Stump and Hoffman on the Efficacy of Petitionary Prayer: A Comparative Review

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Associate professor. Department of Islamic Teachings, Faculty of Islamic Theology. Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

2 Islamic Philosophy, Faculty of Theology and Islamic Knowledge, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran

10.22091/jptr.2024.10566.3035

Abstract

Some philosophers of religion have doubted the efficacy of prayer in the possible world created by the God who is omniscient, omnipotent, and perfectly good. Eleanore Stump has questioned the possibility of explaining effective prayer due to the implications of God's pure benevolence like the necessity of guiding the world to the best possible state, and maintaining the world in that state. Joshua Hoffman, on the contrary, has defended the efficacy of prayer by explaining the possibility of its necessary condition, and criticizing the opposing arguments against it. The comparative-analytical examination of the principles and premises of each of these two views reveals that the following presuppositions can play an important role in explaining the efficacy of prayer: the criterion for the efficacy of prayer, explaining the quality of the creation of the world(s) in light of divine attributes (either all or some of them), as well as the possibility of offering prayer in the best possible world. Al in all, it seems that neither Stump's argument in challenging the efficacious prayer is strong enough, nor Hoffman’s defense strategy is effective enough.

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Journal of Philosophical Theological Research

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 15 September 2024

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