ESPR Conference 2006: Religion after Metaphysics
1 - 4 September 2006, Tübingen, Germany

Main Contributers: Hermann Deuser (Frankfurt), William B. Drees (Leiden), Nils Grønkjaer (Aarhus), Hans-Peter Grosshans (Tübingen), Eberhard Herrmann (Uppsala), Denis Turner (Yale), Saskia Wendel (Tilburg), Mark Wynn (Exeter).

The general theme of the conference Religion after Metaphysics is one of the most controversial topics in contemporary philosophy of religion: do religions depend on (a particular form of) metaphysics; and if not, what are the implications for the philosophy of religion ? In recent years there has been a widespread ‘empirical’ or ‘practice-oriented turn’ in the scientific and philosophical study of religion. Religion is seen as a cultural, social, or anthropological phenomenon: as a human form of life and orientation in the world rather than as a way of encountering a transcendent divine reality. This has provoked a radical backlash within those philosophical and theological traditions that hold fast to an idea of transcendence as intrinsic to religion and religious life, and who insist that philosophy of religion is to be practised in the mode of metaphysics or transcendental philosophy. These modern and pre-modern forms of philosophy of religion clearly conflict with more recent descriptive, pluralist and naturalising approaches to religion and religions, and it is this particular conflict which the conference will address. Is philosophy of religion possible without some metaphysical orientation? Can it consistently exclude metaphysics in its critical reflections upon religious belief and practice? Is there anything left for philosophy of religion to reflect upon if religion is completely naturalized?

Call for Papers

At the conference there will be the opportunity to present short papers about the topics of the four sessions and/or the main papers that are accessible on the website of the society (www.philosophy-of-religion.org). The society encourages especially doctoral candidates and younger scholars to present a paper, but senior scholars may also present their considerations. Those who are interested in presenting a paper should inform the organizers of the conference (lfrei@theol.unizh.ch) as early as possible and are asked to send in their contribution as e-mail attachments by 30 May 2006. Please indicate to which session the paper refers. There will be a selection of papers by the organising committee. Those invited to present their paper at the conference will be informed by 15 July 2006. Each short paper will be allotted max. 30 minutes: 20 minutes for reading (with a summary in writing to be provided to the audience) and 10 minutes for discussion. Papers should not exceed 2200 words.


Time and date: 1-4 September 2006
Location: Tübingen, Germany

For more information: http://www.religionsphilosophie.org/