PHIL 347 – Philosophy of Religion Master Lecture Notes (Lectures 8–11)

A collection of flashcards based on the PHIL 347 lecture notes, covering key concepts from C. S. Lewis's work, atheism, mysticism, and the Perennial Philosophy.

Problem of Pain

C. S. Lewis's exploration of the intellectual issue of suffering in relation to the nature of God.

Numinous

The earliest form of religious awareness characterized by emotional response to a supernatural presence.

Moral Law

An innate sense of obligation that cannot be derived from nature or experience, leading to a moral deity.

Divine Omnipotence

The concept that God can do anything intrinsically possible, excluding logical contradictions.

Divine Goodness

Divine love as the pursuit of moral and spiritual transformation rather than mere kindness.

Human Wickedness

Morally ill desires and self-centeredness that necessitate correction.

The Fall

The collective choice of self-will over divine will resulting in moral disarray.

Suffering as a Corrective Tool

Lewis's claim that pain reveals truth about moral failure and leads the soul to God.

Hell

A logical extension of free will where individuals choose autonomy over divine love.

Animal Pain

The complexity of animal suffering since animals cannot sin or be morally corrected.

Heaven

The fulfillment of human nature and ultimate joy, contrasting with earthly suffering.

Atheism

A position rejecting the existence of God often supported by critiques of traditional proofs.

Ontological Argument

The argument that existence is not a predicate; conceptual definitions do not prove existence.

Cosmological Argument

The principle of sufficient reason that questions if a necessary being must be personal.

Design Argument

The argument that disorder and natural selection challenge the inference of design.

Problem of Evil

The inconsistency between the existence of evil and an omnipotent, morally perfect deity.

Human Mediocrity

The argument that human imperfections make the existence of a perfect Creator unlikely.

God as Illusion

The view that religion fulfills psychological needs, making belief in God a form of wishful thinking.

Atheist Spirituality

A naturalistic spirituality that retains values like truth and love without positing a divine source.

Mysticism

The art of union with Reality, involving direct experiences beyond conceptual thought.

Union

The process of the knower uniting with the known, beyond labels and mental constructions.

Reality (Underhill)

Three layers of Reality: Nature, Being, and the Absolute/God.

Five-Fold Training Path

Stages in mysticism focusing on purification of attention, will, and forms of contemplation.

Recollection

The initial stage of purifying attention by focusing on an object until distinctions dissolve.

Purgation

The stage of purifying the will through detachment from external dependencies.

Union with Nature

A form of contemplation where one seeks connection with the becoming of the world.

Transcendentalism

Philosophical movement emphasizing intuitive knowledge and universal spirituality.

Brahmo Samaj

Hindu reform movement emphasizing monotheism and rational spirituality.

Theosophy

Movement seeking an ancient wisdom underlying all religions, blending Eastern ideas with occultism.

Vivekananda

Introduced Advaita Vedānta to the West, emphasizing acceptance of all religions.

Religion of Science

Interpretation of Buddhism as rational and universal proposed by Paul Carus.

Pure Experience

Zen concept presented by D. T. Suzuki, referring to direct, pre-conceptual awareness.

Perennial Philosophy

The claim that all religions share a common experiential core rooted in mysticism.