AQUINO Journal of Philosophy

Ronald Dworkin’s philosophy of religion is built on a concept of atheistic religion or religion without God. He divorces religion, as an interpretive concept, from God, founding an atheistic religion based exclusively on objective value, a sort of religion of value. For Dworkin, the possibility of the existence of God does not make any difference to the objective truth of atheistic religious values. This religion of value could be shared together by theists and atheists, bringing harmony and peace, and ending religious wars and conflicts. The main objective of this study is to make a critique of Dworkin’s philosophy of religion. The research problem is to find out whether it is proper for a state to endorse or support a particular religion. The research method is hermeneutics of religion from the point of view of Dworkin. Finally, this study submits that inasmuch as religion is not purely capricious, impulsive, whimsical, irrational or temperamental, it is not a private issue. It is justifiable for a state to endorse a particular religion. However, in a multi-religious nation like Nigeria, no particular religion should be given a pride of place over others in the public sphere: leadership, politics, and every other area of human endeavour because no religion has the monopoly of truth.

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