Abstract

This article aims to defend religious syncretism and demonstrate that the common criticisms against it in the philosophy of religion are misguided. To do so, I will first examine the definition of syncretism and some of the typical objections raised against it. Next, I will argue that these criticisms often stem from a mistaken understanding of religion itself and will advocate for a perspective that views religion as a flexible system of beliefs and practices. Finally, I will contend that, when we adopt this conception of religion, the arguments against syncretism fail to hold. In this light, I will demonstrate that syncretism is neither logically nor epistemologically inconsistent and that there are strong philosophical grounds for accepting it as a legitimate process within of religious traditions.