Kant and the Interpretation of Religious Scriptures

This paper shows how interpreting religious scriptures contributes to applied Kantian ethics. It addresses concerns in recent literature with introducing principles of practical reason in the historical and institutional spheres. Just as the formal principles of the moral law apply under all conditions, the pure religion of reason is critically applicable to diverse historically formed religions. Interpreting traditions through pure moral religion responds to the problem of actualizing principles of practical reason in the world. For Kant, the final purpose in the interpretation of holy books is the moral improvement of human beings and the actualization of the highest good in the world.