What is the Future for Natural Theology?
A special issue of Religions (ISSN 2077-1444). This special issue belongs to the section "Religions and Theologies".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 July 2021) | Viewed by 2335
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
In its most general formulation, natural theology refers to the use of natural cognitive faculties to enquire into theological questions, most centrally questions of the existence and nature of God. Commonly, natural theology rejects the use of any ‘non-natural’ means of enquiry, both non-natural faculties (such as inspiration and mystical experience) and reliance on super-natural sources (such as revelation, religious traditions, and convention). Whilst likely ancient and universal, it is widely held that the legitimacy of such an enterprise has been seriously undermined in modernity through a combination of powerful philosophical, scientific, and theological objections, such that any serious attempt to chart a future for natural theology must start from a revisionary position and set out a new vision for natural theology.
This special issue seeks to solicit responses to one single question: ‘What is the future for natural theology?’
The collection seeks to bring together a variety of voices on the future of natural theology (or lack thereof), as well as critical accounts of the dominant narrative of natural theology’s rise and fall. Subsidiary questions include: What sort of new visions are available for natural theology and how might the project be revised or reformulated for the future? What new resources—philosophical, scientific, and theological—might be available to re-imagine or reframe natural theological work? Are there neglected traditions within the wider genre of natural theological works that might equip a contemporary ressourcement, or new forms of natural theology that engage perspectives that have not traditionally been prominent? Do cultural and aesthetic contexts provide promising alternative forms for natural theology? What are the prospects for natural theology beyond the dominant framework of Christianity and Western philosophy? How accurate are our accepted histories of natural theology’s apparent decline? How robust are the philosophical arguments against the legitimacy of natural theology, or are there effective counter-arguments that can defend a philosophically viable natural theology? How persuasive are the scientific rejections of natural theology, or do the sciences (social as well as natural) provide support for natural theology? Are the theological objections to natural theology warranted, or are there compelling theological and religious rationales for continuing and extending the enterprise?
Dr. Russell Re Manning
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- natural theology
- philosophy of religion
- theism
- atheism
- theistic arguments
