Examining the Ethical Challenge of Prayer from the Perspectives of Saul Smilansky and Daniel Peterson

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Professor, Department of Islamic Philosophy and Theosophy, Faculty of Theology and Islamic Studies, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran(Corresponding Author).

2 Associate Professor, Department of Islamic Studies, Faculty of Theology and Islamic Studies, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran....

Abstract

One of the significant questions in the philosophy of religion concerning prayer is whether certain requests made to God, if granted, could lead to harm or suffering for others. Saul Smilansky, a philosopher who views prayer not merely as a wish but as a practical action aimed at achieving desired outcomes, questions the ethicality of some prayers from a consequentialist ethical standpoint. He argues that such prayers may have detrimental consequences for others. In contrast, while accepting Smilansky’s theory that prayer is a form of practical action, Daniel Peterson, from the same consequentialist stance, attempts to defend the ethical nature of such requests and negate their detrimental outcomes by relying on God’s attributes of absolute knowledge, power, and benevolence. This study employs a descriptive-analytical method to critically examine the perspectives of these two philosophers of religion on prayer. The critique is conducted both from the perspective of the theological foundations of prayer and from the standpoint of moral philosophy. The most significant weakness in both views is their equating prayer with practical action aimed at achieving a goal. The primary challenge to Smilansky’s perspective lies in making ethical judgments about requests made to God based on human relationships and interactions.

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References

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Theology Journal
Volume 11, Issue 21 - Serial Number 21
December 2024
Pages 189-207

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