Religion in Crisis: Philosophy of Religion After the Death of God University of Copenhagen Department of Theology / DIS Spring Semester 2018

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1 U N I V E R S I T Y O F C O P E N H A G E N FACULTY OF THEOLOGY Religion in Crisis: Philosophy of Religion After the Death of God University of Copenhagen Department of Theology / DIS Spring Semester 2018 Class Meetings: Tuesdays 12:05-14:30. Room: University of Copenhagen, South Campus, Room 7C.1.07 Course Instructor: K. Brian Söderquist kbs@sk.ku.dk Computer policy: No computers in class. No net, no texting during class. Course Content: In this course at the University of Copenhagen, we will explore the possibility of religious conviction in a secularized world. Questions like these are central: In a world in which religious narratives and doctrines strike the contemporary mind as unbelievable as history or scientific explanation, upon what might the modern, educated person base her religious convictions? Are religious sensibilities ultimately expressions of a deep sense of morality? Is the religious attitude better described as a feeling or intuition for the infinite behind the finite world? Is personal religious conviction based on experience of the divine? Is contemporary faith an intellectually indefensible but nonetheless hopeful subjective decision to adopt religious traditions and doctrines? We will follow the evolution of religious thinking in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, much of which argues that religion should avoid the distorting demand of justifying itself solely in terms of rationality and that it ought to consider the volitional and experiential aspects of religious life, as well. Our goal is to gain a critical appreciation of the development of religious thought, with a particular focus on the significance of religious experience, based on a study of a handful of highly influential texts by authors such as Immanuel Kant, Friedrich Schleiermacher, Friedrich Nietzsche, William James, as well as Copenhagen s most famous philosophical mind, Søren Kierkegaard. Readings: Completion of reading assignments as scheduled is required and is a prerequisite for participating in class discussions. Lectures and Discussion: In general, class will be a combination of lecture and class discussion. Class participation includes attendance and the quality of contributions that students make in class. Short Papers: Three short papers (4-5 double spaced pages) will be assigned during the course of the semester. Late papers will be penalized a half-grade for each day after the due date.

2 Research Paper: An analytical/interpretive paper will be due toward the end of the semester. The University of Copenhagen requires a paper of 19,200-24,000 characters including spaces for bachelor degree students, including DIS students. This is roughly equivalent to doublespaced pages. The requirement is 28,800-36,000 characters including spaces for KU master degree students. This is roughly equivalent to double-spaced pages. You must include a character count on the front page of your paper. (You must receive a passing grade on the research paper to receive a final grade in the course. Late papers will be penalized a half-grade for each day after the due date.) Danske studerende må gerne skrive på dansk. Attendance: Class attendance is required, including classes with guest lecturers. According to KU policy, all students must be present 75% of the time to receive a grade. Plagiarism: Any student who plagiarizes will fail the course. Course Evaluation: Research paper: 45% First short paper: 15% Second short paper: 15% Third short paper: 15% Attendance and Participation: 10% Course texts: These books can be purchased at the South Campus Bookstore: Anselm, Proslogian, Hacket Publishing, 2001 ISBN: Immanuel Kant, Religion Within the Boundaries of Mere Reason, Cambridge, 1998 ISBN: Friedrich Schleiermacher, On Religion: Speeches to Its Cultured Despisers, Cambridge, 1996, ISBN: Søren Kierkegaard, Fear and Trembling, Penguin, 1985 ISBN: William James, The Varieties of Religious Experience, Oxford, 2012 ISBN: Louis Dupré, Religious Mystery and Rational Reflection, Eerdmans Publishing, 1998 ISBN: Pdf readings on Absalon: Anselm s Proslogion, Prologue and chaps. 1, 2, 26. Søren Kierkegaard, selected texts from Concluding Unscientific Postscript. Søren Kierkegaard, Strengthening in the Inner Being from Eighteen Upbuilding Discourses. Friedrich Nietzsche, selected texts from The Gay Science. For students who read Danish: Kierkegaards samlede værker, Søren Kierkegaards Skrifter (SKS), findes på nettet: I have provided references to SKS for the Kierkegaard readings (e.g., Danish: SKS 4, ) in this reading plan. (Note: To see page breaks, place a checkmark in the middle box, next to SKS, on the top left-hand side of the screen). 2

3 For DIS students: DIS students should pick up their texts at the DIS Library, Vestergade 23 Please make sure to read the Academic Regulations on the DIS website. There you will find regulations on: Course Enrollment and Grading Attendance Coursework, Exams, and Final Grade Reports 3

4 Detailed Course Outline 1. Tues. Jan. 23 From Faith Seeking Understanding to Understanding Seeking Faith. - Anselm s Proslogion, Prologue and chaps. 1, 2, Friedrich Nietzsche, The Madman, in The Gay Science, 125, pp Immanuel Kant, Preface, in Religion within the Boundaries of Mere Reason. 2. Tues. Jan. 30 Religion and Moral Duty. - Immanuel Kant, Part Three: The Victory of the Good Principle over the Evil Principle, and the Founding of a Kingdom of God on Earth in Religion within the Boundaries of Mere Reason. Tues. Feb. 6 No class, DIS academic tours. 3. Tues. Feb. 13 Religious Intuition and Feeling. - Friedrich Schleiermacher, first and second speeches in On Religion: Speeches to Its Cultured Despisers. 4. Tues. Feb. 20 Faith and Madness. - Søren Kierkegaard, Preface, Attunement, and Speech in Praise of Abraham, in Fear and Trembling (Danish: SKS 4, s ). First short paper due in class 5. Tues. Feb. 27 Faith and Resignation. - Søren Kierkegaard, Preamble from the Heart, in Fear and Trembling (Danish: SKS 4, s ). Tues. March 6 No class, DIS academic tours. 6. Tues. March 13 Faith and Ethics. - Søren Kierkegaard, Problemata 1-2, in Fear and Trembling (Danish: SKS 4, s ). - Søren Kierkegaard, selections from Concluding Unscientific Postscript, pp , , , (pdf on Canvas/Absalon) (Danish: SKS 7, s , , ). 4

5 Wed. March 14, 18:00 Film Night Film: Breaking the Waves ** film at the Firestation at DIS (Skindergade 12, room 05) 7. Tues. March 20 Religious Conviction - Søren Kierkegaard, journal entry NB11:179 in Kierkegaard s Journals and Notebooks, vol. 7, pp , (pdf on Canvas/Absalon) (Danish: SKS 22, s ). - Søren Kierkegaard, Strengthening in the Inner Being, in Eighteen Upbuilding Discourses, (pdf on Canvas/Absalon) (Danish: SKS 5, s ). 8. Tues. March 27, Religious Experience. - William James, Lecture II, Circumscription of the Topic, and Lecture III, The Reality of the Unseen (pp in Oxford edition; pp in Penguin edition) - Second short paper due in class 9. Tues. April 3 Mysticism. - William James, Lecture XVII, Mysticism and the first part of Lecture XVIII, Philosophy (pp in Oxford edition; pp in Penguin edition) in The Varieties of Religious Experience. 10. Tues. April 10 Truth and Religion. - Louis Dupré, Spiritual Life in a Secular Age, in Religious Mystery and Rational Reflection. Tues. April 17 No class, DIS academic tours 11. Tues. April 24 The Problem of Evil. - Louis Dupré, The Mystery of Evil, in Religious Mystery and Rational Reflection. Third short paper due Fri. April 27 The research paper is due on Fri. May 11. Send papers to kbs@sk.ku.dk Late papers will be penalized a half-grade for each day after the due date. 5