Faith and Will

This study is a critical examination of the views about the voluntary element of religious faith in contemporary analytic theistic philosophy of religion. The background of the question is the variety of opinions regarding the voluntariness or involuntariness of religious faith. The study examines different propositional attitudes, such as belief, hope, and acceptance, which are taken to be involved in the cognitive aspect of religious faith. Another central theme concerns the practical aspect of religious faith and the attitudes it involves. Questions having to do with the emotional and evaluative aspects of religious faith are also touched upon. In addition, certain traditional theological topics pertaining to voluntariness of faith, namely, topics having to do with such notions as merit of faith and grace, are addressed. Apart from the critical evaluation, this study develops one model of faith, that is, faith as propositional hope.