PHIL30520 Philosophy of Religion

Academic Year 2022/2023

In this course, we will engage with some of the central questions in the philosophy of religion -- the philosophical study of religion and religious belief. Unlike theology, which typically takes place *within* a given religious tradition and therefore takes the fundamental truths of that tradition as a starting point, philosophy of religion investigates religion and religious belief 'from a logical point of view' -- we are interested in investigating some of the fundamental assumptions, concepts, and arguments underpinning religious traditions, in particular those of the Abrahamic faiths (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam). It follows that both believers and non-believers alike can engage productively and enjoyably with the questions we address. No prior knowledge of, or commitment to, any particular religious tradition is either required or assumed.

In terms of structure, the module is divided into two parts. Part I is taught by Dr Lisa Foran from Weeks 1-6, and Part II is taught by Prof. Christopher Cowley from Weeks 7-12.

Part I will focus on continental philosophy of religion from the 20th and 21st centuries. It will introduce students to thinkers such as Derrida, Levinas, Heidegger, Ricoeur, Kristeva, Irigaray, Marion, and Kearney (some and not all of these thinkers will be covered). The question in this part of the course will be: what does 'god' name? Does it make sense to talk about certain experiences as 'divine' without necessarily believing in 'God' understood in the Abrahamic (Christian, Jewish, or Muslim) sense? What impact does religion have on society, for example, in terms of race and gender?

In Part II, Prof. Cowley will look at three concepts that are central to most religious world-views, but especially to Christianity: faith, love and ethics. We will try to define each; we will compare religious and secular versions of each; and we will look at the sort of interpersonal conflicts that each might generate.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

As a result of studying this module, students will learn to:

1. THINK CRITICALLY about some classic and contemporary debates in the philosophy of religion
2. IDENTIFY some key ideas, concepts and theories in the philosophy of religion
3. SHOW AWARENESS of potential problems that have led to the refinement of those ideas and theories in the relevant debates
4. INTERPRET and UNDERSTAND some classic and contemporary texts in the philosophy of religion
5. WRITE a well-structured and well-argued philosophical essay that explains and critically assesses some of the key ideas and theories introduced in the module
6. ARTICULATE their own responses to philosophical views; support them with reasons; and defend them in the light of criticism



Indicative Module Content:

Part I will focus on continental philosophy of religion from the 20th and 21st centuries. It will introduce students to thinkers such as Derrida, Levinas, Heidegger, Ricoeur, Kristeva, Irigaray, Marion, and Kearney (some and not all of these thinkers will be covered). The question in this part of the course will be: what does 'god' name? Does it make sense to talk about certain experiences as 'divine' without necessarily believing in 'God' understood in the Abrahamic (Christian, Jewish, or Muslim) sense? What impact does religion have on society, for example, in terms of race and gender?

In Part II, Prof. Cowley will look at three concepts that are central to most religious world-views, but especially to Christianity: faith, love and ethics. We will try to define each; we will compare religious and secular versions of each; and we will look at the sort of interpersonal conflicts that each might generate.

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

24
Tutorial

7
Autonomous Student Learning

94
Total

125
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
1. TEACHING

The module is taught on the basis of (i) 24 lectures and (ii) 7 one-hour tutorials delivered by a graduate tutor.

In lectures, material will be presented by the lecturer, and students will be encouraged to discuss the material and raise questions with the lecturer.

In tutorials, students will have the opportunity to discuss and debate the week's readings and the material presented in the lectures in detail, as well as to raise questions concerning the material with the tutor. Students will often be divided into smaller groups who will discuss certain questions and then feed back their answers to the whole group. There will also be an opportunity to discuss essay plans and essay feedback in tutorials. Tutorials will often be structured around specific questions and readings provided in advance by the tutor or lecturer.

2. LEARNING

Learning for this module is centred around (i) content presented in lectures; (ii) readings and other content shared on Brightspace; (iii) discussion and debate in both lectures and tutorials; and (iv) writing and research. Students will be expected to read short set texts in advance of the lectures; to attend lectures; and to actively participate in tutorials.

Students will be supported in their learning of the module material by lecturers and tutors, both in person in lectures and tutorials, by email, and in set office hours. 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Essay: 1,800 word essay on part II Coursework (End of Trimester) n/a Graded No

50
Essay: 1,800 word essay on part I Week 7 n/a Graded No

50

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Autumn Yes - 2 Hour
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Students will have an opportunity to implement feedback on corrected essays and to resubmit them (within a time frame) to improve their grade.

Name Role
Dr Christopher Cowley Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Ms Aisling Phipps Tutor