Dewi Z. Phillips maintains that philosophy must have a contemplative character. Applied to religion, it takes the form of a hermeneutics of contemplation that emphasizes the role concepts play in human life. While some philosophers try to bring philosophy to bear on to religion, others try to bring religion to bear on to philosophy; seeing their task as being for or against religion. According to Phillips, both these views are confused. Instead, the philosophy of religion must strive to understand religion on its own terms: showing that a sensibility should be possible that does justice to both belief and atheism. In order to appreciate Phillips' philosophy of religion, it is essential to recognize the three authors that have contributed to his thinking: Ludwig Wittgenstein, Soren Kierkegaard, and Simone Weil. From Wittgenstein, Phillips learns the philosophical method, Kierkegaard teaches Phillips what it means to be a religious author, and Simone Weil imparts Phillips with an authentic sense of religious belief and understanding. Throughout his career Phillips has been poorly understood because he refuses to be pinned down to the categories and frameworks within which philosophers of religion and theologians traditionally define themselves. For Phillips, a contemplative conception of the philosophy of religion endeavours to show just how far philosophy can bring one in a religious dimension: trying to enable a person to be conceptually clear about the matters at hand and to realize when a personal judgment must be made.

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