion that sees itself as a promise of life, hope, comfort, and love. "Gospel" in English is from Old English gôd, "good," and spell, "tale." This translates Greek Euangélion, "good news" -- whence the term "evangelism."

Many people, however, see the promise of Christianity as a threat, not as good news. If you don't join this religion, you are going to Hell, no matter how good a person you may otherwise be. Outside the Church is damnation. Jesus said (John 14:6), "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

Faith is the foundation of things hoped for,
and the evidence of things not seen. :flower: :death:

On the other hand…

Just as the boatman sits in his small boat, trusting his frail craft in a stormy sea that is boundless in every direction, rising and falling with the howling, mountainous waves, so in the midst of a world full of suffering and misery the individual man calmly sits, supported by and trusting the principium individuationis, or the way in which the individual knows things as appearance. - Arthur Schopenhauer

Hillary

Christianity is a religion that sees itself as a promise of life, hope, comfort, and love. "Gospel" in English is from Old English gôd, "good," and spell, "tale." This translates Greek Euangélion, "good news" -- whence the term "evangelism." — javi2541997

An inconvenient truth! Hilarious, even! The happy message, the story that relieves! All depression gone in the blink of an eye. No anti-depressants needed. The best medicin to conquer the beast of depression ot keep it at bay! Says the Jehova witness with his foot between the door to push the message in. That's the main problem: the need to push the happy fodder down your throat.

Many people, however, see the promise of Christianity as a threat, not as good news. If you don't join this religion, you are going to Hell, no matter how good a person you may otherwise be. Outside the Church is damnation. Jesus said (John 14:6), "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." — javi2541997

Indeed! Christ had a fully blown Jesus complex. "Accept me, or your ass will be kicked in hell eternally!" He must have had a rough childhood. Do we know about his younger days?

On the other hand…

Just as the boatman sits in his small boat, trusting his frail craft in a stormy sea that is boundless in every direction, rising and falling with the howling, mountainous waves, so in the midst of a world full of suffering and misery the individual man calmly sits, supported by and trusting the principium individuationis, or the way in which the individual knows things as appearance. - Arthur Schopenhaue — javi2541997

Let's just keep that where it is: "On the other hand"...

:starstruck:

180 Proof

The difference between "theology" and "philosophy of religion" is analoguous to the difference between persecution and emancipation.

Hillary

The difference between "theology" and "philosophy of religion" is analoguous to the difference between persecution and emancipation — 180 Proof

Dear father of the holy gods... The confused thoughts of the spinozatic freethinker. I'll pray to all gods for you, brother Proof. But I think it will be in vain. I let the gallow be prepaired...

Agent Smith

Theology is thinking for religion; Philosophy of religion is thinking of religion. The former attempts to find a good foundation for theistic doctrines, the latter examines it. :snicker:

Jackson

Theology is thinking for religion; Philosophy of religion is thinking of religion. The former attempts attempts to find a good foundation for theistic doctrines, the latter examines it. — Agent Smith

Fair definition. Agree.

Agent Smith

Fair definition. Agree. — Jackson

Semantics...

Hillary

Theology is thinking for religion; Philosophy of religion is thinking of religion. The former attempts to find a good foundation for theistic doctrines, the latter examines it. :snicker: — Agent Smith

Finally, the voice of rational, cool reason, offering clear insight. :cool: :ok:

Agent Smith

Finally, the voice of rational, cool reason, offering clear insight. :cool: — Hillary

:blush:

180 Proof

↪180 Proof

... inquisition and inquiry.

Agent Smith

Dear father of the holy gods — Hillary

:snicker: Quick, you have a 2 minute window before he does his disappearing act! :pray:

Hillary

Quick, you have a 2 minute window before he does his disappearing act! — Agent Smith

:lol:

Shit! Too late! Gotta wait for his second coming...

SpaceDweller

Many people, however, see the promise of Christianity as a threat, not as good news. If you don't join this religion, you are going to Hell, no matter how good a person you may otherwise be. — javi2541997

This is far from truth, if I recall correctly epistle to the Romans says one can be saved by good deeds if it never had a chance to hear the gospel or become Christian.

Jackson

This is far from truth, if I recall correctly epistle to the Romans says one can be saved by good deeds if it never had a chance to hear the gospel or become Christian. — SpaceDweller

I never heard of a church believing that.

Agent Smith

Shit! Too late! Gotta wait for his second coming... — Hillary

:snicker:

SpaceDweller

I never heard of a church believing that. — Jackson

it does, go ask any priest if you don't believe me.

Jackson

it does, go ask any priest if you don't believe me. — SpaceDweller

Priests are condemning of Protestants.

Hillary

↪Agent Smith

Just curious: sometimes there is a direct quote to posts, sometimes not. You use two computers?

Hillary

↪Agent Smith

Dio disse: "Non sono mica Mandrake!"

What's the difference between theology and the philosophy of religion?

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