The Catholic Reception of Continental Philosophy in North America

Why has continental philosophy so often made its North American home in Catholic institutions? The Reception of Phenomenology and Existentialism by American Catholic Philosophers: Some Facts and Some Reasons / Daniel O. Dahlstrom -- Philosophy between the Old World and the New: Neoscholasticism, Continental Philosophy, and the Historical Subject / Gregory P. Floyd -- Continental Philosophy and American Catholics: Then, Now, and Tomorrow / John D. Caputo -- Meaning, Concreteness, and Subjectivity: American Phenomenology, Catholic Philosophy, and Lonergan from an Institutional Perspective / Patrick H. Byrne -- Catholicism and Continental Philosophy in French Canada: An Opening Followed by an Ungrateful Separation / Jean Grondin -- Phenomenology and Catholic Thought: Unfolding the Logos of the Logos / Christina M. Gschwandtner -- The Use of Philosophy in Critical Catholic Theology / Andrew Prevot -- Continental Philosophy as a Source for Theology: The Case of the "Science-Religion" Debate / Anne M. Carpenter -- How Continental Philosophy of Religion Came into Being and Where It Is Going / Bruce Ellis Benson -- Phenomenology, Catholic Thought, and the University: Lessons from the French Discussion / Jeffrey Bloechl -- Being True to Mystery and Metaxological Metaphysics / William Desmond -- Slavoj Žižek Theory: The Christian Tradition and the Catholic Intellectual / Cyril O'Regan Cover Copyright Contents Acknowledgments Introduction: Catholics and Continental Thought – a Curious Allegiance 1 The Reception of Phenomenology and Existentialism by American Catholic Philosophers: Some Facts and Some Reasons 2 Philosophy between the Old World and the New: Neoscholasticism, Continental Philosophy, and the Historical Subject 3 Continental Philosophy and American Catholics: Then, Now, and Tomorrow 4 Meaning, Concreteness, and Subjectivity: American Phenomenology, Catholic Philosophy, and Lonergan from an Institutional Perspective 5 Catholicism and Continental Philosophy in French Canada: An Opening Followed by an Ungrateful Separation 6 Phenomenology and Catholic Thought: Unfolding the logos of the Logos 7 The Use of Philosophy in Critical Catholic Theology 8 Continental Philosophy as a Source for Theology: The Case of the “Science–Religion” Debate 9 How Continental Philosophy of Religion Came into Being and Where It Is Going 10 Phenomenology, Catholic Thought, and the University: Lessons from the French Discussion 11 Being True to Mystery and Metaxological Metaphysics 12 Slavoj Žižek’s Theory: The Christian Tradition and the Catholic Intellectual About the Authors Index

This volume by leading philosophers and theologians explores the reception of continental philosophy in North America and its ongoing relation to Catholic institutions. What has prompted so many North American Catholics to support this particular school of thought? Why do so many Catholics continue to find continental philosophy attractive, and why do so many continental philosophers work in Catholic departments?

The establishment of the relationship between continental philosophy and Catholicism was not obvious, nor was it easy. Many of the contributors to this volume have played important roles in its development, and in these pages they take a stance on this evolving relationship and demonstrate that the engagement is far from over. Exploring the mutual interests that made this alliance possible as well as the underlying tensions, the volume provides, for the first time, an extended reflection on the historical, institutional, and intellectual relationship between Catholicism and continental philosophy on North American soil up to the present day.

"Why is it that so many Catholics continue to find Continental Philosophy attractive? This volume by leading philosophers and theologians explores the reception of continental philosophy, and its history within Catholic Institutions in the twentieth century. From its earliest days in North America, Catholic philosophers and theologians have been the strongest supporters of continental philosophy; in turn, this has contributed to the intellectual enrichment of Catholic universities, making an important mark on Catholic thought. By taking a stance towards the evolving relationship between Catholics and Continental Philosophy, many of the contributors to this volume serve as living demonstrations that this engagement is far from over. Exploring the mutual interests that made this alliance possible as well as their underlying tensions, contributors provide, for the first time, a sustained account of the historical, institutional, and intellectual relationship between Catholicism and Continental Philosophy."-- Provided by publisher