The unchanging truth of God? : crucial philosophical issues for theology

It has long been a cornerstone of Catholic belief that Christians can be intelligent and creative thinkers―inquisitive seekers after truth―as well as men and women of ardent faith. Catholics are entirely committed, then, to the claim that human rationality and religious faith are complementary realities since they are equally gifts of God. But understanding precisely how faith and reason cohere has not always been a smooth path. At times, theology has allowed philosophy to become the leading (and baleful) partner in the faith-reason relationship, thereby lapsing into rationalism or relativism. At other times, theology has been tempted by fideism, with philosophy now regarded as little more than a pernicious intruder corrupting Christian faith, life and thought. The essays in this volume display how Catholicism understands the proper confluence between philosophy and theology, between human rationality and Christian faith, between the natural order and supernatural grace. To illustrate these points, the book draws on a long line of Christian thinkers: Origen, Augustine, Anselm, Aquinas and, in our own day, Fides et Ratio of John Paul II and the Regensburg Address of Benedict XVI. How is theology always a "Jewgreek" enterprise―to borrow a term from Jacques Derrida―always a combination of the biblical (Hebraic) and philosophical (Hellenic) traditions? Why is one particular element of philosophy, metaphysics, essential for the intelligibility and clarity of Catholic theology? Why is this so much the case that John Paul II could state emphatically: "a philosophy which shuns metaphysics would be radically unsuited to the task of mediation in the understanding of Revelation"? But theology cannot simply be about dialogue with philosophers of yesteryear. Theology must constantly incorporate fresh thinking and remain in lively conversation with an extensive variety of contemporary perspectives. This book displays how reciprocity and absorption has been characteristic of theology's past and must represent its future as well. Contents 6 Acknowledgments 8 General Introduction 10 Chapter One 28 Introduction 28 Philosophia Obscurans? Six Theses on the Proper Relationship between Theology and Philosophy 30 Chapter Two 74 Introduction 74 Fides et Ratio: Philosophy, Theology, and Contemporary Pluralism 76 Chapter Three 106 Introduction 106 Contemporary Lessons from the Proslogion 110 Chapter Four 138 Introduction 138 Postmodernity and Five Fundamental Theological Issues 140 Chapter Five 182 Introduction 182 The Return of Religion in Europe? The Postmodern Christianity of Gianni Vattimo 186 Chapter Six 206 Introduction 206 The God of Philosophy and of the Bible: Theological Reflections on Regensburg 208 Chapter Seven 218 Introduction 218 Nature and Grace: Seeking the Delicate Balance 222 Bibliography 238 Index 258 "The essays in this volume display how Catholicism understands the proper confluence between philosophy and theology, between human rationality and Christian faith, between the natural order and supernatural grace. To illustrate these points, the book draws on a long line of Christian thinkers: Origen, Augustine, Anselm, Aquinas and, in our own day, Fides et Ratio of John Paul II and the Regensburg Address of Benedict XVI. Catholic theology constantly incorporates fresh thinking and remains in lively conversation with an extensive variety of contemporary perspectives. This book displays how reciprocity and absorption has been characteristic of theology's past and must represent its future as well"-- Provided by publisher