METAPHYSICS MATTERS: METAPHYSICS AND SOTERIOLOGY IN JEROME STONE'S AND DONALD CROSBY'S VARIETIES OF RELIGIOUS NATURALISM
Zygon® June 1, 2014 S. Ruper 4 citations
Religious naturalism differs from supernatural religion mainly through metaphysical minimalism, but some versions are more minimalist than others, and a few reject metaphysics entirely. This paper compares the soteriology—the theory of salvation or spiritual transformation—of Jerome Stone's ontologically reticent Minimalist Vision with Donald Crosby's ontologically rich Religion of Nature. The analysis shows that for these two varieties of religious naturalism, metaphysics influences soteriology, metaphysical minimalism limits soteriological potential, and metaphysics enhances soteriological potential. These conclusions assert the relevance of metaphysics to religious function and urge further investigation into religious experience and quality as they may relate to metaphysics.