Theological Models of Lindbeck and Phillips: A Comparison

One of the controversial topics in philosophy of religion is the Wittgensteinian theological models based on his notions of language game and lifestyle. Ostensibly, all these models result from the thoughts of the same person and have been at times subject to the same criticisms. However, some of the models have been more capable of offering convincing responses to those criticisms. The current study aims to investigate two popular models based on Wittgensteinian ideas. The first one is George Lindbeck’s cultural-linguistic approach in the field of religion and theology and the second is D.Z. Phillips’s model based on the philosophy of later Wittgenstein. They both have sought to provide appropriate responses to the criticisms which are based on the universality of rationality. It will be shown, however, that the approach adopted by Lindbeck has been of more success, because it has managed to compensate for the flaws found in the model Phillips has come up with.