Unapologetic: Why Philosophy of Religion Must End

This provocative monograph by John W. Loftus represents a frontal assault on the entire enterprise of philosophy of religion as currently practiced in academic settings. Loftus, a former evangelical minister turned atheist activist, argues that philosophy of religion has become an intellectually bankrupt discipline that serves primarily to provide sophisticated rationalizations for religious beliefs rather than genuine philosophical inquiry. The work builds upon his earlier critiques of Christian apologetics but extends the argument to encompass the academic study of religion more broadly.

The central thesis contends that philosophy of religion suffers from systemic bias because most practitioners enter the field as committed believers seeking to defend their faith through philosophical argumentation. Loftus argues this creates a circular dynamic where religious philosophers construct increasingly complex arguments to support predetermined conclusions, while their secular counterparts waste intellectual resources responding to what he considers fundamentally flawed premises. He particularly targets the prevalence of Christian theism in Anglo-American philosophy departments, suggesting this dominance corrupts the field's intellectual integrity.

Methodologically, Loftus combines sociological analysis of the profession with philosophical critique of standard arguments in natural theology. He examines hiring practices, publication trends, and conference programs to demonstrate what he sees as religious capture of the discipline. The work engages critically with prominent figures like Alvin Plantinga, Richard Swinburne, and William Lane Craig, arguing their sophisticated arguments merely dress up primitive religious impulses in academic garb. Loftus proposes replacing philosophy of religion with more rigorous approaches from religious studies, cognitive science, and anthropology.

The book's significance lies in its radical proposal to effectively abolish an entire subdiscipline of philosophy. While critics dismiss Loftus as lacking philosophical sophistication, his outsider perspective and personal journey from belief to atheism provide unique insights into the social dynamics of religious philosophy. The work contributes to broader debates about the relationship between personal commitments and academic inquiry, the proper boundaries of philosophical investigation, and whether certain questions deserve continued scholarly attention. His call to end philosophy of religion represents an extreme position in ongoing discussions about reforming or redirecting the field toward more critical and less apologetic approaches to religious phenomena.