Encyclopedia of Philosophy of Religion - 8 volumes

This encyclopedia offers a comprehensive philosophical approach to religion, viewing it as a living existential experience, a universal moral system, and a symbolic linguistic discourse reflecting the dimensions of the unseen, shaped within changing historical, cultural, and cognitive contexts. The encyclopedia starts from the idea that the truth is one, but the ways to reach it are multiple, and that religious pluralism represents a horizon for acknowledging difference and establishing peaceful coexistence, far from monopolizing salvation or confining divine mercy to a particular group, school, or identity. The encyclopedia explores universal moral values as the foundation of human dignity, emphasizing that dignity, freedom, justice, equality, and truth are not relative concepts tied to specific times or cultures, but universal human standards that manifest historically in different forms. It also discusses the relationship between ethics and religion, highlighting the role of values in protecting humans from slipping into violence and barbarism. The encyclopedia pays special attention to the language of religion as a symbolic language that relies on indication, metaphor, analogy, and euphemism to express divine truths, distinguishing it from the language of science, which is based on interpretation and precise description. It reveals how religious language contributes to shaping the horizon of thinking and influences the understanding and interpretation of sacred texts across ages. In light of hermeneutics, the encyclopedia demonstrates how layers of understanding accumulate around religious texts and how each historical period produces its own interpretive framework, making religious understanding a human knowledge connected to its historical context, not an unchanging truth valid for all times. It also discusses the problem of evil in its metaphysical and ethical dimensions, revealing the complexity of human nature that combines good and evil, affirming that love, even if it does not eliminate evil, remains the deepest means to mitigate its effects and build a more balanced and peaceful life. The encyclopedia addresses the debate between science and religion and the renewal of Islamic theology, calling for a reconsideration of the central concepts of revelation, prophecy, and monotheistic vision, viewing Islamic theology as a fundamental cognitive framework for understanding religious thought and an essential starting point for any contemporary renewal project. It concludes by focusing on the religious experience as the core and deep essence of religions, representing the encounter of humans with the sacred and their perception of God's presence in their lives, while distinguishing authentic spiritual experiences from illusions, psychological disorders, and superstition. This encyclopedia is not a theological defense of doctrines nor a proselytizing call for a particular faith or school, but an intellectual and philosophical project aimed at understanding religion, analyzing its sources, manifestations, and transformations within a broad human horizon that dedicates reason, respects diversity, and affirms human dignity as a human being.