Rationality of Religious Belief

I've always have found it curious that there's a need to validate and justify religious belief. Some, like Augustine, claim religious belief to be innate. His 'God-shaped hole' analogy depicts a chasm with in each person that can only be filled by God. Writing at the turn of the last century, William James' The Varieties of Religious Experiences, again attempted to justify religious leanings. His efforts in describing the Russian Tolstoy's conversion, stands out as a validation of sorts towards religion. Recently, works by Yale's Nicholas Wolterstorff and Notre Dame's Alvin Plantinga have helped to reinforce the cognitive ascension of religious belief.

This week, Stanley Fish Op-Ed piece in the New York Times, attracted considerable attention. He details a philosophical shift of the German philosopher Jurger Habermas. While this may seem innocuous to most, Habermas throws an insider's attack against the postmodernism's belittling view of religion.

Read the article and add your thoughts.