Kant Hates the Pope, Part I

“There is only one (true) religion; but there can be many kinds of faith. –One may say, further, that in the various churches, set apart from each other because of the difference in their kinds of faith, one and the same true religion may nonetheless be found” (107-108 marginal/ 118 Hackett).

Kant’s insight that there is some underlying mystical truth uniting all religious faiths at their core is not unique, nor is it an idea he originated. For instance it can be found as early as the 10^th century B.C. in the Rigveda, which states “The One Truth, the sages call by many names.”

However, Kant has something different in mind. His mystical truth is based solely in morality, and God acts only as an arbiter of justice, not as a unifying principal. In fact, Kant thinks the only real justification for God is by way of morality, since morality can be rational only if there is a system of reward and punishment, and subsequently there must be a God to reward or punish the moral agent.

Kant’s God therefore is clearly different from the typical description found in biblical portrayals. In fact, Kant rejects any explanation of God based on supernatural revelation, finding historical or ecclesiastical religions that reward servitude or allegiance immoral and all religious rituals to be bogus spectacles.

What, then, is Kant offering instead?

The exciting conclusion still to come...