About

Through philosophy and religion, humanity seeks answers to its greatest questions. Now, you are invited to explore philosophy and religion with Fr. Joseph J. Godfrey. In the second century, the theologian Tertullian asked, "What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?" As you will see, the history and methods of philosophy are deeply intertwined with those of religion. Learning about the philosophy of religion will help you understand your own Christian faith as never before. In these insightful lectures, you will join a leading expert in exploring ideas that have captured the imaginations of scholars and the everyday believers alike. Along the way, you'll explore the insights of Thomistic philosophy, continental philosophy, and analytic philosophy. With fresh understanding, you'll explore familiar topics like the idea of God as Creator, arguments for God's existence, the concept of evil, miracles, and "design" arguments. You will consider knowing, believing, opining, and having faith in relation to reason. In particular, you will focus on Catholic concerns, such as faith and reason, as well as characteristic ways of speaking about God. You will examine Catholic thought about religion in relation to atheism and postmodernism. Ultimately, religion is a matter of hope. As French philosopher Maurice Blondel said, "Authentic philosophy is the holiness of reason." These lectures seek to reaffirm your faith by leading you to understand the reason behind religion. Enjoy this vital course today.

Related Subjects

Episodes

1. Introduction

25m

As one considers religion philosophically, one can imagine the "house" in which one lives, within which one recognizes familiar features, and across the street from which one sees, and may even visit, houses where others live. Philosophy includes critical evaluation of fundamental views, love of wisdom, and reflection on method in an area of study. It may be used within theology, or as rival to theology, or as common ground with theology.

2. Knowing, Believing, Opining, and Evidence

25m

This segment distinguishes among knowing, believing, having an opinion (or, "opining"), and faith-ing. Evidence is important in philosophy of religion. Knowing-that includes believing-that. To believe is to hold some statement as true. To opine is to hold some statement as true without enough support to serve as justification.

3. God: The Idea

25m

The idea of God could be summarized as the good qualities of humanity. Or the idea could be constructed as a socially useful idea. Or the idea of God could come from God. Ways of thinking about God include: one, eternal, infinite, independent, creator, knowing, powerful, loving, trustworthy, personal; and triune and savior.

4. God: From Idea to Conclusion

25m

The ontological argument, credited to Saint Anselm, proceeds from a definition of God as That Than Which None Greater Can Be Conceived to a conclusion that God exists. The central problem with this argument is the use of "is" in two ways: as signaling factuality or actual existence outside the mind, and as signaling belonging in a category or having descriptors. For instance, a unicorn has descriptors but not factuality outside the mind. Yet maybe Anselm's text is more prayer than argument.

5. God: Explaining a Fact by Cause

25m

The cosmological argument takes reasoning steps from a contingent existing fact to a sufficient explainer of that fact, namely a necessary being (that cannot be otherwise than existing). Challenges to the argument include the notion of contingency, the Principle of Sufficient Reason, no infinite regress in explanation, understanding causation, and necessary being as God.

6. God: Explaining Order or Pattern

25m

If a watch requires a watchmaker, does a world require a world-maker? Shall the world, or some part of it, be understood as a machine, or as an organism? The argument: For objective order that has a goal but not a mind, there may be, or must be, an intelligent provider of that order.

7. Miracles

25m

The miraculous includes what has power, is infrequent, provides benefit, is a sign, and has a relationship to nature. In this segment, consider the different definitions of miracles offered by Catholic teaching and the philosopher David Hume. Violations of the laws of nature? Extraordinary events? Signs of the supernatural? The jury hasn't come back yet.

8. Experience, Perhaps Religious

25m

An experience is a happening I am conscious of. William James suggests that religious experiences are ineffable, noetic, transient, and passive. The worth of experiences has to do with how they are understood, and understanding often has to do with explanation. How can one recognize the significance or genuineness of a religious experience?

9. Evil and Human Responsibility

25m

The logical form of the argument against God from the existence of evil is this: If God exists and is correctly described as omnipotent, omnibeneficient, and omniscient, then there is or would be no evil. But there is evil. Therefore God does not exist as described. How can one account for this apparent impasse?

10. Evil and Divine Responsibility

25m

An Augustinian theodicy understands evil as a defect, a lack, a disorder. Moral evil began with the first human beings and spills over into non-moral consequences of human malice. Evil continues in judgment, heaven, and hell. An Irenaean theodicy (after Saint Irenaeus) proposes a negative theodicy: A permanent hedonistic paradise would provide no occasions for virtues such as courage, patience, loyalty. A theodicy of divine goodness in the face of evil suggests that intimacy and life with God could overwhelm even the worst of evils.

Reviews

"Donald Goergen OP has been an active teacher and author for many years, with a dissertation on the Christology of Karl Barth and Teilhard de Chardin; a very well regarded book on human sexuality, and a four volume work on Christology. Also a work on the Holy Spirit. Fr Goergen is a contemplative person, very much in tune with contemporary spirituality. He has carried many administrative responsib

Extended Details

SeriesIntroduction to the Philosophy of Religion

Closed CaptionsEnglish

Artists

Joseph J. GodfreyDirector

Joseph J. GodfreyActor

Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion - Season 1