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Kant’s “Appraisal” of Christianity: Biblical Interpretation and the Pure Rational System of Religion
- Journal of the History of Philosophy
- Johns Hopkins University Press
- Volume 53, Number 3, July 2015
- pp. 485-506
- 10.1353/hph.2015.0042
- Article
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The First Preface to Kant’s Religion within the Boundaries of Mere Reason contains various characterizations of the distinction between biblical and philosophical theology. Similar characterizations are also found in the Preface to The Conflict of the Faculties. In both, Kant warns the philosopher against trespassing into the purview of the biblical theologian. Yet, in the actual body of both texts, we find numerous occasions where Kant deviates from the rules he initially articulates. The purpose of this paper is to identify these rules, discuss their apparent violations, and consider the implications of this divergence.