Within the framework of the philosophy of religion, there is deism (from Lat. Deus - God) - interpreting God as the Supreme Reason, with the existence of which the structure of the Universe is connected, as well as pantheism (God in everything) - dissolving God in nature and culture.
The formation of a realistic approach to religion was undertaken by the German theologian and philosopher F. Schleiermacher (1768-1834). Schleiermacher seeks to isolate religious experience into an independent sphere of spiritual life, distinct from science and from morality. From his point of view, the key in religion is "the feeling of absolute dependence." Turning to the emotional and practical side of religious faith, Schleiermacher explores the subjective, internal aspect of religion.

However, Schleiermacher's main goal was not to study religion as such, but to build a new type of theology - "theology of consciousness." Thus, he assigned the doctrine of an auxiliary role - it only serves as an expression of religious consciousness. Therefore, the researchers of the New Testament, according to Schleiermacher, had to set themselves the task of penetrating into the mystery of the religious consciousness of Jesus Christ, which contains his divine essence.

A strong influence on the development of the philosophy of religion G.V.F. Hegel (1770-1831). In his system of absolute idealism, religion was given an important place: Hegel viewed it as a person's relationship to the Absolute, as a symbolic expression of truth associated with the personal-emotional side of the individual's life. According to Hegel, philosophy and religion are equally aimed at comprehending the Absolute by man. Religion operates with ideas and images, and philosophy - with logical concepts.

Therefore, philosophy is a higher level of comprehension of truth than religion. Hegel's philosophy of religion was developed in the context of a dialectical understanding of the historical process, and, according to the universal triadic scheme of development, religion, according to Hegel, moves from lower forms to higher ones, passing the necessary stages. For example, Hegel interprets Christianity as follows: Jesus as a thesis, the Apostle Paul as an antithesis, early Catholicism as a synthesis; in turn, the latter becomes a new thesis and gives rise to its own antithesis - Protestantism.