The religious act is one of the central concepts of the philosophy of religion and theological anthropology. The precise analysis of the concept will be determined by the (actual historical) self-understanding of man and the corresponding anthropology. We discuss here the religious act in the light of modern Catholic philosophy of religion and add some theological reflections.

1. Derivation and primary definition. If one takes seriously the general axiom, actus specificatur ab objecto , the religious act is seen at once to have a uniquely special character. Its obje…