Lectures on the Philosophy of Religion

A new 2024 translation with Afterword of Hegel's massive collection of lectures between 1821-1831 on the subject of religion and religious development.

Over the course of ten years, G.W.F. Hegel's "Lectures on the Philosophy of Religion" explored the relationship between philosophy and religious thought. Hegel asserts that religion and philosophy both seek to express the Absolute, though religion does so in a figurative and representational manner, while philosophy does so conceptually. In his analysis of various world religions, Hegel emphasizes the centrality of Christianity, which he sees as the highest religious expression of the self-revelation of the Spirit. The lectures, rich in insights and interpretations, bridge the gap between religious faith and speculative thought.

In these lectures, Hegel examines the interplay between philosophy and religious thought, positing both as expressions of the Absolute. He distinguishes their approaches: religion as figurative and philosophy as conceptual. Hegel places Christianity at the apex of religious expression, bridging speculative thought and religious faith through analytical discourse.