John Hick, English philosopher and academic (b. 1922)
John Harwood Hick (20 January 1922 – 9 February 2012) was an exceptionally influential British philosopher of religion and theologian whose work profoundly shaped contemporary discourse on religious pluralism, the problem of evil, and the nature of religious belief. Born in England, Hick spent the larger part of his distinguished academic career teaching in the United States, before returning to the UK, leaving an indelible mark on both philosophical theology and the philosophy of religion.
Who Was John Hick? Philosopher, Theologian, and Bridge-Builder
As a philosopher of religion, Hick rigorously employed analytical methods to scrutinize the rational foundations and epistemological claims of religious faiths. Concurrently, as a theologian, he engaged with and often reinterpreted traditional Christian doctrines, aiming to make them more intellectually coherent and ethically palatable in a modern, globally interconnected world. His unique ability to navigate both philosophical rigor and theological depth allowed him to address some of the most pressing questions concerning faith in the 20th and early 21st centuries.
Hick's extensive academic journey saw him hold significant professorial positions at several prestigious institutions in the United States, including Cornell University, Princeton Theological Seminary, and Claremont Graduate University. This period of his career was instrumental in the development and dissemination of his groundbreaking ideas, influencing generations of students and fellow scholars. Later, he also taught at the University of Cambridge and the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom, further solidifying his international academic standing.
Hick's Groundbreaking Contributions to Philosophical Theology
Within philosophical theology—a field dedicated to exploring theological questions through philosophical reasoning—Hick made substantial and often provocative contributions across several critical areas:
- Theodicy: Reconciling God and Evil with the "Soul-Making" Approach
Hick is widely recognized for his development and advocacy of the "Irenaean theodicy," also known as the "soul-making theodicy," most prominently articulated in his seminal 1966 work, Evil and the God of Love. This theory offers a powerful response to the perennial problem of evil, seeking to explain how an omnipotent, omnibenevolent God can permit suffering in the world. Unlike the more traditional Augustinian view which attributes evil to the fall of humanity, Hick proposed that the world is not a perfect paradise marred by sin, but rather a "vale of soul-making." In this environment, challenges, suffering, and the freedom to choose good over evil are seen as necessary conditions for human beings to develop genuine moral and spiritual virtues, such as courage, compassion, and resilience. God, in Hick's view, deliberately creates an imperfect world to enable humanity to mature into true children of God, freely choosing love and goodness.
- Eschatology: Advocating for Universal Salvation
In the domain of eschatology, the theological study of the "last things" or ultimate destiny, Hick challenged conventional doctrines of eternal damnation. He strongly advocated for a doctrine of universal salvation, or universalism, which posits that all human beings will eventually attain salvation or enlightenment. This process, he argued, might extend beyond earthly life, involving post-mortem purification and continued spiritual growth. Hick believed that God's infinite love and justice would ultimately ensure that all individuals are brought into a right relationship with their Creator, regardless of their specific religious affiliations or initial responses to faith during their lifetime.
- Christology: A Functional Reinterpretation of Christ's Divinity
Hick's contributions to Christology, the study of the person and nature of Jesus Christ, were highly significant and often controversial. He moved away from a literal, ontological interpretation of Christ's divinity, where Jesus is understood as God incarnate in a unique and exclusive sense. Instead, Hick proposed a "functional Christology," viewing Jesus as a human being who was uniquely "God-conscious" and perfectly embodied God's will and love. In this view, Jesus functions as a paradigm or exemplar of human relationship with the divine, rather than being metaphysically identical with God. This reinterpretation aimed to facilitate interfaith dialogue by demythologizing exclusive claims that could hinder the recognition of spiritual truths within other world religions.
Significant Contributions to the Philosophy of Religion
Beyond his systematic theological contributions, Hick's profound insights also significantly shaped the philosophy of religion, particularly in two pivotal areas:
- Epistemology of Religion: The Validity of Religious Experience
Hick extensively explored the epistemology of religion, delving into how religious beliefs are justified and how religious knowledge is acquired. He was a staunch advocate for the validity of religious experience as a genuine form of encounter with the divine. He argued that belief in God is not merely a matter of assenting to propositional statements, but often arises from a direct, albeit interpreted, experience of a transcendent reality. Drawing parallels with ordinary perception, Hick suggested that just as we interpret sensory input from the physical world, individuals interpret their experiences of the 'Real' (his term for ultimate reality) through the diverse lenses of their specific religious traditions, thus validating a wide array of religious beliefs based on experiential grounds.
- Religious Pluralism: The Groundbreaking Pluralistic Hypothesis
Perhaps Hick's most celebrated and widely discussed contribution is his articulation and defense of religious pluralism, extensively developed in works like his influential 1989 book, An Interpretation of Religion. His "Pluralistic Hypothesis" posits that the great world religions—including Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Judaism—are not competing, mutually exclusive paths, but rather diverse human responses to, and culturally conditioned ways of experiencing, the same ultimate, transcendent divine Reality. Drawing on a Kantian distinction, Hick referred to this ultimate reality as the "noumenal Real," which is apprehended and interpreted differently (as the "phenomenal Real") by each religious tradition. For Hick, each major religion offers a valid, though partial and imperfect, pathway that genuinely leads its adherents towards liberation, salvation, or enlightenment. This revolutionary perspective encourages profound interfaith understanding, challenging exclusivist claims and fostering a more inclusive vision of global spirituality.
John Hick's intellectual legacy continues to be central to discussions in philosophy of religion, systematic theology, and interfaith dialogue. His rigorous scholarship, combined with a deep empathetic understanding of diverse religious experiences, firmly established him as a leading voice in modern religious thought, continually pushing intellectual boundaries and advocating for a more comprehensive and inclusive understanding of humanity's spiritual journey.
Frequently Asked Questions About John Hick's Work
- What is John Hick's "soul-making theodicy"?
- John Hick's soul-making theodicy, or Irenaean theodicy, proposes that the existence of evil and suffering is not a flaw in creation, but a necessary condition for human moral and spiritual development. He argued that facing challenges and imperfections in the world allows individuals to freely cultivate virtues like courage, compassion, and resilience, which are essential for their spiritual growth and maturity into the likeness of God.
- What is the Pluralistic Hypothesis in religious studies?
- The Pluralistic Hypothesis, a cornerstone of John Hick's work, suggests that the major world religions are different, culturally conditioned human responses to, and ways of experiencing, the same ultimate, transcendent divine Reality. It posits that no single religion holds exclusive access to ultimate truth, but rather each offers a valid, albeit partial and imperfect, path towards liberation, salvation, or enlightenment.
- What were John Hick's views on Christology?
- John Hick advocated for a "functional Christology," reinterpreting the traditional understanding of Jesus's divinity. He proposed that Jesus was not literally God incarnate in an exclusive metaphysical sense, but rather a human being uniquely "conscious of God" and functioning as a transformative figure who perfectly embodied God's will and love, thereby serving as a paradigm for humanity's relationship with the divine.
- Where did John Hick teach during his academic career?
- Born in England, John Hick spent a significant portion of his career teaching in the United States at institutions such as Cornell University, Princeton Theological Seminary, and Claremont Graduate University. He also held notable positions at the University of Cambridge and the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom.