Coleridge, philosophy, and religion : Aids to reflection and the mirror of the spirit

Coleridge's relation to his German contemporaries constitutes the toughest problem in assessing his standing as a thinker. For the last half-century this relationship has been described, ultimately, as parasitic. As a result, Coleridge's contribution to religious thought has been seen primarily in terms of his poetic genius. This book revives and deepens the evaluation of Coleridge as a philosophical theologian in his own right. Coleridge had a critical and creative relation to, and kinship with, German Idealism. Moreover, the principal impulse behind his engagement with that philosophy is traced to the more immediate context of English Unitarian-Trinitarian controversy of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The book re-establishes Coleridge as a philosopher of religion and as a vital source for contemporary theological reflection. Cover......Page 1 Half-title......Page 3 Title......Page 5 Copyright......Page 6 Contents......Page 9 Acknowledgements......Page 11 Abbreviations......Page 13 Notes on the text......Page 15 Prologue: explaining Coleridge's explanation......Page 17 CHAPTER 1 The true philosopher is the lover of God: Coleridge's spiritual philosophy of religion......Page 34 A SPIRITUAL PHILOSOPHY......Page 37 THE REVIVAL OF NATURAL THEOLOGY......Page 45 PLATONISM......Page 49 THE PLATONIC TRINITY......Page 52 GERMAN IDEALISM AND THE PLATONIC TRADITION......Page 56 PALEY, LOCKE AND SOCIANIANISM......Page 61 PRIESTLEY, UNITARIANISM AND PLATONIC IDEALISM......Page 65 SUPREME BEING AND SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS......Page 81 'I AM WHO I AM'......Page 91 CHAPTER 2 Inner word: reflection as meditation......Page 104 APHORISM......Page 105 MEDITATION AND AWAKENING: SPIRITUAL EXERCISES......Page 109 REFLECTION, RECOLLECTION AND RESTLESSNESS......Page 118 COMMENT......Page 120 THE SOUL AS THE MIRROR OF THE DIVINE......Page 125 THE ASCENT OF THE MIND AND THE INNER WORD......Page 132 THE COMMUNICATION OF TRUTH AND BIBLICAL SYMBOLS......Page 143 THE PHILOSOPHIC AND THE BELOVED APOSTLE......Page 152 REFLECTION AND RATIONAL DISCRIMINATION......Page 161 3 The image of God: reflection as imitating the divine spirit......Page 169 PRUDENCE......Page 171 SENSIBILITY......Page 174 THE TWO WORLDS......Page 178 'KNOW THYSELF!'......Page 185 SPIRITUAL AIDS......Page 197 AUTONOMY AND THE EUTHYPHRO DILEMMA......Page 205 CHAPTER 4 God is truth: the faculty of reflection or human Understanding in relation to the divine Reason......Page 209 THE FAITH OF SCIENCE......Page 219 REASON AND REFLECTION......Page 231 NOTIONAL SPECULATION......Page 239 5 The great instauration: reflection as the renewal of the soul......Page 245 ROBERT LEIGHTON AND DYING TO SELF......Page 260 ORIGINAL SIN......Page 264 BAPTISM AND SPIRITUAL RENEWAL......Page 279 HUME, GIBBON, AND THE BASIS OF 'ENLIGHTENMENT'......Page 282 COLERIDGE'S PHILOSOPHICAL MYSTICISM......Page 295 COLERIDGE AND ANGLO–SAXON VICTORIAN IDEALISM......Page 302 COLERIDGE AND TWENTIETH CENTURY RELIGIOUS THOUGHT......Page 307 PRIMARY SOURCES......Page 317 SECONDARY SOURCES......Page 324 REFERENCE SOURCES......Page 343 Index......Page 344 This Book Revives And Deepens The Evaluation Of Coleridge As A Philosophical Theologian In His Own Right. Coleridge Had A Critical And Creative Relation To, And Kinship With, German Idealism. Moreover, The Principal Impulse Behind His Engagement With That Philosophy Is Traced To The More Immediate Context Of The English Unitarian-trinitarian Controversy Of The Eighteenth And Nineteenth Centuries. The Book Reestablishes Coleridge As A Philosopher Of Religion And As A Vital Source For Contemporary Theological Reflection--book Jacket. Prologue : Explaining Coleridge's Explanation -- 1. The True Philosopher Is The Lover Of God -- 2. Inner Word : Reflection As Meditation -- 3. The Image Of God : Reflection As Imitating The Divine Spirit -- 4. God Is Truth : The Faculty Of Reflection Or Human Understanding In Relation To The Divine Reason -- 5. The Great Instauration : Reflection As The Renewal Of The Soul -- 6. The Vision Of God : Reflection Culture, And The Seed Of A Deiform Nature -- Epilogue : The Candle Of The Lord And Coleridge's Legacy. Douglas Hedley. Originally Presented As The Author's Thesis (doctoral--ludwig-maximilians University, Munich, 1992). Includes Bibliographical References (p. 301-327) And Index. Coleridge's relation to his German contemporaries constitutes the toughest problem in assessing his standing as a thinker. For the last half-century this relationship has been described, ultimately, as parasitic. As a result, Coleridge's contribution to religious thought has been seen primarily in terms of his poetic genius. This book revives and deepens the evaluation of Coleridge as a philosophical theologian in his own right. Coleridge had a critical and creative relation to, and kinship with, German thought. Moreover, the principal impulse behind his engagement with that philosophy is traced to the more immediate context of the English Unitarian-Trinitarian controversy of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The book re-establishes Coleridge as a philosopher of religion and as a vital source for contemporary theological reflection