Christianity and Critical Realism: Ambiguity, Truth and Theological Literacy

Description

One of the key achievements of critical realism has been to expose the modernist myth of universal reason, which holds that authentic knowledge claims must be objectively ‘pure’, uncontaminated by the subjectivity of local place, specific time and particular culture.   Wright aims to address the lack of any substantial and sustained engagement between critical realism and theological critical realism with particular regard to: (a) the distinctive ontological claims of Christianity; (b) their epistemic warrant and intellectual legitimacy; and (c) scrutiny of the primary source of the ontological claims of Christianity, namely the historical figure of Jesus of Nazareth. As such, it functions as a prolegomena to a much needed wider debate, guided by the under-labouring services of critical realism, between Christianity and various other religious and secular worldviews. This important new text will help stimulate a debate that has yet to get out of first gear. This book will appeal to academics, graduate and post-graduate students especially, but also Christian clergy, ministers and informed laity, and members of the general public concerned with the nature of religion and its place in contemporary society. Cover Title Copyright Dedication Contents Acknowledgements Introduction PART I Critical realism and transcendence 1 Critical realism and dialectical critical realism Critical realism Dialectical critical realism 2 The spiritual turn: transcendence and meta-Reality Transcendental dialectical critical realism The roots of the spiritual turn The transition to meta-Reality The philosophy of meta-Reality 3 Christianity and critical realism Transcendence: critical realism and God Theology and natural science Theology and epistemology Theology and historiography PART II Epistemic relativism: the ambiguity of Christianity 4 The identity of Christianity Essential Christianity Nominal Christianity Realistic Christianity Trinitarian Christianity 5 Trinitarian theology and epistemic relativism Epistemic relativism revisited Trinitarian truth claims The fallibility of Trinitarian truth claims Judgemental rationality and Christian heresy Judgemental rationality and Trinitarian theology 6 The 'problem' of Christian exclusivism Religious exclusivism and inter-faith dialogue Exclusivism and ontology Exclusivism and epistemology Exclusivism and morality PART III Ontological realism: Christianity and truth 7 Classical theism and the Triune God The evolution of classical theism The contours of classical theism Trinitarian theology and classical theism The parting of the waves The problem of mediation 8 The Triune God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit The one Triune God God the Father God the Son God the Holy Spirit 9 The economy of salvation The theology of creation The glory and poverty of humankind The drama of reconciliation PART IV Judgemental rationality and Christian epistemology 10 The epistemology of divine revelation Revelation as divine agency Revelation as an epistemic problem Revelation as an epistemic necessity Revelation and Scripture The Old Testament as mediated revelation 11 Theological science Theological epistemology The possibility and actuality of knowledge of God Theological science and the development of natural science The nature of scientific activity The nature of theological truth The logic of theology 12 Radical orthodoxy: beyond secular reason Radical orthodoxy and secular paganism The hegemony of occidental reason The hegemony of liberal polity PART V Judgemental rationality and the historical Jesus 13 Towards a critical realist historiography Positivist historiography Idealist historiography Critical realist historiography: ontological realism Critical realist historiography: epistemic relativism Critical realist historiography: judgmental rationality 14 The quest for the historical Jesus The Original Quest: positivism The Original Quest: idealism The New Quest: positivism The New Quest: idealism The Third Quest: critical realism 15 Jesus Christ: a critical realist reading Miracles revisited The Kingdom of God The crucified Messiah Jesus and God The resurrection Bibliography Index