PHIL 347 – Philosophy of Religion Master Lecture Notes

A collection of flashcards covering key vocabulary terms and concepts from the PHIL 347 lecture notes on Philosophy of Religion, focusing on the ideas presented by C. S. Lewis, Comte-Sponville, and Underhill.

The Problem of Pain

C. S. Lewis's exploration of the intellectual problem of suffering in relation to belief in an all-good and all-powerful God.

Numinous

A profound emotional response to a supernatural presence characterized by mystery, terror, and fascination.

Moral Law

An innate sense of moral obligation that humans possess, which cannot be derived solely from nature or experience.

Divine Omnipotence

God's ability to do anything that is intrinsically possible without involving logical contradictions.

Divine Goodness

A form of love that focuses on moral and spiritual transformation rather than mere kindness or alleviation of pain.

Human Wickedness

A condition of moral and spiritual illness characterized by disordered desires and self-centeredness.

The Fall

A collective choice of self-will over divine will resulting in disordered desires and estrangement from God.

Human Pain

Lewis argues that suffering is morally necessary for fallen beings, serving as a corrective tool that reveals moral truths.

Hell

The state for individuals who persist in self-centeredness and choose autonomy over divine love, seen as a logical extension of free will.

Animal Pain

A contentious topic regarding whether animals experience pain in a morally significant way, distinct from human suffering.

Heaven

The ultimate fulfillment of human nature and resolution of earthly injustice, representing divine love and perfection.

Perennial Philosophy

The idea that all religions share a common experiential core rooted in mystical experience.

Transcendentalism

A movement emphasizing intuitive knowledge and universal spirituality, associated with Emerson and Thoreau.

Theosophy

A belief system that sought to uncover a universal 'Wisdom-Religion' underlying all spiritual traditions.

Mysticism

The art of union with Reality, fostering direct, intuitive knowledge beyond conceptual thought.

Five-Fold Training Path

Stages in mysticism focusing on purifying attention and will to achieve union with nature, being, and the Absolute.