Understanding Religious Experience: From Conviction to Life's Meaning

This monograph presents a sustained philosophical investigation into the nature and epistemological status of religious experience, with particular emphasis on how such experiences generate conviction and contribute to life's meaning. Moser develops a distinctive approach that moves beyond traditional debates between evidentialism and fideism by proposing what he terms "kardiatheology" - a form of theological inquiry rooted in the transformation of the human heart or will.

The work engages critically with both naturalistic reductionism and conventional natural theology. Against naturalists who dismiss religious experience as mere psychological projection or neurological artifact, Moser argues that certain forms of religious experience possess unique epistemic credentials that resist reductive explanation. However, he equally challenges traditional natural theology's emphasis on speculative arguments, contending that genuine knowledge of God emerges primarily through morally transformative encounter rather than abstract reasoning.

Central to Moser's argument is his analysis of what he calls "volitional knowledge" - a form of understanding that requires the alignment of human will with divine purposes. This approach draws on biblical and existentialist sources while maintaining analytical rigor. He argues that religious experience generates conviction not through overwhelming evidence or mystical certainty, but through a process of moral and spiritual transformation that reshapes the experiencer's fundamental orientation toward reality.

The monograph's treatment of life's meaning emerges from this epistemological framework. Moser contends that religious experience provides unique resources for addressing questions of ultimate significance by situating human existence within a narrative of divine-human reconciliation. This move challenges both secular accounts of meaning that exclude transcendent reference and religious accounts that neglect the experiential dimension of faith.

Methodologically, the work combines careful conceptual analysis with attention to phenomenological data and theological sources. Moser engages contemporary epistemologists like William Alston and Alvin Plantinga while developing his own distinctive position. His emphasis on the volitional and transformative dimensions of religious knowledge represents a significant departure from mainstream analytic philosophy of religion.

The monograph's contribution lies in its sophisticated defense of religious experience as a legitimate source of knowledge while acknowledging the complex interplay between evidence, volition, and transformation in religious conviction. This approach offers fresh perspectives on longstanding debates about faith and reason, potentially redirecting philosophical theology toward more existentially engaged inquiry.