'What is Truth?' : Towards a Theological Poetics

ISBN-13: 9780415253253 / Angielski / Twarda / 2001 / 208 str.

Andrew Shanks;Andrew Shanks

Opis

The Western philosophical tradition and mainstream Christian theology have a common flaw: both have failed consistently to appreciate poetic truth. Plato proposed to ban Homeric poetry from his utopia, while St. Augustine wished to shun the company of poets entirely. However, 19th- and 20th-century philosophy has seen a move towards rejection of this prejudice, pioneered largely by Heidegger and Nietzsche. In this theological work, Andrew Shanks argues that the rebellion of Heidegger and Nietzsche is also deeply flawed and proposes an alternative strategy for reconciling Christian theology with poetic truth. Heidegger's ideal prophetic poet, Friedrich Holderlin, is rescued from the Heideggerian interpretation through being set alongside his equally prophetic contemporary, William Blake, and also alongside Nelly Sachs, arguably the greatest religious poet of the 20th century. The work forges an essentially new form of mythic theology, opening up a fresh approach to the very deepest nature of poetic truth. In a culture where the status of institutional religion is in decline, there is a pressing need for new theological strategies.

In a culture where institutional religion is in decline there is a pressing need for new theological strategies. Andrew Shanks argues for a fresh 'theological poetics', providing an eloquent first step towards meeting these needs and an alternative strategy for reconciling Christian theology with poetic truth.

Recenzje

'Where Shanks, in this thoughtful, cultured book, is right, and so is needed, is getting us to see that certain works of art, not just the poets he discusses, have the effect on us that sacred scripture and Christian truths ought to have, and often fail to have because we have packaged them too neatly, without any sense of shakenness.' - The Rt Revd Richard Harris, Bishop of Oxford, Church Times

'One can only hope that this book will not be overlooked ... it would be tragic if such a timely and impassioned appeal to the Church to step out of its grave-clothes went unheard.' - John Pridmore, Modern Believing

'A highly teachable book for seminarians and one with insights to offer literary criticism and continental philosophy.' - Cleo Kearns, Religious Studies Review

Spis treści

Part I First principles; Chapter 1 Faith: poetry versus metaphysical opinion; Chapter 2 Confessions of a traitorous clerc; Chapter 3 The ‘pathos of shakenness’; Chapter 4 ‘Mythic theology’; Part II Case studies; Chapter 5 The heritage of Amos; Chapter 6 A shaken sacramentalism; Chapter 7 Blake; Chapter 8 Hölderlin; Chapter 9 ‘After Auschwitz’; Part III Conclusion; Chapter 10 Incredulity and liturgy; Chapter 11 Envoi;

O autorze

Andrew Shanks is a Church of England priest in North yorkshire. He is the author of God and Modernity (Routledge, 2000), Civil Society, Civil Religion (Blackwell, 1995) and Hegel's Political Economy (Cambridge University Press, 1991).