The subject of the philosophy of religion is religion. This sentence seems to be obvious. However, it loses its obviousness when we ask how we must comprehend religion. More directly: how can one maintain the critical vocation of philosophical inquires and, at the same time, listen to religion in what it has of specific? Philosophy of religion is deadlocked: or misses its object by reducing it to the subjectivity, or if it pays close attention to its subject, it should deny its claims to knowledge, recognizing itself as an impossible task. Although they belong to different philosophical traditions, this question is put is posed by Paul Tillich and by French phenomenologist Jean-Luc Marion. The article explores how both authors have the similar problematic (seeking a non-reductionist understanding of religion), follow different paths (while Tillich seeks a synthesis between philosophy and religion, Marion insists on the distinction) but, at the end, they appeal to theology in order to sustain the specificity of religion.
