In this volume, the relationship between religion and contingency is investigated. Its historical part comprises analyses of important philosophersa (TM) interpretations of this relationship, viz. that of Leibniz, Kant, Lessing, Jaspers, and Heidegger. Its systematic part analyses how this relationship should be currently (re-)interpreted. The upshot of the different interpretations is a re-evaluation of the traditional assumption that accepting contingency is detrimental to the pursuit of religion. It is shown that a number of the philosophers scrutinized are not as critical regarding the acceptance of (certain sorts of) contingency in the religious realm as is often thought, and the systematic contributions show that it may be unavoidable, sometimes even desirable, to accept contingency when dealing with religion.

Dirk-Martin Grube, Ph.D. (1991) in religion, Temple University, Philadelphia, currently holds the chair in the philosophy of religion and ethics at Utrecht University. He has published on Paul Tillich, Karl Barth, Alvin Plantinga, Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, and William James.
Peter Jonkers, Ph.D. (1982) in philosophy, Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium, currently holds the chair in philosophy at the Faculty of Catholic Theology of Tilburg University. He has published on German idealism, philosophy of religion, metaphysics and philosophy of culture.