An introductory chapter loads the scales in favour of an idealist approach in quasi-Quinean
sense, in that being is called in question, as it is throughout the book. After a chapter revising
the best expositions of faith as a possibly rational attitude the Christian discovery or intuition
of intra-divine events or processes, held compatible with divine infinity and immutability, is
treated under the rubric of a Trinitarian philosophy. This leads to analysis of notions of being
(identity in difference) and, above all, of creation, viewing this as freed from the historic
dualism which has contradicted the necessary infinity of the first principle. Creation is not
thereby denied but seen as truly a constituent of the divine life. The picture is thus monistic,
which is to say scientific as presenting a holistic system or way of seeing things absolutely or
beyond appearance merely.
The consequences for human metaphysical and moral nature are rigorously drawn, freed from
all anthropomorphisms so as better to illuminate the insights of religion and philosophy. The
relevance for contemporary movements from palaeontology to Church ecumenism is brought
out, while a concluding epilogue attempts to shed light on the vexed debate on Europe in
relation to the Christian inheritance. Other concluding chapters treat of both sacramental
religion and of dialectic as the method of reason, whether in theology or in the world. For the
world without the reason is not an object of thought, any more than you can wash the fur
without wetting it, in G. Frege’s words.
[...]
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Preface
- Introduction: How Real Are We?
- Faith as Thinking with Assent
- Trinitarian Philosophy
- The Identity of All Being(s)
- Creation, Exemplarism and Divine Ideas
- Creation stricto sensu
- Metaphysics and Creation
- Infinity and Created Being
- Rethinking God
- From Soul to Self
- Transcendent Immanence, Immanent Transcendence
- Precepts and Inclinations
- Beyond Natural Law
- How to Deconstruct Human Rights
- Dialectical Reason
- Grace and Ecumenism
- Religion and Freedom
- Epilogue: A Cultural Basis for the European Union?
- Christian Traditions and Living Philosophy
- Reintegration
- Beyond the Sin-Paradigm
- The Self-Explanatory?
- The One and the Many
- Absolute and Trinity: Logic at the Crossroads
- From Shadows to Reality
- Divine Simplicity - not so Simple?
- Reconciliation
- Where we may be at
- Beyond Theism and atheism
- Ideas or Spirits? Ideas as Spirits
- Circularity, Series
- On Fossils
- Essence, Esse, Simplicity
- Signum formale
- Necessary Creation?
- Beyond Infinity
- Angelism
- Becoming
- Aboriginal Perennial
- Infinite Incarnation
- Eros
- How it Might Be
- Christianity without (or within) God?
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This book endeavors to reintegrate the spontaneous religious movement of monotheism, specifically the development of Judaism into Christianity, within a scientific or absolute framework. It aims to achieve this by building upon Hegel's previous attempt at this reintegration, while also incorporating insights from neo-Thomism. The book strives to offer a holistic and monistic view of reality, challenging traditional dualisms and presenting a unified system for understanding both religion and philosophy.
- The nature of reality and the relationship between being and ideas
- The concept of creation and its place within a monistic framework
- The exploration of human metaphysical and moral nature, freed from anthropocentrism
- The relevance of these ideas to contemporary issues, such as paleontology, Church ecumenism, and the future of Europe
- The role of reason and dialectic in understanding both theology and the world
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The book begins with an exploration of the concept of reality and its relationship to ideas, arguing that temporal substances are less real than the timeless truth of ideas. This sets the stage for examining religious traditions that claim to originate from outside the world and possess special authority.
Chapter 1 delves into the nature of faith and its potential rationality, while Chapter 2 introduces a Trinitarian philosophy that seeks to reconcile the divine infinity and immutability with the idea of intra-divine events or processes. Chapter 3 further investigates the notion of being, particularly in terms of identity in difference, and Chapter 4 examines the concept of creation, challenging the historical dualism between the divine and the created.
The following chapters explore various aspects of creation, including its relationship to metaphysics, infinity, and the divine life. These chapters also discuss the implications of this monistic view for understanding human nature and the world around us.
Beyond the initial chapters on creation, the book explores themes of transcendence and immanence, natural law, human rights, and the role of reason and dialectic in understanding the world. It further examines the relationship between religion and freedom, the nature of sacramental religion, and the possibilities for a cultural basis for the European Union.
Later chapters delve into Christian traditions and living philosophy, exploring concepts like reintegration, the sin paradigm, and the relationship between the One and the Many. They also address topics such as divine simplicity, reconciliation, and the nature of ideas as spirits.
The chapters on fossils, essence, esse, and simplicity examine the nature of creation, while further exploring the relationship between God, the universe, and humanity. These chapters also address the nature of infinity, angels, and the concept of becoming.
The final chapters examine the implications of this monistic perspective for contemporary religious traditions, especially Christianity, and explore concepts like infinite incarnation, eros, and the possibility of a Christianity without (or within) God.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This book explores the complex relationship between religion, philosophy, and science, focusing on themes of monotheism, creation, being, infinity, transcendence, immanence, reason, dialectic, and the human condition. It examines the evolution of religious thought, particularly within the Christian tradition, and its implications for understanding the world and our place within it. Important concepts include the Trinity, divine simplicity, creation as a constitutive aspect of the divine life, and the role of reason in understanding both religious and philosophical truths. This work also addresses the contemporary relevance of these ideas, exploring their implications for issues like ecumenism, human rights, and the nature of European identity.
- Quote paper
- Dr. Stephen Theron (Author), 2007, Unboundedly Rational Religion, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/86503
