PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION

Title: Philosophy of Religion
Author: Allamah Muhammad Taqi Jafari
Project Supervisor: Translation Unit, Cultural Affairs Department; the Ahl al-Bayt (a) World Assembly (ABWA)
Translator and typesetter: Mansoor Limba, PhD
Editor: Iffat Shah
Proofreader: Badr Shahin
Layout: Zahra Golzar
Publisher: ABWA Publishing and Printing Center
First Printing: 2014
All rights reserved.

Foreword - 17
Preface - 19
Part 1: Definition of Religion - 21
Chapter 1: Methodological Introduction to the Definition of Religion - 23
Introduction - 23
The Necessity of Discussing the Definition of Religion - 23
[position - 23
The Purpose behind Definition and Its Kinds - 25
The Logical Conditions for a Methodical Definition - 27
Causes of Defects and Shortcomings in Definition - 28
Obstacles and Difficulties in Defining Religion - 34
Classification of the Definitions of Religion - 39
Chapter 2: Common Definitions of Religion - 41
Introduction - 41
Metaphysical Definitions of Religion - 41
Assessment - 41
Aston’s Definition - 43
Assessment - 44
Shari‘ati’s Definition - 48
Geisler’s Definition - 55
Assessment - 56
Chapter 3: Essentialist Definitions of Religion - 59
Introduction - 59
Spencer’s Definition - 59
Assessment - 59
Another Definition of Religion Similar to Spencer’s - 61
Assessment - 61
Max Müller’s Definition - 63
Assessment - 64
Definition of Religion as a Set of Beliefs, Moral Codes and Rules - 64
Bonheoffer’s Definition - 65
Assessment - 65
Ellis’ Definition - 65
Assessment - 65
Spengler’s Definition - 66
Bursur Shatul and Tylor’s Definition - 67
D'Holbach’s Definition - 67
Assessment - 67
Santayana’s Definition - 68
Assessment - 69
Otto’s Definition - 69
Assessment - 69
Cassirer’s Definition - 70
Assessment - 70
Sartre’s Definition - 72
Assessment - 72
Dewey’s Definition - 73
Assessment - 74
Oxford Dictionary - 75
Assessment - 75
Jastrow’s Definition - 76
Assessment - 76
Chapter 4: Psychological and Sociological Definitions of Religion - 77
Introduction - 77
Psychological Definitions of Religion - 77
William James’ Definition - 77
Assessment - 79
Carl Gustav Jung’s Definition - 83
Assessment - 85
Herder’s Definition - 85
Assessment - 85
Schleiermacher’s Definition - 87
Assessment - 87
Feuerbach’s Definition - 88
Assessment - 88
Kaufmann’s Definition - 88
Assessment - 89
Samuel King’s Definition - 90
Assessment - 90
Goldziher’s Definition - 91
Assessment - 91
Rainach’s Definition - 91
Assessment - 91
Rupele’s Definition - 92
Assessment - 92
Frazer’s Definition - 92
Assessment - 92
Koestenbaum’s Definition - 93
Assessment - 93
Freud’s Definition - 93
Assessment - 93
Bultmann - 95
Assessment - 95
Sociological Definitions of Religion - 95
Durkheim’s Definition - 96
Assessment - 96
Feaver’s Definition - 97
Assessment - 98
Jefferson’s Definition - 99
Assessment - 99
Chapter 5: Utilitarian and Moralist Definitions of Religion - 101
Introduction - 101
Utilitarian Definition of Religion - 101
Karl Barth’s Definition - 101
Assessment - 101
Ritschl’s Definition - 102
Assessment - 102
Tillich’s Definition - 102
Assessment - 103
Moralist Definition of Religion - 104
Everett Dean Martin’s Definition - 104
Assessment - 104
Kant’s Definition - 104
Assessment - 105
Whitehead’s Definition - 106
Assessment - 106
Paul Johnson’s Definition - 106
Assessment - 107
Part 2: Scope of Religion - 109
Chapter 1: Reason behind the Need for Religion - 111
Chapter 2: Scope of Jurisprudence - 119
Man’s Relationship with Himself - 119
Second Pillar: The Need for Self-building - 123
Man’s Relationship with God - 126
Laws in the Realm of Man’s Relationship with God - 128
Man’s Relationship with the Universe - 128
Man’s Relationship with the Universe as It is - 128
Man’s Relationship with the Universe as It Should be - 131
Man’s Relationship with Fellow Human Beings - 131
Salient Features of Islamic Jurisprudence - 136
Types of General Rules Based on Principal Sources - 145
The Role of Islamic Jurisprudence in Organizing Rational Life - 148
The Functional Scope of Islamic Jurisprudence - 150
Real and Superficial Needs - 150
Jurisprudential Rules are Intrinsic and Rational - 151
Examples of General Rules - 153
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