The chapter critically examines some key issues in the fledgling field of African philosophy of religion. It explores the conflict between defenders of traditional theism and proponents of the limited God view while sharply highlighting the way that the philosophical conflict between the two groups has shaped and invigorated African philosophy of religion by spawning a variety of theories about God’s relation with the world and how the reality of evil is to be evaluated. The chapter explores the question of death as an evil phenomenon and the desirability of immortality in relation to the notion of reincarnation. Adopting the method of philosophical exposition and analysis, the chapter highlights the strengths and weaknesses of the prevailing theistic, vitalistic, materialistic, and complementaristic conceptions of God in the literature and raises questions about their agnostic and atheistic potentials. The chapter further problematises the solutions to the question of omnipotence and evil offered by a number of African philosophers and shows how such problematisation will determine the trajectory of African philosophy of religion.

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Some Emerging Questions and Trends in African Philosophy of Religion: Theism, Evil, Death, Reincarnation, and Immortality

  • Ada Agada

摘要

The chapter critically examines some key issues in the fledgling field of African philosophy of religion. It explores the conflict between defenders of traditional theism and proponents of the limited God view while sharply highlighting the way that the philosophical conflict between the two groups has shaped and invigorated African philosophy of religion by spawning a variety of theories about God’s relation with the world and how the reality of evil is to be evaluated. The chapter explores the question of death as an evil phenomenon and the desirability of immortality in relation to the notion of reincarnation. Adopting the method of philosophical exposition and analysis, the chapter highlights the strengths and weaknesses of the prevailing theistic, vitalistic, materialistic, and complementaristic conceptions of God in the literature and raises questions about their agnostic and atheistic potentials. The chapter further problematises the solutions to the question of omnipotence and evil offered by a number of African philosophers and shows how such problematisation will determine the trajectory of African philosophy of religion.