The Existential and Semantic Truth of Religion in Jürgen Habermas's Political Philosophy and the Possibility of a Philosophy of Religion

This article presents Jürgen Habermas's discourse on religion within a foundationally self-sufficient democracy based on autonomous reason. The existential-motivational and semantic significance of religion in postsecular society is explained. The tension between the significance of religion and Habermas's rejection of a philosophy of religion within his political philosophy is discussed in order to explore the possibility and range of a philosophy of religion allowed for in Habermas's approach. Finally, Habermas's thesis on religion is reviewed from a Latin American context in order to test its universality.