PHIL-165 Philosophy of Religion

Credits 3 / 3 Contact Hours
Pre-requisite: Placement into ENGL-100 (ACSR-100), completion of ELAP-120 with a 2.0, or completion of RDNG-030, ACLT-075 or ACLT-076
An examination of central philosophical issues concerning religion and religious beliefs. Topics may include traditional and contemporary arguments for the existence of God; the problem of evil; religious experience; faith; and the immortality of the soul. Works from both historical and contemporary philosophers are discussed.

Course Outcomes
NEW Students who successfully complete the course should be able to: • Identify arguments about nature and existence of God. • Differentiate arguments about nature and existence of God. • Evaluate arguments about nature and existence of God. • Identify arguments about the nature and rationality of religious belief. • Differentiate arguments about the nature and rationality of religious belief. • Evaluate arguments about the nature and rationality of religious belief. • Formulate arguments for or against particular theories about the nature and existence of God and religious belief; address potential counterarguments and objections. • Explain the problem of evil for religious belief. • Infer how ideas such as mystical experience, the afterlife, miracles, free will, and morality, affect religious belief formation. • Compare and contrast different forms of religious belief such as theism (monotheism, polytheism, pantheism, panentheism), atheism, and agnosticism.