North American Philosophers of Religion
This chapter presents the results of qualitative analysis, using NVivo software (version 10), of the responses of fifty-one philosophers of religion to the question “What is philosophy of religion?” posted at PhilosophyOfReligion.org. The core finding is that various differences of perspective within the field are correlated with whether or not the institution where a philosopher teaches is secular or requires a statement of religious faith. Beyond identifying this fault line running through the field, the chapter presents a complex portrait of contemporary North American philosophy of religion, including the diverse conceptions of the field that philosophers adhere to, how the field is understood to relate to religious studies and theology, which figures are esteemed as exemplary, what issues are most controversial, and what sort of programmatic visions for the future of philosophy of religion are presently being advocated.