APPENDIX: The basic questions addressed in RBBR
Prof. Stephen Palmquist,
D.Phil. (Oxon)
Department of Religion and Philosophy
Hong Kong Baptist University
The following is a list of the most important questions for which Kant provides
answers, either explicitly or implicitly, in each of the four "Books"
of RBBR. I include it here as an indication of the breadth
of subject-matter covered in RBBR, in
hopes of encouraging those who have assumed a reductionist
interpretation to take a more serious and balanced look at the details of
Kant's religious system.
Book I: Is man good or evil by nature?
Does this question refer to man's outer actions or to his inner disposition?
What does it mean to say man is created good? What is evil
and where does it come from? What is original sin? Is
self-love good or evil? How can we believe in an inward experience
of God, without falling into fanaticism?
Book II: How can a religious conversion
take place? How does God communicate to man His offer to accept imperfect
human beings--i.e. His grace?
What is the function of examples in a person's religious
development? What is faith? How are faith
and reason related in true religion? Can I ever be absolutely
certain God has accepted me? What is the rational basis on which
a person may hope to be saved? Why is virtue
alone unable to make a person morally good? Is it
reasonable for God to forgive my sins by vicarious punishment
(i.e. punishing someone else)? What is the rational basis for believing
God has forgiven us for moral evil done before (justification)
and after (sanctification) our conversion?
How can a death-bed conversion provide a good basis for hope in
salvation? What dangers arise if we choose to believe that
a man is an incarnation of God? In what sense
could it be rational to say that a man is God incarnate?
What is the theoretical and practical value of the idea of a virgin
mother? How can we believe in an external experience of God, i.e.
a miracle, without falling into superstition?
Book III: Why is a community of
men necessary if man is to become good? Can a community based only on political
laws achieve this goal? Can a community based on ethical
laws reach its goal (i.e. virtue) without assuming that God exists?
What is a church, and why is it necessary?
What is the relationship between the human and the divine
aspects of a true church's organization? Can the true
church actually be realized on earth? What can man do
to help such a transition gradually take place? What is the proper
relationship between historical faith and pure religious
(i.e. rational) faith? Is some visible form
of church always necessary? Can there be more than one true
religion? Can there be more than one true ecclesiastical
faith? Can a set of statutes or dogmas
from one church tradition be necessarily applicable to everyone? What is
the proper function of revelation and statutes
within a given church? What is the proper religious (as
opposed to scholarly) principle for interpreting Scripture?
How are philosophical theology and biblical
theology related? What constitutes a saving faith?
What is the solution to the antinomy between faith and works?
Should the true church make a distinction between clergy and laity?
What is the difference between Judaism and Christianity?
What was the original purpose of the Christian
message? Can the Bible be trusted as a guide for discovering true
religion? Is the Bible's religion consistent with the pure
religion of reason? To what extent can we regard the Bible as the
revelation of God? Is Christianity the universal
religion of mankind? What is the value and danger
of regarding God as a Trinity? To what extent can we understand
the mysteries of the divine call, the atonement,
and divine election?
Book IV: What is the final end (i.e. the ultimate
purpose) of moral action? What is religion? How does God
wish to be honoured and obeyed? What
is the difference between true and false service of God?
Are there any special duties to God? What is the difference
between natural religion and revealed (or learned)
religion? Can they be compatible? To what extent can Christianity
be regarded as a natural religion? Who was the founder
of the first true church? Should Christianity ideally be torn
away from its historical roots? Is unconditional
belief in revealed propositions the proper starting point
for true religion? What is the proper function of dogma in
the true church? Can a person earn salvation simply by
living a good life? Can man control God in any way?
What is the purpose of devotion to God, or of any form of religious
activity? How does man learn what God's will
is? Can a religious believer do away with all outward forms
of religious service? What is the true purpose of praying,
church-going, baptism, and communion? How should we
view the relationship between virtue and grace?
This etext is based on a prepublication draft of the published
version of this essay.
Send comments to: StevePq@hkbu.edu.hk
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