Apr 16, 2026  
2024-2025 Undergraduate Academic Catalog-June 
    
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2024-2025 Undergraduate Academic Catalog-June [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

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PHL 3209 - Philosophy of Religion

3 lecture hours 0 lab hours 3 credits
Course Description
This course introduces students to philosophy of religion - the systematic examination of religious concepts, beliefs, arguments, experiences, and practices - common to various traditions. It is not primarily a descriptive overview of the history, cultural practices, or doctrines of specific religious traditions. Rather, students will examine a variety of difficult and controversial questions, such as: Does God exist? What is God like? Does the universe point to God’s existence? How could God allow suffering? Why isn’t there more evidence for God? Does rational belief in God need an argument? Is faith compatible with reason, science, and evolution? Major elements of this course include close and critical reading of challenging philosophical texts, reconstruction and evaluation of philosophical arguments, and independent reflection and reasoning on topics and positions in philosophy of religion.
Prereq: None
Note: None
This course meets the following Raider Core CLO Requirement: Embrace Diversity
Course Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  • Demonstrate knowledge of some of the key themes and questions in philosophy of religion
  • Exhibit familiarity with historical and contemporary positions on God’s nature and arguments for and against the God’s existence
  • Articulate philosophical questions and positions within philosophy of religion clearly and precisely, explaining their significance, context, and further implications
  • Reconstruct and analyze philosophical arguments within philosophy of religion in a way that displays evidence of clear, critical, and precise thinking
  • Engage in comparative analysis and evaluation of different philosophical perspectives on key topics in philosophy of religion
  • Engage in independent philosophical inquiry, dialogue, and argument through both discussion and written work
  • Appreciate and evaluate some of the applications and social implications of the study of religion and its relationship to science and a pluralistic world
Prerequisites by Topic
  • None
Course Topics
  • Foreknowledge and free will
  • Arguments for God’s existence (e.g., ontological, cosmological, design)
  • Pascal’s wager
  • Miracles
  • The problem of evil
  • The problem of divine hiddenness
  • The problem of religious disagreement
  • Religious pluralism
  • Religious experience
  • Faith and reason
  • Science and religion
  • The axiology of theism
  • Life after death
  • Religion and morality
Coordinator
Dr. Matthew Frise


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