Engaging Philosophies of Religion - (Expanding Philosophy of Religion) (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

How can philosophy of religion become more diverse in content and method? How can we take a multiplicity of stories into account and teach a truly inclusive philosophy of religion?

This edited collection invites us to rethink philosophy of religion by offering 18 distinct approaches to teaching philosophy of religion. Engaging texts and thinkers from multiple traditions and standpoints, it constructs a method and terminology of philosophy of religion and presents an opportunity to change philosophy of religion at a fundamental level.

Each chapter outlines a framework for approaching religion within a tradition: monotheism in Christianity, Insan-ity in Akbari Sufism, Qi in Daoism, embodiment in neuroscience, naturalism in the atheism debates, and non-territorialism located in 19th century debates on cartography. Drawing from religions and philosophies from around the world and across history, contributors take care to stress the philosophical systems that metaphysical and moral truths belong to. Guided by the principle that traditions are not monolithic but diverse, and categories such as "indigenous religions" are political rather than descriptive in nature, they acknowledge historical context shapes the development of any philosophical system.

It is now openly acknowledged that if we do not change the underlying framework of the way we do philosophy of religion, we will always create subalterns. Promoting active interaction, this innovative and forward-looking collection points to a new way of dong philosophy of religion.

Review Quotes

"With its revolutionary "multi-entry approach", this book offers a mind-blowing reading experience and showcases the enrichment that comes from a multiplicity of voices.
Each chapter carefully articulates its philosophical method or paradigm on religious theories, practices, assumptions, their embodied expressions, political significance, or neurological underpinnings.
A treasure of comparison, respectful engagement, and careful disagreement awaits the reader as each chapter enters in dialogue with other chapters." --Chiara Robbiano, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Utrecht University, Netherlands

"This collection of essays presents to the reader a panoramic expanse of spiritual landscapes as well as a multitude of possible methodological approaches to deal with it - a breadth that has remained, in spite of all efforts to decolonialize and to diversify, beyond the usual range of the philosophy of religion. In this book, the discipline is considered as an irreducible plurality, where Christian and Muslim themes are on par with various Indian traditions, Chinese cosmology as well as African and Native American worldviews, none among them towering above the others." --Rein Raud, Distinguished Professor of Asian and Cultural Studies, School of Humanities, Tallinn University

"A rich, compelling collection challenging philosophers of religion to reimagine the discipline, confronting lingering biases and epistemic blind-spots from the colonial period and beyond. With important ideas that transcend philosophy, this multifaceted volume will interest sociologists, anthropologists and legal scholars grappling with the 'return' of religion and its implications across social life." --Prof Linsey McGoey, University of Essex, author of The Unknowers and No Such Thing as a Free Gift, UK

About the Author

Gereon Kopf is Professor of East Asian Religions and Philosophy of Religion at Luther College, USA. He is the Editor of the Journal of Buddhist Studies.

Purushottama Bilimoria Adjunct Lecturer at the California State University, USA and Principal Fellow of Historical and Philosophical Studies at The University of Melbourne, Australia. He is Senior Fellow Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies and Editor-in-Chief of Sophia, Journal of Philosophy of Religion.