NTT Journal for Theology and the Study of Religion - Volume 78, Issue 2, 2024

What is Philosophy of Religion?

This article focuses on the question what philosophy of religion is about. There is a lot of confusion, and therefore I start with a discussion of the often forgotten origin of the discipline (1). Second, I discuss the view of Wim Drees (2), before giving my own view, which is much more oriented towards the phenomena of religion and religiosity in a particular historical context (3). Finally, I try to explain the decline of the field in the Netherlands (4).

The Decline of Dutch Philosophy of Religion: In Discussion with Willem B. Drees

In response to Drees’ recount of the history of the Leyden chair in philosophy of religion, I inquire about the decline of philosophy of religion in Dutch universities since the 1980s. I argue that this decline is linked to the educational structure established in 1876, which separated theology into a state-controlled secular faculty and a church-controlled ministerial program. While officially secular, the state faculty was predominantly Protestant, with liberal Protestant scholars dominating. Philosophy of religion, taught mainly by liberal Protestant theologians, played a pivotal role in providing the theological synthesis that had traditionally been provided by dogmatics. However, with the emergence of religious studies in the 1980s, philosophy of religion, perceived as too entrenched in theological discourse, struggled to find acceptance.

Tiele’s Demise

Building on the fascinating history of the Leiden chair in philosophy of religion that Wim Drees has recently published, this short note quickly delves into the history of its twin sister, the Leiden chair in the Study of Religion, whose 150th anniversary we hope to celebrate in 2027. This note attempts to understand the mutual limitations that the study of religion and philosophy of religion imposed on each other. Both fields had a huge price to pay: philosophy of religion became central in Dutch theology, but eventually disappeared, whereas the study of religion remained marginal but managed to survive.

Why has Academic Philosophy of Religion Disappeared in The Netherlands? The question why academic philosophy of religion disappeared in the Netherlands has been raised by Arie L. Molendijk, Marcel Sarot and Albert F. de Jong. Central to their arguments is the way philosophers of religion positioned themselves. Contrary to this ‘internal’ emphasis, I will argue that the disappearance of philosophy of religion is a consequence of developments in society. As society changed, the choices of potential students changed, and university administrators followed. That has not much to do with the specific way in which academic philosophers of religion understood their own discipline.