This project aims to bring about a renewal of the philosophy of religion by introducing approaches from the German-language tradition into the international debate. It is the project's goal to start a process of reflection within the philosophy of religion and to enable a fruitful reorientation of research. The project is funded by the DFG.
The philosophy of religion in its present (analytic) form finds itself in a certain state of torpor due to (a) the restriction of the concept of religion to theism, (b) the focus on Christianity as a paradigm, and (c) the deepening divide between analytic and continental approaches.
A renewal is therefore needed which encompasses a critical discussion of the self-image, the tasks and the methods of philosophy of religion. The attempts at renewal and reorientation have so far taken place almost exclusively in the English-speaking domain, and are therefore also determined by the dominant issues there. The German-speaking context, with its own rich philosophical tradition, is standing on the sidelines.
Against this background, the research network seeks to make a two-fold contribution to the running debate and to the reorientation of research in philosophy of religion: first, the network will anchor the recent international debate about the renewal of analytic philosophy of religion in the German-speaking world and forge links to ongoing discourses in the German sphere. Second, approaches from the German tradition in philosophy of religion will be taken up and brought into these running debates.
It is the goal of the project to kick off a process of reflection and self-understanding within the (analytical) philosophy of religion regarding its tasks, methods, and aims, and thereby to find a starting point for a fruitful reorientation of contemporary research in the philosophy of religion.