❖ Modernist Perspectives on Reason and Religion ❖
By: Muhammad Rasheed Arshad, Department of Philosophy, University of the Punjab, Lahore
Modernism adopts four principal attitudes toward religion:
➊ Rejection,
➋ Reconstruction,
➌ Indifference, and
➍ Agnosticism—which is essentially a form of indifference.
✿ The Nature of Modern Skepticism
Modern skepticism must be distinguished from classical philosophical doubt. Modernist skepticism is a systematic attempt to undermine religion and make a mockery of it, with the intention of driving believers into confusion and eventual rejection. This skepticism is in fact a veiled form of denial, dressed subtly to sway the minds of believers away from faith.
✦ Rationalism in Modernism
A specific kind of rationalism underpins modernism, where reason and knowledge are narrowly defined. Reason is not allowed to function freely; rather, it is constrained by a specific view of reality and purpose of life.
According to modernism, the subject (the knower) becomes the center of knowledge—not the object (that which is known). Instead of asking “What is truth?” modernist inquiry asks, “What should truth be?”
✿ Reason Subjugated to Modern Assumptions
By the twentieth century, modernism posited that religion must conform to reason. While this appears reasonable—since humans often discern right from wrong using intellect—the definition of reason itself has been deliberately limited in modernist discourse.
Those demanding religion conform to reason overlook the fact that reason itself is inherently limited and in need of guidance. According to the perspective of religious scholars:
➤ Reason is a creation of Allah,
➤ Its function is to understand divine creation and accept revealed guidance,
➤ While it may independently explore nature, it must submit to revelation when it comes to divine guidance.
There is no shame in reason following revelation, for reason is finite and revelation is divine and comprehensive.
✦ Knowledge: Subject vs. Object
In the traditional religious view, knowledge should align with the object (truth). But modernism reverses this, making knowledge subjective, dependent on human interpretation and preference. This leads to attempts at reshaping truth rather than understanding it as it actually is.
Thus, religious scholars argue that reason must be subordinate to revelation, as revelation is divine and perfect, whereas reason is limited and dependent.
✔ Summary
➤ Modernism adopts four attitudes toward religion: Rejection, Reconstruction, Indifference, and Agnosticism.
➤ Modern skepticism is essentially a strategic denial of religion masked as critical inquiry.
➤ In modernism, reason and knowledge are constrained by specific philosophical assumptions.
➤ Reason should be subordinate to revelation, because reason is finite and needs divine guidance to fulfill its true role.
وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ
