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A study on Spinoza’s theory of religion -Focused on relationship between interpretation of Scripture and philosophy-

  • Philosophical Investigation
  • 2020, 58(), pp.39~75
  • DOI : 10.33156/philos.2020.58..002
  • Publisher : Institute of philosophy in Chung-Ang Univ.
  • Research Area : Humanities > Philosophy
  • Received : April 15, 2020
  • Accepted : May 17, 2020
  • Published : May 31, 2020

LEE KEUN SE 1

1국민대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

This paper elucidates the meaning of Scripture and religion in Spinoza's thought. Now that Spinoza's naturalistic ontology, equating God with nature, denies the personality of God, there have been many studies interpreting Scripture and revealed religion as remnants of superstition. However, Spinoza wrote not only Ethica stating the idea of a natural god, also Tractatus Theologico-Politicus, which is a close interpretation of Scripture. This paper aims to present Spinoza’s exact view of the relationship between philosophy and religion by fully examining his interpretation of Scripture. Revelation in Scripture is expressed in an imaginary way, rather than relying on high-level rational speculation. But the concept of revelation should not be taken negatively. In fact, Spinoza regarded revelation as knowledge and recognized its certainty. The certainty of revelation, as that of the moral dimension, is not theoretical or rational, but it is undoubtedly true that it also represents certainty. In other words, Scripture has a consistency, which does not lie in the level of theory Scripture, not as a rational system but as an imaginary one, identifies the practical norms through the imaginary structure necessary for salvation. The essential point of biblical teachings is that it equates faith or submission to God with justice or compassion for neighbors. Although philosophy retains total freedom of thought, it must also acknowledge that religion has its realm reaching the same destination through its own way completely different from reason. Reason and faith or philosophy and religion cannot be in conflict because of their different domains.

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This paper was written with support from the National Research Foundation of Korea.
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