Theology, Apologetics, and Religious Philosophy
Same Questions & Topics, Different Motives
By Austin Cline, About.com
Both theology and the philosophy of religion have played important roles in Western culture, but not everyone understands the important differences between them. The motives behind theology and the philosophy of religion are very different, but the questions they ask and the topics they address are often the same.
The line between theology and the philosophy of religion and theology isn’t always sharp because they share so much in common, but the primary difference is that theology tends to be apologetical in nature, committed to the defense of particular religious position, whereas Philosophy of Religion is committed to the investigation of religion itself rather than the truth of any particular religion.
Both the precedent and adoption of authority are what distinguish theology from philosophy generally and religious philosophy in particular. While theology relies upon religious scriptures (like the Bible or the Quran) as authoritative, those texts are simply objects of study in the philosophy of religion. Authorities in this latter field are reason, logic and research. Whatever the specific topic being discussed, the central aim of the philosophy of religion is to scrutinize religious claims for the purpose of formulating either a rational explanation or a rational response to them.
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Comment by curiousdwk on 12 August 2008:
The premise of science is to question everything. The basic premise of religion is not to question but to accept some authority by faith. Although most Christians would say that the Bible is their own authority, it doesn’t take much investigation to realize that it is the church’s interpretation that is held as authority. The Catholics at least admit that tradition is held to be as much an authority as the Bible. (Otherwise there couldn’t be the worship of Mary.) But Protestants claim it is just the Bible with them. But after seeing their principles change over the years, and see how many of their principles are based not on love but belief, one realizes it is the authority of the church (and their seminaries) that are held.
Regardless of the form of authority, Christians are taught not to question it - that spiritual issues are beyond understanding so it is futile to question. While science will question everything - even gravity and Darwin.